A vast majority of residents in the GTHA want to see the Ontario Science Centre reopen

A new study has revealed that most residents in the GTHA would rather see the Ontario Science Centre stay as it is. 

In a recent poll conducted on behalf of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU/SEFPO), it was found that 72 per cent of surveyed residents living in cities like Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton and Hamilton would rather see provincial resources go into the repair and reopening of the now defunct facility. 

In June of this year, many residents throughout Ontario were blindsided by the facility’s sudden closure, as the Ford government cited structural issues with its ceiling. 

“We’ve known all along that the people of Ontario were not on board with Doug Ford’s closure of the Ontario Science Centre in June, nor his costly plan to relocate the Ontario Science Centre to Ontario Place. Families, teachers and communities have been protesting, writing, calling and emailing the Premier demanding that he reverse his decision, said JP Hornick, President of the OPSEU/SEFPO in an official statement. 

A more detailed analysis conducted on behalf of OPSEU/SEFPO revealed that 78 per cent of Ontarians living in the GTHA say they do not believe that Doug Ford is putting the province’s best interests first by shutting the facility down. 

“As scientists, those of us who work at the Ontario Science Centre believe in data. Now, we have hard data that shows that most Ontarians who live in the GTHA want the Science Centre to stay open in its current location, and so do our members,” said Martin Fischer, President of OPSEU/SEFPO Local 549, the division that represents the Ontario Science Centre. 

Additional statements from OPSEU/SEFPO officials further indicated that even though the facility was closed due to structural issues, countless clean-up crews have been operating inside the building — even during this summer’s record-breaking rain storms. 

A clear indication that everything is not what it seems according to OPSEU/SEFPO members. 

“Ford’s plan to move the Ontario Science Centre to Ontario Place was never about safety or about what’s best for the people of Ontario. Ford is focused on helping a wealthy foreign company build a spa on the waterfront,” added Hornick in another statement. 

Given the current climate of public support, OPSEU/SEFPO officials are calling on the current government to divest from current strategies and reopen the Ontario Science Centre as soon as possible.