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102-609: The Ontario Science Centre ( OSC ; originally the Centennial Museum of Science and Technology ) is a science museum organization based in Toronto , Ontario , Canada. Its original main location, which was permanently closed to the public on June 21, 2024, was located near the Don Valley Parkway about 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) northeast of downtown on Don Mills Road in the former city of North York . It

204-485: A climbing wall . The Cohon Family Nature Escape is an outdoor exhibit, situated within the Don River Valley to the back of the science centre. The exhibit features a giant Baltimore oriole nest, concrete wall canvas for moss graffiti , and a playground slide made from a fallen 125-year-old eastern white pine . Forest Lane houses a number of trees and tree trunks from across Canada. The exhibit includes

306-418: A hydraulophone designed by installation artist Steve Mann . It is a hydraulic-action pipe organ which can be played by anyone walking into the space. Blocking the flow of any one of the 57 water jets in the fountain forces the water across to a corresponding organ pipe, where it makes a loud sound as the water is forced out through the speaking mouth of the pipe. The lowest 12 notes in each pipe division of

408-463: A shuttle bus line ran from 2023 until the Don Mills site's closure, bringing people from the main entrance to Level 6, the main exhibit area at the bottom of a ravine. The detour used Mercedes and Ford custom-built minibuses . No plans to rebuild or replace the decayed bridge had been announced by the time of the site closure. On April 18, 2023, Doug Ford , the premier of Ontario , announced

510-628: A $ 2   billion funding toward schools in Canada, of which Ontario will receive $ 763   million with the first tranche of $ 381   million arriving in the fall. The Toronto District School Board , Canada's largest, debated and later decided to delay the reopening of schools until September 15, one week later than the initial September 8 date. A survey by the board suggested 70 percent of students would be returning to in class school and 30 percent of students would be opting for learning from home. On September 8, schools opened for many parts of

612-405: A 464-year-old Douglas fir , with markings on its growth rings denoting notable world events during the tree's lifetime. KidSpark is a designated space for children eight and under to explore and learn through play. The exhibition was opened in 2003. The exhibition also has a rolling ball machine built by George Rhoads , and a music studio. The Living Earth hosts simulated environments around

714-607: A Section 22 for the same duration. On April 11, Minister of Education Stephen Lecce stated in a letter to parents that most schools in Ontario would continue in-person classes after April Break, despite the new stay-at-home order. However, Lecce backtracked the next day, and Premier Ford announced that all schools in Ontario must close indefinitely. Private schools were required to transition to virtual learning by April 15, and public schools transitioned after April Break. Child care will remain available for non-school aged children and

816-584: A bubble art installation. The Ontario Science Centre Science School (OSCSS) offers grade 12 University Preparation courses in STEM subjects: physics, biology, chemistry, calculus, and advanced functions. All students also complete an interdisciplinary studies credit in science communication while enrolled with the OSCSS. The credits are issued by either the Toronto District School Board or

918-522: A clear plan for the existing site". On June 21, 2024, the Ministry of Infrastructure announced that the Science Centre's Don Mills location was to be closed effective immediately. An engineering report made public the same day had concluded that 2-6% of the buildings' roofs had been compromised due to water ingress. The report included a recommendation to restrict access to occupied spaces below

1020-525: A decline in cases, in May through August 2020, the province instituted a three-stage plan to lift economic restrictions. The state of emergency was lifted on July 24, 2020. In early September 2020, the province showed a significant increase in new cases, beginning the second wave of the pandemic. Ontario began to reintroduce some restrictions and in early November, created a new five-tiered colour-coded "response framework". From late November to mid-December 2020,

1122-677: A half died during the first wave. A 2020 Canadian Medical Association Journal study reported negative outcomes were more prevalent in for-profit facilities with a 196% increase in cases, and a 178% increase in deaths. As part of Operation Laser , assistance from the Canadian Armed Forces at five Toronto-area nursing homes, beginning in April, led to a report by the Brigadier General in charge documenting extreme conditions and abuse. The Ontario Ombudsman announced

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1224-461: A hands-on approach, featuring interactive exhibits that encourage visitors to experiment and explore. Recently, there has been a push for science museums to be more involved in science communication and educating the public about the scientific process. Microbiologist and science communicator Natalia Pasternak Taschner stated, "I believe that science museums can promote critical thinking, especially in teenagers and young adults, by teaching them about

1326-456: A higher transmission rate and potentially increased fatality rates. The first confirmed case of the Alpha variant was announced on December 21, 2020, infecting a Durham Region couple initially with no known travel-related contact exposure. The couple, Dr. Martina Weir and Brian Weir, who both work in healthcare, were later charged for lying to contact tracers, admitting later they had met with

