The digital feedback form for Ontario Place Redevelopment Application Resubmission is now available until Saturday, September 23.

A revised development application is expected to be submitted by Infrastructure Ontario in late summer or early fall 2023. This revised timeline is to allow for the proponents to make substantial changes to the application in response to City staff comments and community consultation feedback. A revised application was initially expected in June 2023. Further community consultation will take place once new information and presentation materials are available. Precise timing will be based on the readiness of the proponents.

Please see the Summary of April 2023 Consultations to review the summary materials. A Community Consultation Meeting is planned for September 7, 2023.

On July 30, 2021, the Province of Ontario announced further details of its plans to redevelop provincial lands at Ontario Place, including the successful participants from the 2019 Call for Development process to developing new major attractions on the site.

The City of Toronto became involved as a stakeholder after these announcements. An agreement for collaboration between the City of Toronto and the Province of Ontario has since clarified that the City will be playing its usual role of managing the review of the application and reporting to City Council with a recommendation.

Thanks to everyone who attended the April 15 in-person community consultation meeting at Beanfeild Centre and the April 18 virtual community consultation meeting.

You can access the Engagement Summaries and Related Appendices:

The Province via Infrastructure Ontario (IO) submitted a formal development application for a site-wide Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment on November 25, 2022. The drawings and application materials are available to the public on the City’s online Application Information Centre.

The application proposes a number a large scale redevelopment of the public lands and attractions at Ontario Place. The site is currently in disrepair, as existing buildings, bridges, servicing infrastructure and shoreline require reinvestment to ensure the viability of these lands. Ontario Place today also serves as a waterfront public amenity and an intact cultural heritage landscape of international significance.

The application proposes:

  • A provincially-led Public Realm Master Plan for the free and continuously publically accessible lands on the East Island, Central Water and Mainland;
  • Integration and coordination of the public realm designs with Trillium Park and publically accessible tenanted lands;
  • Retention and re-use of some of the heritage buildings, including the Pods and the Cinesphere;
  • A 65,000 square meter entertainment, water recreation and wellness facility at a maximum height of 45 metres on the West Island (Therme);
  • A 22,000 square meter entrance and bridge building at a maximum height of 26 metres on the Mainland (Therme);
  • Future programming on the East Island and Mainland with details not yet known;
  • A five level underground parking structure with 2,100 spaces and a surface parking lot with 600 spaces;
  • Creation of new continuously publically accessible lands and paid access outdoor amenities on the West Island;
  • Shoreline stabilization works for the entire site and 36,000 square metres of lakefilling above water plus 25,200 square metres of lakefilling below water on the West Island.

The complete application can be accessed from the City of Toronto’s Application Information Centre under 955 Lake Shore Blvd W.

The Official Plan Amendment (OPA) is intended to guide the long-term stewardship of the lands and provides policy direction for the entirety of Ontario Place, including guidance for built form, heritage, public realm, landscape and associated amenities. While the proposed uses are currently supported in policy, an OPA is required to provide specific guidance around the relationship of buildings to heritage features and the public realm. Environmental impacts, mitigation measures and opportunities will also be considered as a part of the OPA.

The Zoning By-law amendment (ZBA) application seeks permissions for land use, height and other standards for the first proposed phase of development on the West Island (Therme) as well as parking and other permissions for the entire site. Future rezoning applications are anticipated for an entertainment venue on the East Island (Live Nation Amphitheatre) and the potential additional structures on the Mainland (potential Ontario Science Centre).

The City of Toronto will continue in its normal role as approval authority as per the Toronto-Ontario Major Terms and Conditions. The process will follow City Planning’s established standard review process for high-profile and complex development applications. City staff will provide comments to the applicant based on technical review, as well as from community consultation and stakeholder expertise.

A revised development application is expected to be submitted by Infrastructure Ontario in late summer or early fall 2023. This revised timeline is to allow for the proponents to make substantial changes to the application in response to City staff comments and community consultation feedback. A revised application was initially expected in June 2023. A resubmission package is now expected from Infrastructure Ontario in late summer or early fall 2023. Further community consultation will take place once new information and presentation materials are available. Precise timing will be based on the readiness of the proponents.

Have your say on the redevelopment of Ontario Place.

The role of the City of Toronto in the redevelopment of Ontario Place is to provide detailed comments and feedback on the application materials. This includes requesting design changes to ensure that the proposal meets the policy intent and city building objectives of a world-class waterfront.

Early in fall 2023, the City is expecting to receive a revised planning application from Ontario to redevelop the provincially owned lands at Ontario Place. Join our community consultation public meeting to learn more!

The application includes a Public Realm Master Plan for public space improvements and amenities on the East Island, Marina and Mainland. The initial application also proposed tourism, entertainment and waterpark facility (Therme), structured parking, retained Pods and Cinesphere as well as public realm, shoreline and trail improvements on the West Island and Mainland.

Revised designs from the ongoing Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment application will be presented for discussion. This session will focus on design responses to public feedback the City has received on the proposal to date. You are invited to ask questions and share your initial responses to the proposed changes.

The City is acting in its usual role as the Planning Act approval authority, and is asking for your feedback on the proposal to inform City staff comments on the application. Join us at the upcoming public meeting to learn more and provide feedback.

In-Person Community Consultation Meeting

Thursday, September 7, 2023 – Beanfield Centre, Exhibition Place

  • Open house design panels: 3 p.m. – 6 p.m.
  • Presentation and discussion: 6 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Register

Virtual Community Consultation Meeting

Tuesday, September 12, 2023 – Online Via Webex

  • 7 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Register

Previous Public Consultation

The City hosted two community meetings in April.

  • April 15, 2023 (In-person) at the Beanfield Centre
  • April 18, 2023 (Virtual)

The City also hosted a site walk on June 20 2023.

Contacts

Colin Wolfe, Senior Planner, Community Planning
(416) 338-1857
Colin.Wolfe@toronto.ca

Media Referral to

Media Relations, media@toronto.ca