Questions mount over Ontario Science Centre roof after record snowfall
After a record snowstorm, politicians, engineers and community groups are disputing the Ford government’s closure of the former Ontario Science Centre over roof safety concerns.
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By Torontoer Staff
The province’s decision to close the former Ontario Science Centre in June 2024 is under renewed scrutiny after a storm dropped an unprecedented 46.2 centimetres of snow on Toronto. Premier Doug Ford stood by two engineering reports at a Monday press conference, but engineers, local councillors and advocacy groups say the evidence is inconclusive and the building’s fate remains uncertain.
Infrastructure Ontario says the site is unsafe for staff to assess, while city councillors and preservation advocates say they have not been given access and fear the building is being neglected.
Province cites engineer findings, defends closure
The building was shuttered after a Rimkus Consulting Group report warned that certain roof panels had reduced load capacity and that a significant snow or rain event could lead to sudden collapse. The report recommended reinforcing or replacing high-risk panels before Oct. 31, 2024.
When there’s children in there and there’s a possibility of the roof collapsing, I’m not going to chance it.
Premier Doug Ford
An Infrastructure Ontario spokesperson told the Star that staff cannot safely enter to assess the roof and interior. The agency manages real estate and infrastructure for the province and is responsible for the site while the province occupies the building as a tenant of the city.
Experts say the risk was overstated, or at least not fully tested
Architects and forensic engineers who reviewed the public reports say the evidence in the municipal record does not clearly justify an immediate, indefinite closure. They note the reports were largely based on visual inspections and did not include a full structural analysis or field testing before the site was locked.
If we were to start having more cumulative events on top of what we have now, then there would be concern, but there would be concern for any house or building.
Brian Rudy, Moriyama Teshima Architects
Rudy said the snow that fell was relatively light and fluffy and may not constitute a definitive test of the roof’s strength. Forensic engineer Yasser Korany said that if the engineer who prepared the report believed there was an imminent threat, the language would have been clearer. He added that repairs indicated by the inspections were feasible.
Structural engineers don’t monkey around when it comes to safety because it’s a legal liability. Had the engineer felt that there is an imminent threat to safety, he would have expressed this in the most clear language.
Yasser Korany, KSI Engineering
Community groups and city councillors press for answers
Save Ontario’s Science Centre, a community advocacy group, published photos of the site during the storm and argued the images undermine the province’s narrative. The group’s co-chair said the photographs galvanize public concern about the closure and the province’s plans for the site, which include relocating the Science Centre to Ontario Place.
I think those photographs really galvanize people to recognize, ‘Wait a second, we’re being taken advantage of.’
Floyd Ruskin, Save OSC
Councillor Josh Matlow has introduced a motion asking the province to provide an update on the buildings and to remind the province of its maintenance obligations. Matlow said the city has not been given access and expressed concern about whether heat and other basic systems have been kept on, which affects long-term building integrity.
The Science Centre’s roof has more integrity than the Ford government.
Coun. Josh Matlow
Political reaction and what the snowstorm revealed
Ontario Liberal MPP Dr. Adil Shamji framed the storm as a practical test of the building’s condition, saying the site passed that test. The party used the storm to argue the province’s claim of imminent collapse had been rejected by nature.
This also made it the most extreme test of the Science Centre’s integrity, a test that it passed flawlessly.
Dr. Adil Shamji, Ontario Liberal MPP
Advocates point to a 2023 auditor general report that said funding for maintenance projects was repeatedly denied. They interpret this as evidence that the province allowed the building to deteriorate before using an engineer’s report to justify closure.
- Rimkus report recommended reinforcing or replacing high-risk roof panels by Oct. 31, 2024.
- Infrastructure Ontario says the building is unsafe for staff to assess.
- City councillor motion seeks a provincial update and proof of maintenance.
- Advocates and some engineers say the inspection did not include full structural testing.
What happens next
The province has not outlined a timeline for repairs or an independent reassessment. The city, community groups and engineers are calling for access, transparent reporting and a full structural analysis that goes beyond visual inspection. Those measures would determine whether targeted repairs could allow a phased reopening, or whether larger interventions are required before the site can be used again.
For now, the site remains closed and the debate is likely to continue. The outcome will shape not only the future of the former Science Centre building in Don Mills but also broader discussions about heritage, maintenance funding and how governments justify closures of public institutions.
Ontario Science CentreInfrastructure OntarioDoug FordTorontoheritage