1428-506: A home must be isolated for 14 days and tested within that period. The directives also require that all long-term care home staff and essential visitors for gravely ill residents wear surgical masks, "whether the home is in outbreak or not." LTC homes are expected to take "all reasonable steps" to follow the new long-term care rules. Prior to this directive, LTC staff were not required to wear masks or other PPE, and testing levels were considered low for at-risk seniors and LTC staff. During

1530-572: A hybrid model, alternating daily between in-person and online instruction to reduce class sizes, with physical classes conducted in cohorts of 15 students each. Students in Grade 4 and higher would be required to wear a face mask, parents would have the option to opt out of in-person classes in favour of online classes, and high school students with special needs would be able to attend in-person daily if they are not capable of using remote learning. The province allocated $ 309   million in funding to cover

1632-628: A new Emergency Order on March 28 that introduced temporary additional staff members to help in the facilities and allowed homes more flexibility in staff deployment. Many LTC homes in Ontario are considered old and small and feature shared bedrooms, increasing the difficulty in isolating sick residents from those who are well. On April 15, 2020, the CBC reported that the Ontario Ministry of Long-Term Care had conducted resident quality inspections (RQI) at only nine out of 626 long-term care homes in

1734-606: A parkland of over 40 hectares (100 acres). The buildings were constructed while avoiding removal or damage to the mature trees in the area, so that "the buildings seem to fit naturally into their environment". They follow the natural contours of the Don River ravine, into which the Centre descends. Ontario's only IMAX Dome theatre opened in 1996. The Great Hall is an event venue at the Ontario Science Centre and

1836-419: A partial lockdown (termed as a rollback to "Step 2" of the previous roadmap) due to record cases caused by Omicron variant , ordering the closure of most non-essential indoor facilities. Face mask mandates and vaccination mandates were lifted on March 21, 2022, due to the decreasing number of new cases, unofficially ending the pandemic. The Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table , of which Dr. Peter Jüni

1938-854: A product of the 1960s and later. In the United Kingdom , many were founded as Millennium projects , with funding from the National Lotteries Fund . The first 'science centre' in the United States was the Science Center of Pinellas County, founded in 1959. The Pacific Science Center (one of the first large organisations to call itself a 'science centre' rather than a museum), opened in a Seattle World's Fair building in 1962. In 1969, Oppenheimer 's Exploratorium opened in San Francisco , California , and

2040-543: A province-wide shutdown, all public schools in the northern half of the province were closed to in-person classes until at least January 11, 2021, and the southern half of the province until at least January 25, 2021. Some schools in the north voluntarily remained closed as a precaution. On January 12, the return to in-person classes in Hamilton, Peel, Toronto, Windsor-Essex, and York was delayed to February 10, 2021, as they were still considered hotspots. On January 20, it

2142-762: A report on July 11. As of the October 31st vacancy deadline, most of the exhibits had been packed up and moved to storage facilities in Northern Toronto and Guelph , with some now open at a pop up location at the Sherway Gardens mall and a soon to open one at the Toronto Harbourfront Centre . Exhibit animals had been re-homed to the Toronto Zoo and Black Creek Pioneer Village . According to workers, repairs are underway at

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2244-881: A small part of the complex. This combination of interactive science museum, planetarium and Omnimax theater pioneered a configuration that many major science museums now follow. Also in 1973, the Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC) was founded as an international organisation to provide a collective voice, professional support, and programming opportunities for science centres, museums and related institutions. The massive Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie (City of Science and Industry) opened in Paris in 1986, and national centres soon followed in Denmark (Experimentarium), Sweden ( Tom Tits Experiment ), Finland ( Heureka ), and Spain ( Museu de les Ciencies Principe Felipe ). In

2346-621: A traveller from the United Kingdom, who should have been in quarantine. Dr. Martina Weir was later fired from her role. The variant was later identified in a mass outbreak causing 71 deaths at a long-term care home in Barrie . The first confirmed case of the Beta variant was announced on February 1, 2021. The case had no known link to travel. The first confirmed case of the Gamma variant

2448-575: A very popular tic-tac-toe game, run on a PDP-11 minicomputer . By 1974, it hosted about 250,000 students on field trips annually. In 1990, the Ontario Science Centre announced a contract with Oman to design a children's museum. The Ontario Science Centre had agreed to boycott Israeli goods and services while under contract. The Ontario Science Centre later amended the contract to specify that all goods sold to Oman would be produced in North America. The centre's Director General Mark Abbott

2550-498: A year, and Trustees serve for a term not exceeding three years but may be reappointed for one or more terms. The Ontario Science Centre is affiliated with the Canadian Museums Association (CMA), Canadian Heritage Information Network (CHIN), and Virtual Museum of Canada . The Ontario Science Centre is a member of the international Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC). Ontario Science Centre

