The province has filed an updated planning application with the City of Toronto for its Ontario Place redevelopment plan, doubling down on the controversial scheme amid mounting public opposition.

On Thursday, Ontario Minister of Infrastructure, Kinga Surma, issued a statement commenting on the updated application, details of which are still being circulated with City staff and have not been made available to the public.

"Ontario has submitted an updated development application that reflects the changes made as a result of feedback from the City of Toronto, Indigenous communities, stakeholders and community members as we work together to breathe new life into Ontario Place," boasted Surma.

Surma claims that "Since 2021, Ontario has hosted extensive public consultations on the redevelopment project, and I am pleased that over 9,200 people have participated in this process to share their input and ideas for the future of Ontario Place," neglecting to mention the overwhelmingly negative response the project team has faced in meetings and consultations.

The statement explains that the revised application includes approximately 50 acres of free parks, public, and green spaces.

Several other features have been revised in response to feedback from the consultation process, including added food and beverage options, waterfront programming, activity and play zones, and Indigenous elements and features throughout the site, such as proposed Indigenous educational and programming opportunities.

Plans can take days or even weeks to go public after an application is filed, and the general populace will soon get a closer look at some of the redevelopment's most contentious components, including the planned relocation of the Ontario Science Centre from its current home in Flemingdon Park.

Surma touts how "the new, modernized Ontario Science Centre will be integrated with the preserved and upgraded Cinesphere and pod complex, as well as an underground public parking facility that will serve visitors across the site and will include increased spaces for bicycle parking."

The plan's proposed Ontario Place relocation and massive underground parking component have both faced intense criticism from opponents of the project, which Surma once again does not acknowledge in her lengthy statement on the updated submission.

Recent changes to the proposed Therme megaspa — also redesigned in response to almost universal opposition — are reflected in the updated plan.

Surma claims that "Therme's updated plans will increase the free and accessible park and green space on the West Island to almost 16 acres, expand access to the waterfront, and reduce the overall volume of its buildings by approximately 25 per cent."

That waterfront access includes a beach that would put swimmers in direct proximity to a combined sewer outflow, another point not mentioned in Surma's statement.

The updated plan is claimed to include upgraded mobility options, as the province works alongside Metrolinx to upgrade pedestrian bridges over Lake Shore Boulevard, which Surma misspells as Lakeshore.

Following completion of the Ontario Line subway, a new pedestrian promenade will directly link Ontario Place and the new Exhibition Station, along with a potential shuttle bus linking the two points.

"With these new connections, an improved marina and Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport just down the street, people will benefit from unprecedented choice and convenience in travelling to Ontario Place to enjoy a full day of fun for everyone," says Surma.

Surma states that "A key highlight of the redevelopment is our plan to build a new and inclusive marina with opportunities for waterside cafes, year-round restaurants, and entertainment."

The province will engage with boaters and marina industry experts this fall to discuss improvements to the shuttered Ontario Place marina.

Work to upgrade the site's existing infrastructure is expected to begin this fall, as construction is already well underway on restoration of Ontario Place's signature Cinesphere and pods. Another popular element of Ontario Place, the Japanese Canadian Temple Bell, will be safely relocated from the West Island to a new location on the site following redevelopment.

Surma acknowledges the destruction that will need to occur to support what is viewed by some members of the public as a privatization of Ontario Place, stating, "As part of this next phase of work, the site will be carefully prepared for construction, which will include the removal of a significant amount of trees and vegetation across the site."

"For every tree removed as a result of redevelopment activities, approximately twice as many trees that are native to the area will later be planted to improve and increase the long-term tree canopy on site," adds Surma.

The minister closes out her statement with a bold claim that the province is "breathing new life into Ontario Place, creating an iconic tourist destination that will unite friends and families in Ontario and draw visitors from across the globe for generations to come."