Campaign to Save Ontario's Science Centre

Save Ontario’s Science Centre (Save OSC) is a grassroots group dedicated to keeping the Science Centre open in Flemingdon Park and Thorncliffe Park for all Ontarians to enjoy.

We are fighting to reverse the Ontario government's plan to close the Ontario Science Centre; World Famous and Made in Canada, and to open a 1/2 size, "OSC Lite" replacement with 18% less exhibit space at Ontario Place, at a total cost of at least $650 million taxpayer dollars.

In December 2023, an Auditor General report confirmed the following: The plan to close the Ontario Science Centre was made to justify the government's construction of a taxpayer-funded parking garage for the private Therme Spa at Ontario Place. The government's financial case was incomplete and did not include costs important to the decision-making process. And school boards, the OSC's biggest customers, and Ontario families were not consulted.

Infrastructure Ontario owns the Ontario Science Centre building, and the OSC is a tenant. In the same auditor general report, it was revealed that Infrastructure Ontario has repeatedly denied funding to the OSC for maintenance projects that were at risk of critical failure.

Infrastructure Ontario admitted in December 2023 that the Ontario government has never replaced a major building system in the Ontario Science Centre's 54 years of operation - not the HVAC, not the escalators, not the windows, not anything really.

The Ontario government's latest failure to maintain the building has resulted in the closure of the OSC's pedestrian bridge, which resulted in the OSC spending $2.4 million on shuttle buses instead of on educational programming to benefit Ontario families in 2022/23.

But the Ontario Science Centre is repairable, and could easily still last the 250 years that its architect, Raymond Moriyama, promised when it was opened as a gift to Canadians to celebrate our nation's 100th birthday. That's what a respected, international engineering firm confirmed and reported to Infrastructure Ontario. The Ontario government isn't listening, but you can read all about it on our website, and Sign The Letter to Premier Ford too: Read Here

Much is at stake if the Ontario government proceeds with its plan. The Ontario Science Centre is one of the top science centers in the world. The OSC designs, builds, and sells exhibits to international science centers. It operates a top science school that educates and prepares Ontario high school students for careers in science. And it provides accessible and affordable community programming for the youngest residents of Flemingdon and Thorncliffe Park, including many from newcomer families.

All of this is at risk. We know from the Ontario government's business case that at least 53 out of 500 Ontario Science Centre team members will be laid off. The proposed replacement at Ontario Place will be 1/2 the size. That means no space to build and design exhibits, no science school, and 18% less exhibit space for families. No rainforest, no planetarium, and no KidSpark.

And it also means a lot more time stuck in the car or on the school bus because Downtown Toronto is one big traffic jam. That means less time to learn, and less time to have fun.

Donate Today to support our grassroots efforts to challenge the Ontario Government and Save Ontario's Science Centre. Let's Keep it Open and Reinvest in it. Thank you!

At the end of our campaign, if Save OSC has any unspent funds, they will be donated to local not-for-profits supporting Flemingdon Park and Thorncliffe Park residents.