The Integrity Commissioner has turned down an NDP request to investigate the Ontario Place redevelopment deal, raising more questions about the process.
Toronto: There’s a lot of buzz about the Ontario Place redevelopment. People are asking questions, and it seems like the government is dodging them. Recently, the Integrity Commissioner said no to an NDP request for an investigation into Infrastructure Minister Kinga Surma. They claimed she favored Therme, the company picked to build a spa at Ontario Place.
But here’s the kicker: the Integrity Commissioner found that Surma wasn’t even the minister when the deal was made. She only took over the role in August 2022. NDP Leader Marit Stiles isn’t backing down, though. She feels something’s off and wants answers.
Stiles pointed out that the Integrity Commissioner has limited power. She mentioned the auditor general’s report, which was pretty harsh on the government’s handling of the project. It called the process unfair and lacking transparency.
Meanwhile, a group called Ontario Place For All is back in court. They argue that the law allowing the redevelopment is illegal. Co-founder Cynthia Wilkey said the government is acting above the law regarding this important site.
As for the costs, they’ve skyrocketed. The Ontario Place project is now $1.8 billion over budget. That includes $700 million just to move the Ontario Science Centre. Stiles is ready to challenge Premier Ford if he tries to push for early elections based on this spending.
She’s hearing from folks everywhere, and they can’t believe the government is spending $2.2 billion of their money on this project. Ontarians deserve to know what’s going on.
