Two Toronto councillors propose Ontario Science Centre become new TDSB school
Josh Matlow and Jon Burnside released a report finding Torontonians want the shuttered science centre revived for education, culture, and public use.
Sources · local media reports
The day's top stories, food & events — every morning at 7. Unsubscribe anytime.
Two Toronto councillors have asked the province to work with the city in "good faith" to reopen the Ontario Science Centre for a new neighbourhood purpose — potentially as a TDSB school combined with community and cultural programming.
Josh Matlow and Jon Burnside released a report last week finding that Torontonians want the site revived for public use, education, cultural programming, and access to the Don Valley's many trails. "We're looking at ways that we can actually make good use of not only the building but the property that's in such a good location," said Burnside, who represents the attraction's home ward of Don Valley East.
Burnside highlighted the underserved Flemingdon Park and Thorncliffe Park neighbourhoods, which would benefit from both a community space and a new school. "Marc Garneau Collegiate Institute is putting in their thirteenth portable," he noted. "So one of the ideas is to move the school up to the science centre."
The report recommends bringing together the city, the province, the federal government, community members, and institutional and philanthropic partners to determine the site's future. "The message from participants is clear," it states. "The use of the site may change, but its public purpose should endure."
Ownership of the site is split: the city and the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority both own the land, but the province owns the buildings themselves. Thus, no single level of government can determine the site's future independently. The science centre closed in 2024 after Doug Ford's government determined that structural concerns about its roof were insurmountable — despite the province's own consultants recommending to repair the building rather than close it. Densification is coming to the area; dozens of condo and apartment projects have begun to rise following the Eglinton Crosstown's opening, and the Ontario Line is expected to open in the early 2030s, bringing thousands of new residents.
How much would converting the science centre building into a school actually cost, and who would pay for it?
How many new student spaces would this provide, and when could it realistically open?
What does the 99-year lease actually permit in terms of permitted uses on this site?
We'll update this story as answers emerge.
The facts
Who proposed turning the Ontario Science Centre into a school?
Toronto councillors Josh Matlow and Jon Burnside released a report proposing that the Ontario Science Centre become a new TDSB school combined with community and cultural programming.
When did the Ontario Science Centre close?
The Ontario Science Centre closed in 2024 after the province determined that structural concerns about its roof were insurmountable.
Who owns the Ontario Science Centre site?
The city and the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority own the land, while the province owns the buildings themselves.
Which neighbourhoods would benefit from a school at the site?
Flemingdon Park and Thorncliffe Park are underserved neighbourhoods that would benefit from a community space and new school, according to Councillor Burnside.
