Full Breakdown
Ontario Science Centre Lays Off Staff Amid Restructuring Ahead of New Facility
By Drooid · · How we work
Layoffs and Organizational Restructuring
The Ontario Science Centre announced the termination of 30 employees, including the complete elimination of its science department. The cuts also affect business-development, security, live-exhibit, education, marketing and IT teams. Management described the move as a restructuring effort to streamline functions and create new positions that require different skill sets as the organization prepares for its future location.
Background and Context
The original centre on Don Mills Road was closed in the summer of 2024 after an engineering report flagged roof deficiencies—a justification that some critics have questioned given the roof’s performance during recent heavy snowfall and rain. The provincial government is constructing a new $1 billion science centre at Ontario Place, with a target opening in 2029 and a promise of 1,000 new jobs. While the old site remains operational through an interim downtown location and pop-up venues, the relocation plan was presented as a way to mitigate criticism of other Ontario Place redevelopment projects.
Official Statements and Responses
Science centre CEO Paul Kortenaar told staff that the organization’s “reality has changed significantly” and that restructuring is needed to meet future operational and programming demands. The office of Tourism, Culture and Gaming Minister Zee Hamid emphasized that science programming, expertise and exhibits will remain embedded across the organization and that new roles will be offered to some impacted workers at interim and permanent sites.
Criticism and Opposition
The Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU/SEFPO) expressed outrage, noting that the unionized workforce will shrink from 166 to 136 employees and that the layoffs erase more than 540 years of combined service. Union president Raluca Ellis questioned how the centre can function without a science unit. Liberal MPP Adil Shamji urged the province to reconsider the plan and restore programming to the former building, calling the elimination of the science department “a real head-scratcher” and likening it to a hospital without doctors.
What’s Next
Construction on the new permanent location began in May and is slated for completion in 2029. The government has pledged to keep the Harbourfront Centre site open until the new centre opens, and it has indicated that some former staff may be eligible for positions at the interim or future facilities.
