The Ontario Science Centre has recently laid off 31 employees, according to information obtained by CBC News. The Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) Local 549 revealed that this included 27 permanent positions and four contract roles at the centre. Scott Clark, the spokesperson for Ontario’s Tourism Ministry, explained that the Science Centre is implementing changes to enhance the delivery of science learning experiences and programs at its temporary Harbourfront Centre site and upcoming location at Ontario Place. These modifications are anticipated to generate 1,000 new employment opportunities, with Clark confirming that the quality of programming and learning experiences provided by the centre will remain unchanged.
Moreover, Clark mentioned that new positions will be offered to some of the affected individuals at both the interim and permanent locations. The Science Centre in east Toronto was abruptly shut down in the summer of 2024 by the province due to concerns raised in an engineering report regarding roof deficiencies. Critics have raised doubts about this justification, given that the roof has withstood extreme snowfall and rainfall over the past two years. The government is presently constructing a new $1-billion science centre at Ontario Place, with plans to inaugurate it by 2029.
