Frequently Asked Questions

Ontario Place opened in 1971 until its closure in 2012, served as a family-friendly paid attraction that welcomed millions of visitors from across the province and all over the world. After its closure, a number of studies and consultations were conducted on how to best revitalize the space. In the meantime, much of the property fell into disrepair.
The Province of Ontario ran successive tenders inviting bids from companies interested in participating in the revitalization of Ontario Place. The first was under the Wynne Government in 2017 which was not concluded because of an election. The second, under the current government in 2019. Therme Canada was selected as one of the companies to help fulfill the vision of an Ontario Place to become a new entertainment and recreation district on the waterfront.

Therme Canada is building an urban wellbeing oasis on the West Island at Ontario Place. Based on a concept that’s attracted millions of visitors in Europe, Therme will feature waterslides, pools, restaurants, saunas, steam rooms, and cultural attractions

Building on our commitment to welcome millions of visitors to Ontario Place each year, Therme is also creating a 16-acre public park that will be free and accessible by everyone to enjoy, year-round. This will include a new public beach, picnic areas, and stroller and wheelchair-friendly trails and bike paths along the waterfront. This new park will be larger than the public space that had been available at the West Island.

Did you know?

- Therme will invest about $200 million restoring the island’s shoreline, rehabilitating the island to address flooding risk, creating new habitat for fish and other wildlife, and building the public park and beach.

- Therme will invest at least $500 million to build its year-round family waterpark and wellbeing oasis.

- Therme’s project will create almost 2000 full-time jobs (direct & indirect) in Toronto during the construction phase and over 800 direct full-time jobs when in operation.

Therme Group was founded in Europe and is driven by a belief in bringing “wellbeing to the world,” combining water, nature, technology, and culture to create a total wellbeing experience. The company has offices in Bucharest, Munich, and London, with regional operations in Manchester, Toronto, and New York.

Did you know?

-Therme currently operates two of the biggest and most popular wellbeing resorts in Europe: Therme Erding, near Munich, Germany, and Therme Bucharest. Combined, these resorts welcome more than 3.5 million visitors every year.

-Therme’s mission is to make wellbeing experiences widely accessible and affordable.

-Therme Group chose Toronto as its first location in North America and is planning expansions worldwide including across the United States, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.

- Globally, Therme Group is led by Dr. Robert Hanea – who serves as Chairman and CEO and is a key shareholder.

Therme Canada is the company developing Therme at Ontario Place. The company employs local experts across operations, construction, design, and marketing and communications, and is a fully owned subsidiary of Therme Group.

When you enter Therme, it’s an experience like no other. Imagine you are stepping into a tropical paradise of 30C, featuring thrilling waterslides, warm indoor and outdoor pools, saunas and steam rooms, lounging chairs and beds, and a wide variety of restaurants and cafes, art, and cultural attractions, set amidst a botanical garden. Despite its size, Therme’s architecture and focus on design creates an atmosphere where you can relax in quiet spaces or play with your family and loved ones. Whether it’s a splash session with your kids, cocktail hour by the pool with friends, or finding some “me” time in a thermal pool or saunas, Therme combines wellness with fun for everyone.

Did you know?

- At Ontario Place, Therme will have 12 pools, 22 waterslides, spaces to relax with stunning views out over Lake Ontario, saunas and steam rooms, wellbeing programming, and multiple waterfront restaurants.

Therme wellbeing resorts have three separate areas:

- Play (active family fun): Waterslides and pools, gardens and play areas, fitness programs for all ages to enjoy

-Relax (adult focused): Botanical gardens, steam rooms, indoor and outdoor pools

-Restore (restorative saunas and wellness): Mineral pools, wellness treatments, saunas, lounges, and an infinity pool with unmatched views of Toronto’s skyline

The scale and size of a Therme provide multiple experiences under one roof, at an affordable ticket price. Over five years of Canadian market research shows strong support for Therme’s experience, and we anticipate people from across Toronto and Ontario to visit in large numbers. When it opens, our multi-year research indicates that Therme at Ontario Place will eventually attract up to 2.6 million visitors per year.

Did you know?

In recent market research, conducted in 2024:
- Nearly 70% of Ontarians support the development vision of Ontario Place

-A majority of GTA residents said they are likely to visit Therme at Ontario Place

No. Therme is for everyone, of all ages, at attainable prices. Tickets to Therme will begin at roughly $40 while kids under three enter for free.

In 2019, the Province of Ontario issued a global call for proposals to be part of the new Ontario Place. Therme Group participated in a rigorous bidding process, and we are proud to have been selected to help revitalize Ontario Place.