2652-730: Is Ecsite , and in the United Kingdom, the Association of Science and Discovery Centres represents the interests of over 60 major science engagement organisations. The Asia Pacific Network of Science and Technology Centres (ASPAC) is an association initiated in 1997 with over 50 members from 20 countries across Asia and Australia (2022). Their regional sister organisations are the Network for the Popularization of Science and Technology in Latin America and The Caribbean (RedPOP),

2754-404: Is home to Cloud , a massive, computer-controlled kinetic sculpture by Toronto installation artist David Rokeby , which consists of an array of blue and transparent squares that rotate in various ways to simulate the three states of matter: solid, liquid and gas. For most of the time since opening in 1969, the Science Centre has hosted a demonstration amateur radio station. Formerly located in

2856-449: Is played by blocking water jets rather than air holes, it is principally a hydraulophone. The fountain must be shut down and drained to avoid freezing damage during the cold season. On November 21, 2007, the aquatic play facility was temporarily switched from water operation to air operation, effectively becoming perhaps one of the first pneumatic-play facilities, where visitors can frolic in a fountain of air jets. In this mode of operation,

2958-428: Is supplied with water from three Pentair pumps, supplying water at a rate of 130 US gallons per minute (8.2 L/s), each by way of a 3 inches (7.6 cm) diameter water line. Air is supplied from three Ingersol Rand four-cylinder air compressors, each having a 25 horsepower (19 kW) motor. Since the instrument runs on both air and water, it may be regarded as a hybrid hydraulophone and pneumatophone, but because it

3060-571: Is the scientific director, provides scientific advice to the Ontario government about pandemic response. On March 12, 2020, the provincial government announced that publicly funded schools would be closed for an additional two weeks after March Break until April 5. On March 24, Premier Ford announced that the reopening of schools would be delayed indefinitely past the original April 6 target. On March 31, Premier Ford announced that in-person classes would remain suspended through at least May 4; in tandem, Minister of Education Stephen Lecce announced

3162-469: The Kirby video game series and a visit by a performer in a full Kirby costume. In 2017, to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Canada , the Centre opened the exhibition Canada 150: Discovery Way , featuring Canadian stories behind transformational inventions and innovations. The science centre has several hundred interactive and passive permanent exhibits, featuring geology , the science of nature (in

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3264-528: The Ontario Hospital Association , and Ontario's Chief Medical Officer of Health declared the province was experiencing a third wave of the virus. Following the third wave surge, ICU numbers in late March climbed to their highest numbers since the beginning of the pandemic. On April 1, 2021, the government announced a second province-wide shutdown beginning April 3. Ford later issued a third state of emergency and stay-at-home order for

3366-484: The Renaissance period, aristocrats collected curiosities for display. Universities, and in particular medical schools , also maintained study collections of specimens for their students. Scientists and collectors displayed their finds in private cabinets of curiosities . Such collections were the predecessors of modern natural history museums. In 1683, the first purpose-built museum covering natural philosophy ,

3468-725: The Science Museum, London , founded in 1857. In the United States of America, various natural history Societies established collections in the early 19th century. These later evolved into museums. A notable example is the New England Museum of Natural History (now the Museum of Science ) which opened in Boston in 1864. Another was the Academy of Science, St. Louis , founded in 1856, the first scientific organisation west of

3570-641: The Strange Matter exhibition opened, and the Body Worlds 2 exhibition attracted almost half a million visitors over five months when it came to the Centre in 2005. The exhibition Facing Mars ran in 2008. The Centre hosted Harry Potter: The Exhibition , a collection of props from the film series in 2010. Leonardo da Vinci's Workshop (2011) featured physical models of da Vinci's inventions, built from drawings in his Codices. It also included interactive touch-screen digital reproductions of his Codices,

3672-873: The Toronto Catholic District School Board , which also fund the program so it is available at no cost to students from anywhere in Ontario. While at the Science Centre, students earn practicum hours through volunteering and interacting with visitors. As a Crown agency ( Crown corporation ) of the Government of Ontario , the Ontario Science Centre is overseen by Trustees appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council , who selects not fewer than sixteen and not more than twenty-six trustees, and designates one of them as chair and another as vice-chair. Meetings are held four times

3774-848: The original Ashmolean museum (now called the Museum of the History of Science) in Oxford , England, was opened, although its scope was mixed. This was followed in 1752 by the first dedicated science museum, the Museo de Ciencias Naturales , in Madrid , which almost did not survive Francoist Spain . Today, the museum works closely with the Spanish National Research Council (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas). The Utrecht University Museum, established in 1836, and

3876-451: The Centre's designer), and Ford's political opponents. At least three donors with connections to science and technology, including Geoffrey Hinton , have made donation offers of up to $ 1 million to cover the costs of the emergency repairs, while Moriyama Teshima Architects offered to provide consulting services related to the repairs at no charge. As of July 2, 2024, the province had yet to directly respond to these offers, but released

