logo
Province grilled over Therme's credentials to build luxury spa at Ontario Place

Province grilled over Therme's credentials to build luxury spa at Ontario Place

CBC16-04-2025

Critics are once again slamming the provincial government's plan to build a luxury spa on the former site of Ontario Place — this time over allegations that the company set to run the multi-billion-dollar project misrepresented itself and exaggerated its experience in order to secure the deal.
Those claims are part of a New York Times story, based on corporate filings in three countries and interviews with a dozen people involved in Therme's operations, which found that the company falsely presented itself as having operated as many as half a dozen spas in Europe, when in reality it had only built and operated just one.
The report also says that as the European company was pitching its vision for the prime lakefront property, it was losing money and had less than $1.6 million in equity.
CBC News has not independently verified those findings and has reached out to Therme for comment.
At Queen's Park Wednesday, Liberal MPP John Fraser said the reporting was "stunning" — as it uncovered a company with one small spa, a million dollars in equity, and an "interconnected web of shell companies."
"Yet somehow they convinced the premier that they had a global track record. It didn't just stretch the truth, it led the premier down the garden path — and Infrastructure Ontario signed right off on it," Fraser said.
"So why did the premier greenlight a 95-year-deal with a company that inflated its portfolio and couldn't pass a basic financial sniff test?"
WATCH | What the AG report on Ontario Place found:
Ontario Place redevelopment not 'fair, transparent or accountable,' auditor general finds
4 months ago
Duration 4:49
According to the province's auditor general, the process for selecting new tenants for Ontario Place wasn't transparent or fair. CBC's Lorenda Reddekopp breaks down some of the key findings from the scathing section of the annual report.
In response, Minister of Infrastructure Kinga Surma said that Therme passed the financial test conducted by Infrastructure Ontario, which she called a "world-renowned, arms-length agency."
Pressed in further questions, Surma repeatedly pivoted to talking about the number of jobs that would be created both through construction and operation of the spa.
Surma also said the province has "done this dance already," when it comes to questioning the project, mentioning audits and a recent review.
In a report from late last year, the province's auditor general found that the cost of the redevelopment of Ontario Place has ballooned by more than $1.8 billion, and the process for selecting new tenants for the prized lakefront property wasn't transparent or fair.
Fraser asked Wednesday if Premier Doug Ford would throw out this deal, like he did when he cut ties with Elon Musk's Starlink, or when the province backed away from its redevelopment plans for The Greenbelt.
"No, we will not," Surma responded, again lauding Infrastructure Ontario's credentials.
Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner, however, called on the province to do exactly that, in addition to exploring a "made in Ontario solution" for the space.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Luxembourg opens Ottawa embassy as Canada shifts its attention to Europe
Luxembourg opens Ottawa embassy as Canada shifts its attention to Europe

Toronto Star

timean hour ago

  • Toronto Star

Luxembourg opens Ottawa embassy as Canada shifts its attention to Europe

OTTAWA - Luxembourg is officially opening an embassy in Ottawa as the small European nation moves to expand its economy beyond financial services. The country of 680,000, commonly referred to as a tax haven, is one of Europe's most sparsely populated nations. Luxembourg is a major financial hub and Statistics Canada ranks it as the eighth largest source of foreign direct investment in Canada, which does not include other countries' indirect funding through Luxembourg. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Luxembourg's Foreign Affairs Minister Xavier Bettel is in Ottawa to officially open the embassy that has been operating since last December, just as Prime Minister Mark Carney seeks deeper trade ties with Europe. Robert Harmsen, an Edmonton native and a political scientist at the University of Luxembourg, says the country wants to move beyond financial and steel sectors and into cybersecurity and health care. Harmsen, who was part of the country's trade mission to Canada in 2022, says Luxembourg can help Canada boost its exports to various European Union countries as the U.S. pulls back on trade, This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 11, 2025. Politics Headlines Newsletter Get the latest news and unmatched insights in your inbox every evening Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. Please enter a valid email address. Sign Up Yes, I'd also like to receive customized content suggestions and promotional messages from the Star. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Politics Headlines Newsletter You're signed up! You'll start getting Politics Headlines in your inbox soon. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page.

Serbia's Moscow-friendly president visits Ukraine but refuses to sign ‘anti-Russian' declaration
Serbia's Moscow-friendly president visits Ukraine but refuses to sign ‘anti-Russian' declaration

Toronto Star

timean hour ago

  • Toronto Star

Serbia's Moscow-friendly president visits Ukraine but refuses to sign ‘anti-Russian' declaration

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Serbia's Russia-friendly leader made a surprise visit to Ukraine on Wednesday for a summit on strengthening European support for Kyiv's fight against Russian aggression, but he refused to sign a joint declaration calling for tougher sanctions against Moscow. BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Serbia's Russia-friendly leader made a surprise visit to Ukraine on Wednesday for a summit on strengthening European support for Kyiv's fight against Russian aggression, but he refused to sign a joint declaration calling for tougher sanctions against Moscow. It was President Aleksandar Vucic's first visit to Ukraine since taking office over a decade ago. He attended the summit between Ukraine and 12 Southeast European states in Odesa. More from The Star & partners

Serbia's Moscow-friendly president visits Ukraine but refuses to sign ‘anti-Russian' declaration
Serbia's Moscow-friendly president visits Ukraine but refuses to sign ‘anti-Russian' declaration

Winnipeg Free Press

time2 hours ago

  • Winnipeg Free Press

Serbia's Moscow-friendly president visits Ukraine but refuses to sign ‘anti-Russian' declaration

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Serbia's Russia-friendly leader made a surprise visit to Ukraine on Wednesday for a summit on strengthening European support for Kyiv's fight against Russian aggression, but he refused to sign a joint declaration calling for tougher sanctions against Moscow. It was President Aleksandar Vucic's first visit to Ukraine since taking office over a decade ago. He attended the summit between Ukraine and 12 Southeast European states in Odesa. While saying he wants Serbia to join the European Union, Vucic has maintained close relations with Russia. He defied EU warnings and attended Russia's Victory Day parade in Moscow on May 9. EU officials said it was inappropriate for Vucic to stand side by side with President Vladimir Putin, considering Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. Vucic told Serbian media on Wednesday that the signing of the 'anti-Russian' declaration wasn't 'easy and simple for us,' and he abstained, noting its mention of sanctions as one reason. 'But I would like to once again express my full gratitude to President (Volodymyr) Zelenskyy for the exceptional hospitality here in Odessa,' Vucic added. Serbia, which relies almost fully on Russia for its energy supplies, has refused to join Western sanctions on Russia imposed after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, though it officially supports Ukraine's territorial integrity. Vucic's visit to Ukraine comes weeks after Russia accused Serbia of exporting arms to Ukraine, calling it a stab in the back by its longtime Balkan ally. The Russian Foreign Intelligence Service alleged that the exports were going through NATO intermediaries, 'primarily the Czech Republic, Poland and Bulgaria. Recently, exotic options involving African states have also been used for this purpose.' Serbia has neither admitted nor denied reports that it has been providing ammunition to Ukraine, but it has promised Russia it would open an official investigation into the matter.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store