The tourism minister says he stands firmly behind the government’s deal with a company to operate a private spa and waterpark at Ontario Place, stressing they “passed all the financial tests.”
New emails unearthed by the Ontario NDP show there was concern within the civil service just days before Therme signed a controversial 95-year lease for land at Ontario Place.
One email from a senior adviser urged the government to “dig a bit deeper” on the company’s finances. Just eight work days (and 12 total) later, the lease was signed.
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Stan Cho, the minister of tourism, culture and gaming, told reporters on Wednesday that he was satisfied the company had passed all the financial requirements.
“Therme went through all the proper checks and balances when it comes to their sort of financial situation,” he said.
“They had an independent study conducted by Infrastructure Ontario. They met those requirements.”
Asked if Therme had taken control of land on Ontario Place’s west island yet, Cho did not say. He said construction — which includes early works by the province — is progressing well.
He also did not address whether Therme had secured financing for its spa and waterpark project.
“They are a private partner of the government, so we trust that their finances would be in order, but we aren’t involved with their private dealings,” he said.
The original lease the government signed with Therme was supposed to begin in 2025.
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