3978-470: The Don Mills site instead of repairing it was met with significant opposition. Planning for the Science Centre started in 1961 during Toronto's massive expansion of the late 1950s and 1960s. In August 1964, Premier of Ontario John Robarts announced the creation of the Centennial Centre of Science and Technology as a Centennial Project. Toronto architect Raymond Moriyama was hired to design

4080-661: The Exploratorium's exhibits. The Ontario Science Centre , which opened in September 1969, continued the trend of featuring interactive exhibits rather than static displays. In 1973, the first Omnimax cinema opened at the Reuben H. Fleet Space Theater and Science Center in San Diego's Balboa Park. The tilted-dome Space Theater doubled as a planetarium . The Science Centre was an exploratorium-style museum included as

4182-458: The Hall of Space, the station has since been relocated to Level 4 of the Centre, next to the elevator. The station has the call sign "VE3OSC", and licensed amateur radio operators volunteer there daily from 10 am to 3 pm. Lotic Meander by Stacy Levy is an outdoor installation in polished and blasted granite and cast glass set into the solar terrace of the Ontario Science Centre. The work depicts

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4284-511: The Mississippi. (Although the organisation managed scientific collections for several decades, a formal museum was not created until the mid-20th century.) The modern interactive science museum appears to have been pioneered by Munich's Deutsches Museum (German Museum of Masterpieces of Science and Technology) in the early 20th century. This museum had moving exhibits where visitors were encouraged to push buttons and work levers. The concept

4386-531: The Mona Lisa and The Last Supper. Circus: The Exhibition ran in 2012. Game On 2.0 , a video game history exhibition, ran March 9 to September 2, 2013. In June 2014, the Centre welcomed The Science of Rock 'N' Roll , which explores how advances in science and technology have revolutionized music. The exhibition features eight areas that comprise different interactive components, historical artifacts, informational walls, documentary videos and more. The exhibition

4488-626: The Museum of Science and Natural History (now the Saint Louis Science Center ) was formally created by the Academy of Science of Saint Louis, featuring many interactive science and history exhibits, and in August 1969, Frank Oppenheimer dedicated his new Exploratorium in San Francisco almost completely to interactive science exhibits, building on the experience by publishing 'Cookbooks' that explain how to construct versions of

4590-624: The Netherlands' foremost research museum, displays an extensive collection of 18th-century animal and human "rarities" in its original setting. More science museums developed during the Industrial Revolution , when great national exhibitions showcased the triumphs of both science and industry. An example is the Great Exhibition in 1851 at The Crystal Palace , London, England, surplus items from which contributed to

4692-900: The North Africa and Middle East science centres (NAMES), and the Southern African Association of Science and Technology Centres (SAASTEC). In India, the National Council of Science Museums runs science centres at several places including Delhi , Bhopal , Nagpur and Ranchi . There are also a number of private Science Centres, including the Birla Science Museum and The Science Garage in Hyderabad. COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario The COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario

4794-867: The Ontario Science Centre opened near Toronto , Ontario , Canada. By the early 1970s, COSI Columbus , then known as the Center of Science and Industry in Columbus, Ohio , had run its first 'camp-in'. In 1983, the Smithsonian Institution invited visitors to the Discovery Room in the newly opened National Museum of Natural History Museum Support Center in Suitland, Maryland , where they could touch and handle formerly off-limits specimens. The new-style museums banded together for mutual support. In 1971, 16 museum directors gathered to discuss

4896-568: The Science Centre was a pioneer for its hands-on approach to science, along with San Francisco's Exploratorium and the Michigan Science Center in Detroit . Unlike a traditional museum, where exhibits are for viewing only, the majority of the exhibits at the Science Centre were interactive, while many others were live demonstrations (e.g. metalworking). The Communications room contained a number of computerized displays, including

4998-639: The United Kingdom, the first interactive centres also opened in 1986 on a modest scale, with further developments more than a decade later, funded by the National Lottery for projects to celebrate the Millennium . Since the 1990s, science museums and centres have been created or greatly expanded in Asia. Examples are Thailand 's National Science Museum and Japan 's Minato Science Museum . Museums that brand themselves as science centres emphasise

5100-399: The building from the street, and provided cooling for the building. The original water fountain has been rejuvenated to provide a more welcoming and accessible entrance to the Science Centre. The new plaza, named "Teluscape", was designed by Reich + Petch Architects and EDA Collaborative. It opened to the public on September 20, 2006, and is accessible 24 hours a day. The new fountain is also

