Infrastructure Ontario ‘worked with’ engineering firm ahead of science centre closure report | Globalnews.ca

Key details of engineering report that led to permanent closure of the Ontario Science Centre were known and actively discussed by senior staff at Infrastructure Ontario eight days before the findings were presented to the attraction’s board of directors.

Texts and emails show staff had conversations about details in the report and its recommendations, including when the attraction would have to be vacated, before it was submitted.

Infrastructure Ontario says the move is a standard practice in finalizing an independent expert report.

Documents show communications suggest the decision to close the Ontario Science Centre over the state of its roof was made long before it was announced.

Minister of Infrastructure Kinga Surma was not briefed until two days before the decision, documents show.

Minutes of science centre board meetings show the board of directors voted unanimously in favour of closure.

The board did not vote until June 20 , the day before announcement was made.

“It clearly wasn’t urgent to shut down the science centre — otherwise the government would have acted with urgency,” Ontario Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner said. “And that confirms what architects and engineers have told us, that the science centre did not need to be immediately shut down. And the premier’s only reason for doing it was politically motivated.”.