By Gazette Staff
February 26th, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
Ontario Science Centre – closed down based on reports of roof problems.
Infrastructure Ontario (IO) and Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming (MTCG) have awarded a fixed price contract of $1.04 billion to Ontario Science Partners to design, build, finance and maintain a new state-of-the-art Ontario Science Centre facility.
Rendering: Linked to the Cinesphere
The new Ontario Science Centre will be located on the mainland at Ontario Place and will include the preservation of the historic Cinesphere and Pod complex.
First question: Who are the Ontario Science Partners ?
- Applicant Leads: John Laing Limited, Sacyr Infrastructure Canada Inc, and Amico Major Projects Inc.
- Design Team: Hariri Inc & D. Pontarini Inc, Snohetta Architecture, Landscape Architecture P.C.
- Construction Team: Sacyr Canada Inc, and Amico Design Build Inc.
- Facilities Management: Johnson Controls Canada L.P
- Financial Advisor: N/A
The new Ontario Science Centre is being delivered using a Design Build Finance Maintain (DBFM) model. Key benefits of a DBFM model include risk transfer to the private sector over the life of the project agreement, greater cost and schedule certainty, greater potential for design and construction efficiencies, as well as innovation and higher maintenance quality encouraged through performance-based service payments over the 30-year term.
Based on precedent experience, a DBFM procurement model typically has delivered value for money savings in the range of 15% to 22% compared to undertaking the same projects using traditional delivery models.
Rendering of the proposed new Science Centre
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I don’t care how “less risky” this contract is over “the usual”, 1 billion dollars is a complete waste considering the current Science Centre is not caving in and should be maintained for many more years rather than this attempt by the premier to make it look like Ontario Place actually has some Canadian content going forward.
I wish his majority legislature members did not cave in to his flagrant legacy project. Shame on all of them.
I agree Gary,
The Ontario Science Centre was a gift to the people of Ontario to mark Canada’s Centennial, the provincial government commissioned architect Raymond Moriyama in 1964 to design the Ontario Science Centre—one of the first interactive science museums in the world.
It opened in 1969. And definitely could have been saved!
What a waste of history and taxpayer dollars.