5202-429: The centre to Ontario Place, with a scheduled opening date of 2028, and thus close the Don Mills facility immediately. The province said it would seek a temporary location to host the centre, with a current target opening date of January 2026. The decision to close the Don Mills site instead of repairing it was met with significant opposition by community leaders, Moriyama Teshima Architects (the architectural firm founded by

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5304-627: The closure of all schools in Peel Region for at least two weeks beginning April 6 (dates including April Break), in an order issued pursuant to Section 22 of the Health Protection and Promotion Act . Later that day, Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health announced that the Medical Officer of Health Nicola Mercer would issue a similar order on April 6. On April 6, Toronto Medical Officer of Health Eileen de Villa also issued

5406-405: The compromised roof panels, followed by reinforcement or replacement by October 31. In addition to the emergency repairs, a full repair to the roofs would require at least two years of additional repairs at a minimum budget of $ 22 million. Safety concerns about the roof material in question, reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC), which constitutes 57% of the Science Centre's roof, had caused

5508-404: The costs of additional cleaning supplies, protective equipment, and staffing. The plan faced criticism from parents, educators, and health care professionals, noting that some schools had insufficient ventilation and that there was no reduction in elementary school class sizes—with only one metre of distancing specified between desks. Lecce stated that the distance of desks was in conjunction with

5610-456: The demolition of the original buildings. A grassroots group called Save Ontario's Science Centre has held rallies and launched a letter campaign for the Ontario government to reverse its decision. In December 2023, the Auditor General of Ontario concluded that the government's relocation decision "was not fully informed and based on preliminary and incomplete costing information, and had proceeded without full consultation from key stakeholders or

5712-425: The event of a positive case, the entire cohort will be dismissed and required to self-isolate for 14 days. Students may return to class if they have not developed symptoms during the 14-day period. However, they will not be required to receive a test. Schools may be shut down entirely if the local health unit determines that "potential widespread transmission" is occurring. The same day, the federal government announced

5814-521: The excitement of discovery. The public museum as understood today is a collection of specimens and other objects of interest to the scholar, the man of science as well as the more casual visitor, arranged and displayed in accordance with the scientific method. In its original sense, the term 'museum' meant a spot dedicated to the muses - 'a place where man's mind could attain a mood of aloofness above everyday affairs'. Museum of Jurassic Technology , Introduction & Background, p. 2. As early as

5916-466: The few Moon rocks on public display in Canada. The Ontario Science Centre also holds Toronto's only operating public planetarium , since McLaughlin Planetarium was closed in 1995. The Weston Family Innovation Centre is an exhibit designed to encourage experimentation, and features exhibits that allow visitors to prototype a new type of shoe, and to test their aviation abilities. The Weston Family Innovation Centre houses Pipe Dreams by Bruce Shapiro,

6018-405: The first doses of the Pfizer vaccine were administered. In February 2021, shipments for both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines increased significantly. By May 2021, over 50 percent of Ontarians had received their first dose. Throughout the pandemic, a concern about hospital capacity, and critical care like intensive care unit beds has become a major issue at the peak of the three waves. During

6120-434: The fountain becomes a wind instrument . The hydraulophone may not be operational during the winter months. As of 2023, the hydraulophone has not been operational, due to algae buildup, leaks, and pump problems. The Science Centre has hosted many travelling exhibits since its opening. In 1982, the exhibition China: 7,000 Years of Discovery broke all attendance records and attracted more than 1.5 million visitors. In 2003,

6222-423: The government has reported 72 cases of COVID-19 in 60 schools and one school closure in Pembroke in Renfrew County in Eastern Ontario. The last day of class for public schools in 2020 was December 18, the province closed the fall semester with 7,292 cases reported in public schools. Before the winter break, there more than 20 schools closed in addition to all public schools in the Windsor-Essex region. Due to

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6324-427: The largest population, only ranks sixth adjusted per capita. Ontario surpassed one million lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases on January 24, 2022; one day before the anniversary of the first confirmed case on January 25, 2020. On March 17, 2020, a state of emergency was declared by Premier Doug Ford . This included the gradual implementation of restrictions on gatherings and commerce. From late spring to early summer,

6426-535: The launch an investigation into long-term care facilities on June 1. Six corporations— Chartwell Retirement Residences , Extendicare , Responsive Group, Revera , Schlegel Villages, and Sienna Senior Living — together owning and operating 200 long-term care homes—experienced "unusually high rates of COVID-19 infection and related deaths." In March 2024, the Ontario Superior Court certified class action lawsuits against these corporations for gross negligence on behalf of thousands of people who contracted COVID-19 during

6528-562: The majority of the deaths were residents of long-term care homes. In late April 2020, one out of five of all long-term care homes in Ontario had an outbreak and 70 percent to 80 percent of all COVID-19 deaths had been in retirement and long-term care homes. Following medical assistance and observation by the Canadian Armed Forces , the military released a report detailing "a number of medical, professional and technical issues" amongst for-profit long-term-care homes including neglect , lack of equipment and allegations of elder abuse . Following

