Stiles demands Ford not lay a finger on the Science Centre except to fix it

QUEEN’S PARK — Ontario NDP leader Marit Stiles stood with workers and advocates in front of the Science Centre Thursday and demanded that Doug Ford not make any moves to demolish the site.

“The future of the Science Centre isn’t in Ford’s hands; it’s in ours. It’s in yours,” Stiles said, calling on Ontarians to join the NDP’s campaign to save it.

She was joined by OPSEU president JP Hornick; Floyd Ruskin, chair of the group Save Ontario’s Science Centre; the NDP’s critic for Culture and Heritage Jill Andrew (Toronto-St. Paul’s) and NDP MPPs Kristyn Wong-Tam (Toronto Centre) and Chris Glover (Spadina-Fort York).

“Doug Ford and his politicians think they can close the doors on a beloved, world-class cultural institution with less than a day’s notice and no one would bat an eye? We won’t let him them get away with it.

“We all know Ford’s motive is to justify his vanity mega-spa project at Ontario Place. This is demolition by neglect from a government that is eroding our public goods — they’re doing it to our hospitals, to our schools, to our child care.

“An NDP government will repair and revitalize the Science Centre and keep it in its original home.

“I don’t trust this government; Doug Ford and his politicians better not lay a finger on the Science Centre unless it’s to fix it.”

The NDP has launched its campaign to Save the Ontario Science Centre, inviting Ontarians to sign a petition and share their story of what the Science Centre means to them.