Ontario Place is no place for secret deals on development - Toronto Star

When the Ford government decided to embark on a much-needed redevelopment of Ontario Place, it asked international developers to submit their ideas for the 155 acres of prime real estate on Toronto’s waterfront.

It did not ask the people who live here what they want done with this publicly owned land. It did not reach out to the city, which has a significant interest in Ontario Place — and owns neighbouring Exhibition Place, another 192 acres that are also in need of revitalization.

In fact, the government didn’t even offer up a vision of its own, beyond the vague desire for “a world-class year-round destination.”

That, it said, “could include sport and entertainment landmarks, public spaces and parks, recreational facilities, as well as retail.” But it could not cost the province anything.

This is obviously a terrible way to approach the redevelopment of such a historic and valuable parcel in the heart of Canada’s largest city. It’s no wonder so many people who care about the future of Ontario Place are holding their breath.

This month marks the 50th anniversary of the once-beloved waterfront park and, as Tourism Minister Lisa MacLeod has said, it’s “the perfect time to provide the people of Ontario with a preview of the tremendous plans for the site’s future.”

Does that mean releasing all the developer proposals the province has been keeping under wraps for more than a year and half now? A shortlist, just the winning bid or something else entirely?

The city doesn’t have a clue what’s coming, which makes a mockery of Premier Doug Ford’s claim last summer that Toronto would have a major say in the redevelopment.

This is ridiculous and, more than that, it’s unacceptable.

The province should make public all the development proposals it has received. And it should initiate true public consultation on those proposals. That means when it still matters and not, as the Ford government likes to do, after the key decisions have already been made.

Public land needs a public process. After three years of lurching from controversy to controversy over decisions and deals favouring developers, the government should know that by now.

There also needs to be real collaboration with the city to co-ordinate improvements and connections between Ontario Place and Exhibition Place to maximize the potential of both sites. It makes no sense to redevelop one in isolation from the other.

Despite the lack of a formal process, the public has found ways to push back through the advocacy group Ontario Place for All. Thankfully, that has already created positive changes.

The province ruled out condos and, thanks to public pressure, said no to a waterfront casino. Then, late last year, McLeod agreed that “key heritage and recreational features will remain,” such as the Cinesphere dome, iconic pods, Trillium Park and the William G. Davis Trail.

Those are particularly notable improvements considering the province’s starting point.

“There is nothing that can be saved,” a provincial appointee announced early on. Ontario Place “can be rebuilt in any way that Ford wants it to be rebuilt.”

This isn’t a random parking lot or some office building that’s surplus to provincial requirements. This redevelopment will shape the city for decades to come. It’s not something the government should get to decide in secrecy.

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The province recently appointed former Toronto police chief Mark Saunders as a special adviser. Along with providing expert advice to Ford and McLeod, his mandate includes “working closely” with the city, Indigenous communities and stakeholders.

To date, the province hasn’t shown that means anything at all.

A good way to change that would be to release the development proposals and welcome a hearty public debate on where to go from there.

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Ontario Place is no place for secret deals on development - Toronto Star
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