6630-420: The organ are visible as pipes arranged in a circle. The North Division consists of stopped hydrapasons (similar to diapasons but running on water rather than air), whereas the South Division pipes are open at both ends (sound emerges from the ends rather than from a mouth as with the North pipes). The North organ console consists of 12 water jets, whereas the south console consists of 45 water jets. The organ

6732-538: The original human anatomy gallery, opened in December 2013 with sponsorship from AstraZeneca . In addition to detailing anatomy, the exhibit explores the possibilities of the human body with activities to simulate the experiences of adventure-seekers, elite athletes, and extreme-sports enthusiasts. There are more than 80 exhibits in the hall, which were all developed and built by the Science Centre's staff with input from more than 120 neuroscience, physiology, bio-mechanics and sports medicine experts. The exhibit also features

6834-405: The original building, with heating systems repaired and roof fixes ongoing. With many items still remaining and repairs ongoing, the future of the building and potential for a reopening remains unclear. Designed in the early 1960s, the original buildings incorporate Brutalist designs. The building complex is made up of three main buildings connected by a series of bridges and escalators set in

6936-466: The pandemic after visiting these homes or residing in them. On April 15, 2020, the Ontario Nurses' Association released a statement saying that long-term care (LTC) homes pre-COVID-19 were already understaffed, but now they are in "crisis" mode. Prior to the pandemic, long-term care home staff who were part-time or casual staff were allowed to work at multiple locations, increasing the risk of transmission and spread between LTC homes. The province issued

7038-418: The patterns of water as it moves through a stream bed. In 2007, the Ontario Science Centre unveiled the Teluscape Exploration Plaza, providing several interactive exhibits adjacent to the science centre's exterior main entrance. As originally built, the Science Centre had a large fountain area directly in front of the entranceway, located to create a traffic roundabout . The fountain virtually screened views of

7140-414: The possibility of starting a new association; one more specifically tailored to their needs than the existing American Association of Museums (now the American Alliance of Museums ). As a result of this, the Association of Science-Technology Centers was formally established in 1973, headquartered in Washington DC, but with an international organisational membership. The corresponding European organisation

7242-538: The province began placing regions in rolling lockdowns , culminating in a province-wide shutdown beginning Boxing Day . In the post-winter holiday surge of new infections, Premier Ford declared Ontario's second state of emergency on January 12, 2021, which was lifted February 10, 2021, and a stay-at-home order effective January 14, 2021, which was phased out regionally between February 10 and March 8, 2021. Following Health Canada 's approval of various COVID-19 vaccines , widespread plans for vaccinations began during

7344-413: The province beginning April 8, 2021, and ordered all schools to close on April 12, 2021 (public schools were in the middle of spring break , delayed from March to April). In order to ensure greater decline in the number of reported daily infections, the stay-at-home order was extended yet again to June 2, 2021, at which point it expired. Following the expiration of the stay-at-home order, on May 20, 2021,

7446-750: The province in 2019, down from a bare majority in 2018 and larger proportions from 2015 to 2017. RQIs are proactive, unannounced and more comprehensive than the other main category of care home inspections in the province, complaint and critical incident inspections, where facilities know of the impending scrutiny in advance; the 2018 Long-Term Care Homes Public Inquiry noted that "focusing only on specific complaints or critical incidents could lead to missing systemic issues." As of 15 April 2020 , 114 care facilities in Ontario had experienced COVID-19 outbreaks, and those that had multiple COVID-19 deaths last had their RQI in 2018 or earlier. On April 7, 2020, Ontario reported that there are 51 long-term care homes in

7548-520: The province that are experiencing COVID-19 outbreaks, and by April 10, 2020, it had surged to 69 LTC homes in Ontario. Some LTC workers pointed to a lack of personal protective equipment as a cause of the outbreaks. By April 21, 2020, 121 outbreaks have been reported in long-term care homes. On April 8, 2020, the Ontario Ministry of Health released directives to ramp up coronavirus testing and infection control. Also, new residents entering

7650-435: The province, using preventive measures such as masks, physical distancing in classrooms, and remote learning. Teachers in a Mississauga Catholic school were reported as briefly refusing to work until proper personal protective equipment was provided. On September 11, the Ontario government released a website to track COVID-19 infections in public schools and daycares . By the end of the second week of school reopening,

7752-524: The provincial government released a three-step roadmap to reopen the economy based on vaccination rate goals. In late summer 2021, the province began preparing for a fourth wave of the virus, which was now largely affecting unvaccinated individuals. After hitting a stand-still on vaccination rates, on September 1, 2021, Ontario became the fourth province to implement a proof of vaccination mandate for various non-essential functions, which went into effect on September 22, 2021. In January 2022, Ontario entered

