Doug Ford government tables legislation to hasten redevelopment of Ontario Place

The Doug Ford government has tabled legislation that will enable it to proceed with its controversial redevelopment of Ontario Place.

Bill 154, New Deal for Toronto Act, 2023, gives the province certain powers to expedite the redevelopment and exemptions of existing laws to ensure that the construction of a massive spa at Ontario Place can begin. Ontario Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy introduced the bill on Monday. It has passed first reading.

Chris Glover, NDP MPP for Spadina-Fort York, said in a news release Tuesday that the NDP is opposed to the legislation and Ontario residents have a right to know how the provincial government is paving the way legally for its Ontario Place project.

"The fight for Ontario Place has always been at Queen's Park, and we will keep pushing back against this government's plan to sell off precious public park land to a private luxury spa company under shady terms from a nearly century-long lease," Glover said in the release.

"This bill sets a dangerous precedent for how far Ford's Conservatives will go to exempt themselves from provincial laws and avoid legal accountability."

The new bill follows an announcement of a new deal by Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow on Monday that will see the province take control of two Toronto highways and the city approve the province's plans to redevelop Ontario Place.

Austria-based Therme Canada has proposed to build an indoor water park and spa on the Ontario Place site.

According to the Ontario legislative assembly website, the new bill enacts two pieces of legislation, Recovery for Growth Act (City of Toronto) 2023 and Rebuilding Ontario Place Act, 2023.

Under the Rebuilding Ontario Place Act, 2023, the government expands the powers of the Minister of Infrastructure under the Planning Act, exempts the province from the Environment Assessment Act and states that the Ontario Heritage Act will not be applied to portions of Ontario Place.

The bill also gives the infrastructure minister the ability to issue ministerial zoning orders, a power currently limited to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.

In addition, the NDP said the bill exempts the province from the Environmental Bill of Rights.

Question Period became heated on Tuesday over the new legislation. 

"Mr. Speaker, I will never be afraid to present legislation in order to build infrastructure in the province of Ontario, and finally, after over 30 years of debate in this House, get it done and bring Ontario Place back to life, a place that families can enjoy 365 days of the year," Infrastructure Minister Kinga Surma said.

Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles replied: "Speaker, what is this obsession with a spa? I mean, really. I talk to people every single day. They're worried about how they're going to pay their rent, how they're going to make their mortgage payments, how they're going to buy groceries, where they're going to find a family doctor.

"None of them have told me they think a private luxury spa in downtown Toronto is the answer."

Surma and Stiles presented different views of the redevelopment again in scrums later with reporters. Surma said the province has completed more than 40 studies as part of its revamped development application submitted to the City of Toronto in September.

"Over 40 different studies — arborist study, shoreline study, water study, soil study, all of that has been submitted. We just have to make a decision and move on and start with construction," Surma said.

Stiles replied: "The minister is lying. That's not true. There has not been an environmental assessment of the West Island where Therme is going to be located."

Interim Ontario Liberal Leader John Fraser said the government has not been clear about its lease with Therme Canada.

"There's no transparency, none whatsoever. It's a big deal. It's a crown jewel of what you would call downtown Toronto and maybe even Ontario," Fraser said.

Ontario Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner, for his part, said the fight is not over. He said Ontario residents want the waterfront to be an affordable, family friendly place to visit and they do not want a luxury spa there.

"If Doug Ford thinks that his deal with the mayor of Toronto is going to lead to no more opposition to privatizing Ontario Place, he's wrong."

Province will take city land it needs for project: mayor

According to Chow, who spoke to CBC's Metro Morning on Tuesday, the province is already forging ahead and will expropriate a parcel of land at Ontario Place owned by the city. The parcel of land, which runs parallel to the Lake Ontario shoreline, is at the foot of Dufferin Street and south of Lakeshore Boulevard West. 

"We won't give them the land. We still didn't give them the land. They're just taking it," Chow said.

LISTEN |  Mayor Olivia Chow speaks to CBC's David Common on Metro Morning:

Norm Di Pasquale, co-chair of Ontario Place for All, a group taking the province to court for not doing an environmental assessment of the West Island, said the group's lawyers are reviewing how the new legislation, if passed, would impact its legal action.

He called the new legislation "disturbing."

"They are taking intrinsic rights away from us so they can wreck Ontario Place," he said.

Andrea Chiappetta, spokesperson for Surma, added in a statement on Tuesday: "With one environmental assessment complete for the site servicing upgrades, the government has most recently completed a second environmental assessment for the future public spaces.

"For the West Island, Therme has undertaken a number of studies in alignment with those done for an environmental assessment."