NDP: Therme hit the Jackpot. Ontarians got ripped off.

TORONTO – A bombshell New York Times investigation revealed that Ontario taxpayer dollars are going into the pockets of a company that misrepresented itself to get a 95-year lease from the Ford government for Ontario Place.

After two years of evidence and reports pushed by Marit Stiles and the Official Opposition NDP, along with community leaders, Premier Ford said that he needs to take a second look at this multi-billion-dollar mega-spa deal.

“Why are we handing over $2.2 billion in taxpayer dollars to a broke Austrian company to build a luxury spa in downtown Toronto that no one asked for?

“The latest investigation from the New York Times confirms what we have been saying all along – Premier Ford and Minister Surma got scammed, and Ontarians are going to be stuck paying for it for the next 95 years.

“In a time of serious economic uncertainty, Ontarians are looking for leadership that delivers reassurance, relief, and real results. Instead, this government is making international headlines for handing public land and tax dollars to a broke spa company,” said Stiles.

“Cancel the deal and let’s focus on strengthening Ontario.”

BACKGROUND:

Since 2023, the Official Opposition has led the charge against the Ford government’s Ontario place redevelopment – a secretive, taxpayer-funded deal with a private spa company lacking credibility or oversight.

1. April 18, 2023 – NDP: Ford needs a reality check on the future of Ontario Place and the Ontario Science Centre MPP Chris Glover and Bhutila Karpoche criticized the government's plans, highlighting concerns over spending $650 million of public money on a private luxury spa and the proposed relocation of the Ontario Science Centre.
2. September 14, 2023 – NDP demands Conservatives cancel sketchy Ontario Place scheme Chris Glover raised concerns about the secretive nature of the 95-year lease with Therme and called for transparency.
3. October 5, 2023 – NDP: Why is Ford keeping Therme’s Ontario Place deal a secret? Marit Stiles, along with MPPs Chris Glover, Jennifer French, and Bhutila Karpoche, raised concerns about the rushed and secretive deal that the Ford government handed over to Therme for Ontario Place.
4. October 16, 2023 – NDP raises questions about Ontario Place’s publicly funded parking garage The NDP revealed documents showing that the government had plans to build a parking garage for Therme nearly two years before it was publicly disclosed, raising questions about preferential treatment.
5. November 3, 2023 – “A bad deal for Ontario”: Stiles welcomes AG probe of Ford’s $650m+ private luxury spa Marit Stiles welcomed the Auditor General’s investigation into the redevelopment plans, highlighting concerns over the use of public funds and the lack of transparency.
6. March 20, 2024 – NDP reveals Ford's Phase 2 for Ontario Place: Filling in the lake Marit Stiles called on Ford’s Conservatives to come clean about their plan for Ontario Place as documents obtained by the NDP through Freedom of Information revealed evidence of plans to fill in the lake at east island.
7. June 25, 2024 – NDP’s Glover demands Ford government halt demolition at Ontario Place Chris Glover called on the province to halt all further demolition at Ontario Place until the Ontario Place Protector’s legal challenge to the Rebuilding Ontario Place Act is resolved.
8. June 11, 2024 – NDP: The fight for Ontario Place is not over yet Chris Glover expressed disappointment over the government's actions and reaffirmed the NDP's commitment to opposing the redevelopment plans.
9. August 30, 2024 – NDP: It’s time for a government that puts transparency first Marit Stiles raised concerns about the questionable procurement processes behind Ford’s Ontario Place redevelopment project, highlighting the need for transparency.
10. October 17, 2024 – Stiles files integrity complaint against the Ford government for Ontario Place - Therme deal Marit Stiles and the Ontario NDP submitted a complaint to the Office of the Integrity Commissioner calling for an investigation into the Therme deal, citing evidence suggesting preferential treatment.
11. January 16, 2025 – Stiles: Ontario deserves answers about Ford’s shady Ontario Place scheme In response to the Integrity Commissioner’s report, Marit Stiles called for accountability and emphasized the need for transparency regarding the multi-billion-dollar deal.
12. April 16, 2025 – Marit Stiles reiterates call to Cancel the Therme Deal