7854-524: The provincial government's plan to replace the existing Science Centre with a new facility on the Toronto waterfront. This location would be on the grounds of Ontario Place , a former theme park . The relocation plan has triggered widespread backlash from many community and professional groups. The proposed new location would be substantially smaller than the current one, requiring the Science Centre to downsize and potentially remove certain exhibits. Moreover,

7956-412: The relocation would force Line 5 Eglinton 's yet-to-be-opened Science Centre station to change its name. Toronto City Council strongly opposes the Ontario provincial demolition plans, and is investigating alternative ways to continue museum operations in the current location. The Architectural Conservancy of Ontario (ACO) and Toronto Society of Architects (TSA) have issued separate statements opposing

8058-473: The roofs were at high risk of collapsing during the winter and recommended repairs, but did not recommend closing the building. The same day, the Ford government announced that the site would be closed immediately and permanently, without attempting repairs due to the pending relocation. During construction of the new location, the centre will operate a temporary location and pop-up programming. The decision to close

8160-593: The school-aged children of essential workers. On June 2, Premier Ford announced that all schools would remain closed through the end of the semester, but that he would allow in-person outdoor graduation ceremonies in all grades. In particular, Premier Ford cited safety concerns surrounding variants of SARS-CoV-2 as reasoning, stating that "It was a hard choice to make, but I will not, and I repeat, I will not take unnecessary risks with our children right now." COVID-19 vaccination in Ontario began in December 2020, when

8262-618: The scientific method and the process of science, and how by using this to develop knowledge and technology, we can be less wrong." Urania was a science centre founded in Berlin in 1888. Most of its exhibits were destroyed during World War II, as were those of a range of German technical museums. The Academy of Science of Saint Louis (founded in 1856) created the Saint Louis Museum of Science and Natural History in 1959 ( Saint Louis Science Center ), but generally science centres are

8364-403: The second phase of its "Learn from Home" program, which would involve "teacher-led" instruction delivered via distance education . On April 14, Premier Ford delayed the reopening of public schools once again. On April 26, it was announced that there were plans to resume in-person classes on May 31. On May 19, Premier Ford announced that all public schools would remain closed through the end of

8466-495: The second shutdown and the third wave, the provincial government stated that it was its "firm belief" that in-person classes needed to continue, as they were "critical to student mental health", and that "due to our strong infection prevention measures, 99 per cent of students and staff have no active cases of COVID-19, however we must remain vigilant and keep our guard up in order to keep schools safe and open." However, on April 5, Peel Medical Officer of Health Lawrence Loh announced

8568-503: The second wave of the pandemic, LTC homes began to experience outbreaks again. Tendercare Living Centre in Scarborough for example has experienced 43 deaths related to COVID-19. On December 25, 2020, North York General Hospital took over control of the home. Data as of February 6, 2022 The Ontario government has become aware of a number of variants of SARS-CoV-2 arriving in Canada due to travel, many of which have been linked to

8670-430: The semester, with plans to pursue in-person classes when the next school year begins in September 2020. For the next school year, Lecce presented three scenarios: full online learning, a hybrid of online and in-class learning, and a return to full-time in-class learning. On July 30, it was announced that elementary schools would return to class full-time, while high schools in 24 districts with higher enrollment would use

8772-470: The site. Construction started in 1966 with plans to open the Centennial Centre of Science and Technology as part of the Canadian Centennial celebrations in 1967. However, construction was not completed in 1967, and the Science Centre did not open to the public until two years later, on September 26, 1969. The official opening was held on the morning of September 27 and attended by VIPs , and

8874-506: The temporary or permanent closure of hundreds of buildings in the United Kingdom in 2023 . Approximately 400 public buildings across Ontario contain the material; the OSC buildings are the only buildings in the province that have been closed over such concerns to date, and no other closures were anticipated at the time of the OSC announcement. Instead of repairs, the Ford government said it would focus on its previously-announced plans to relocate

8976-403: The third wave, ICU capacity has reached near critical capacity. Data as of May 30, 2022 On April 28, 2020, Chief Public Health Officer Theresa Tam stated that as many of 79 percent of Canada's COVID-19 fatalities occurred in long-term care homes, with Ontario and Quebec accounting for most of the cases. Over 4,000 residents' in Ontario's long-term care homes died during the epidemic—about

9078-469: The use of masks. The hashtag "#UnsafeSeptember" was used on Twitter to publicize concerns regarding the back-to-school plan. A poll conducted by Maru/Blue in mid-August suggested 38 percent of parents surveyed were not going to send their children back to school, and a majority believed they stood with teachers and that there should be a staggered start to the school year. On August 26, details were issued regarding how positive cases will be handled. In

