Ontario Science Centre will have no science department as layoffs, restructuring announced - Toronto Star

'How can you have an Ontario Science Centre with no Science Unit?' said the head of the union local representing Science Centre workers. 

A rendering shows what the new Ontario Science Centre will look like.

When the beloved Ontario Science Centre opens at its new site on Toronto’s waterfront, there won’t be a science department.

On Thursday, CEO Paul Kortenaar told employees at a meeting that the Science Centre, which was abruptly shut down by the province in 2024, is being restructured and is eliminating the live exhibits and science department, the business development department and security.

Thirty people are being let go, including seven staff in the science unit. The notices of layoff are expected to be issued on Sept. 21, said Ontario Public Service Employees Union, which represents the centre’s 166 unionized employees.

“How can you have an Ontario Science Centre with no Science Unit?” said Raluca Ellis, president of OPSEU Local 549. “With these job cuts, over 540 years of combined service would be eliminated.”

The latest developments follow the previous job losses of more than 50 food service workers and 28 cleaning staff, as well as 34 directly employed staff whose roles have not been replaced, said OPSEU.

Only one person affected by the cuts has been offered alternative permanent employment within the public service, Ellis added.

The Science Centre’s CEO broke the news to staff, via a video conference call, that some departments will no longer be part of the organization as a result of the restructuring.

“In some cases, this means entire full teams are impacted, including business development, science, security, and live exhibits,” said Kortenaar in a recording obtained by The Canadian Press.

In a statement to the Star, the Science Centre said it is delivering science education and programming at its new interim location at Harbourfront Centre, while preparing for its $1-billion new home at Ontario Place that’s now under construction with the goal to open by 2029.

“While our organizational structure is changing, our mission is not,” it said. “Science remains central to the organization’s mandate and is embedded across many departments that deliver science learning, engagement, programming, exhibitions, and public outreach.”

The Ontario Science Centre on Don Mills Road in North York was abruptly closed, and fenced off, by the province in 2024.

Save Ontario’s Science Centre, a grassroots group advocating for the preservation of the old centre, said the province’s move seems to be repositioning the centre as a “vacation day trip for American tourists,” rather than an educational destination for Ontario children.

“Without a science department, why is the province bothering to operate a science centre at all?” asked Jason Ash, the group’s co-chair. 

In 2024, the province abruptly closed the Science Centre in North York, citing an engineering report that found deficiencies with the roof. Critics have questioned that reasoning given the roof has survived record snowfalls and rainfall in the past two years.

Liberal MPP Adil Shamji, who represents the Don Mills area where the old science centre was located, called the move to eliminate the science department a “real head scratcher.”

“What is a science centre without its science staff? It’s like a hospital without doctors and nurses or a fire department without firefighters,” Shamji said.

The province said Thursday’s layoffs and restructuring are meant to “effectively and successfully” deliver science learning experiences and new programming at the interim Harbourfront Centre site and the future location at Ontario Place, a project it said will create 1,000 new jobs.

“Science programming, expertise and exhibits remain embedded across the entire organization,” Tourism, Culture and Gaming Minister Zee Hamid said in a statement, adding new roles will be available for some of the impacted individuals. “There will be no change to the science programming and other learning experiences delivered by the OSC.”

However, Martin Fischer, a science educator and a local union steward at the centre, said the impacts would be felt down the road.

The seven scientists — some with PhDs in their specialized areas — belonging to the science department, for instance, are responsible for conducting research and writing science content to make sure it is accurate and well communicated, he said. 

“They all lost their jobs today, which is really puzzling,” said Fischer, who has been with the Science Centre for more than 26 years and is among the 30 employees facing layoffs. “They are an integral part of designing new Science Centre exhibitions. We expected them to be super busy creating new exhibits.”

Martin Fischer, who has been with the Science Centre for more than 26 years, is among the 30 employees facing layoffs.

Those also facing layoffs include hosts who greet guests as well as staff in marketing, education, business and sales, security and those responsible for caring animals and plants in live exhibits.

Fischer said the layoffs came as a shock to the staff because there was a “clear promise” from Premier Doug Ford that there would be no job losses when the Science Centre at 770 Don Mills Road closed.

“He’s on camera saying it’s really important that nobody loses their job. We want to make sure of that, right? And here we are,” said Fischer. “Ontarians love the Science Centre and they want the Science Centre to do really well and I wish that politicians would listen to the people.”

He said notified OSC employees have five days to decide whether to take a one-time financial package or remain with the Ontario public service for another six months to look for other jobs within the government.

Nicholas Keung is a Toronto-based reporter covering immigration for the Star. Follow him on Twitter: @nkeung.