9180-401: The week of December 14, 2020. Early vaccination efforts were highly criticized and a shortage of vaccine supply in late January and early February slowed immunization rollout significantly for a number of weeks. The rollout continued to be highly criticized for lack of equitability and clarity, which was significantly helped by volunteer groups like Vaccine Hunters Canada . In mid-March 2021,

9282-429: The west wing), astronomical science, how to play music and technology in the south wing, human anatomy , communication and bias , and some miscellaneous artifacts of science. A Question of Truth is an exhibit that explores the methodologies, biases, and beliefs of scientific research setup in 2000. The exhibit provides visitors an opportunity to test controversial theories. The AstraZeneca Human Edge replaced

9384-417: The world, including rainforests , coral reefs , and caves, including live animals. It was opened in 1993. The Science Arcade is amongst the oldest exhibits at the science centre, having been a permanent fixture in the building since its opening in 1969. The Science Arcade houses a number of "arcade-styled" games. The Space Hall was refurbished in the late 2000s and features meteorites from Mars and one of

9486-528: Was a viral pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 ( COVID-19 ), a novel infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 ( SARS-CoV-2 ). The first confirmed case of COVID-19 in Canada was announced on January 25, 2020, involving a traveller who had recently returned to Toronto from travel in China , including Wuhan . Ontario has had the largest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases among Canada's provinces and territories, but due to having

9588-528: Was announced on February 7, 2021, in Toronto. The patient, who was later hospitalized, had recently returned from travel in Brazil . On April 23, 2021, Public Health Ontario announced that there were 36 cases of b.1.617 in Ontario. By June, the government announced that it was speeding up vaccine doses for people living in Delta-variant hotspots such as Toronto and Peel. A study in Ontario found that

9690-632: Was announced that only seven school boards would resume on January 25. On February 3, it was announced that most remaining schools outside of Peel, Toronto, and York would return to in-person class on February 8. In-person classes in Peel, Toronto, and York would return on February 16 after the Family Day holiday. On February 11, it was announced that March break would be delayed to the week of April 12 ("April Break") in order to prevent community transmission via non-essential travel and gatherings. Amid

9792-614: Was built down the side of a wooded ravine formed by one branch of the Don River located in Flemingdon Park . On April 23, 2023, Premier of Ontario Doug Ford announced the Ontario government's general plan to replace the Ontario Science Centre with a smaller institution on the Toronto waterfront on the Ontario Place site, which is scheduled to open in 2028. The proposal has aroused significant opposition. An engineering report released on June 21, 2024 found that 2-6% of

9894-605: Was completed 2007, culminating with the opening of the Weston Family Innovation Centre and the Teluscape plaza. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario , the Science Centre received $ 500,000 from the Government of Canada to promote COVID-19 vaccine uptake among children and their families. Due to structural decay, which required closing of the pedestrian bridge leading to the exhibits,

9996-522: Was followed by In Knowledge We Trust (October 4 to December 7, 2014), which explored the role trust plays in making us willing to share or use the knowledge we receive. During summer 2015, the Centre hosted MythBusters: The Explosive Exhibition , based on the popular television series MythBusters . On June 4, 2016, the Centre hosted a one-day exhibit promoting the Nintendo 3DS game Kirby: Planet Robobot , which also featured activities pertaining to

10098-481: Was followed by opening to 30,000 invited guests in early afternoon. It opened to the general public on September 28, drawing 9,000 visitors. Its advertising slogan at launch was "Come see what would happen if Albert Einstein and Walt Disney had gotten together." The buildings and design were part of a broader change in Canadian architecture, and remain an example of the brutalist style. When it first opened,

10200-435: Was later fired for knowingly signing the original contract. In 2001, the Centre embarked on a capital project called "Agents of Change", which focused on innovation and renewed about 85% of the Centre's public space, including the creation of seven new experience areas. The Centre received $ 47.5 million in contributions from the government of Ontario, private sector companies, and individuals. The Agents of Change transformation

10302-584: Was taken to the United States by Julius Rosenwald , chairman of Sears, Roebuck and Company , who visited the Deutsches Museum with his young son in 1911. He was so captivated by the experience that he decided to build a similar museum in his home town. The Ampère Museum , close to Lyon, was created in 1931 and is the first interactive scientific museum in France. Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry opened in phases between 1933 and 1940. In 1959,

10404-658: Was used by David Cronenberg as a location for his 1970 film Crimes of the Future . Ontario Science Centre was featured on the Rick Mercer Report in 2016. In his CBC news satire program, Rick Mercer visited numerous scientists' exhibits, took part in a wildlife conservation show, and partook in a psychological fear study during a workshop there. Science museum While the mission statements of science centres and modern museums may vary, they are commonly places that make science accessible and encourage

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