Did You know?

- In 2017, the Ontario Government invited submissions to redevelop Ontario Place. Therme was one of three finalists chosen, but the process stopped following the 2018 election.

- In 2019, the Ontario government opened an international competition to revitalize Ontario Place. Therme was one of three successful bidders, chosen from over 30 proposals

Therme is leasing the West Island of Ontario Place from the Provincial government. Over the course of that lease, Therme will pay rent (in fact, Therme will pay more when more people come to the facility) and is paying to build and maintain the new 16-acre park.

Did you know?

- Therme’s lease with the Province of Ontario is entirely public and can be found here.

- Therme’s lease with the Province of Ontario has a term of 75-years with an option to renew for 20 additional years.

- The length of the lease ensures that Therme will build the highest quality facility and park for everyone to enjoy.

- The lease is very similar to other leases for this type of major urban infrastructure project. For example, Ontario signed a 99-year lease for the redevelopment of the West Donlands in Toronto.

- Therme is prohibited from building a casino.

- Through the Zoning Order that was subsequently issued for the site, Therme is compelled to construct the nearly 16-acre park to be permitted to construct its facility.

- The lease also requires Therme to pay $1.1B in rent (base rent plus a portion of gross revenue from the facility) to the Province and cover the maintenance fees of the parkland surrounding the facility.

No. Therme is leasing the West Island at market rent as determined by third-party experts. Therme will pay the Province of Ontario an estimated $1.1B in rent, as well as an estimated $855M in maintenance fees for the Ontario Place parklands.

Did you know?

-Therme is spending approximately $500 million on designing and building its destination attraction.

- Despite having no ownership of the site, Therme is spending $200 million repairing the West Island to stop the flooding and erosion which has damaged the shoreline, and investing in a new beach, trails, trees and gathering spaces. The Province of Ontario will also contribute up to $25 million to the construction of the parkland and shoreline.

- Therme will also cover the costs of maintaining the parkland on the West Island.

- This means Therme will contribute approximately $700 million in upfront capital investments to the revitalization of Ontario Place.

Yes. Therme’s planning application with the City of Toronto included multiple in-person and virtual planning consultations with citizens from across Toronto. Therme’s submission following the public consultation process included a smaller building and a larger park based on feedback from those consultations. Ultimately, those changes are reflected in Therme’s zoning and must be included in the final build.

Did you know?

- Therme began engaging with key stakeholders early as it prepared its proposal in 2019 and continued engaging with the public, key stakeholders, and the City of Toronto as it refined its proposal as part of the provincially led development application process.

- In 2022, Therme submitted a development application to the City of Toronto and engaged in multiple large in-person consultation sessions with the community, two online surveys to collect feedback, plus numerous stakeholder meetings and discussions.

- Based on the feedback received, Therme made numerous design changes that expanded the public park space and addressed feedback from the community.

The islands that make up Ontario Place were built using landfill in the 1960s and early 1970s, according to standards of the day. The West Island has degraded, is subject to flooding, and the soil is contaminated. To remediate the contaminated soil, restore the eroding shoreline, and raise the island to prevent the ongoing flooding, major rehabilitation is necessary. This would be necessary for any development, including a park.

Having access to greenspace, including treed areas, is so important – especially in urban areas. As part of the design for the West Island, there will be 16 acres of new public parkland that will include paths, areas to gather, forested areas, and direct lake access.

Did you know?

- Across Ontario Place, trees will be replaced on a 6:1 basis.

- The West Island has also become prone to flooding and its shoreline is eroding. It no longer meets today’s 100-year flood standards, and the infrastructure on the island is beyond its 50-year lifespan.

- In addition to construction and maintenance of the park, Therme will create a new wetland habitat, nearly nine acres of aquatic habitat, and almost seven acres of planted areas on the West Island.

Ontario Place has always lacked transit and parking. So, as part of the revitalization, the Province of Ontario is building a parking structure for visitors to all the attractions at Ontario Place, including the new Ontario Science Centre, the Live Nation concert venue, Therme, and the new public parks.

Did you know?

-Between improved public transit, including a new subway, shuttle buses, and new parking, Ontario Place will be more accessible than ever in its history.

- Once the redevelopment of Ontario Place is finished, more than 6 million visitors are anticipated each year across all of the attractions and parkland. Many visitors will take transit to Ontario Place, but some will drive from across the province, or bring strollers or other equipment that makes driving their preferred option.

- As part of the New Deal between Ontario and Toronto, both sides agreed to work together on a location for the parking facility.

Between improved public transit, shuttle buses, and new parking, Therme Canada Ontario Place will be more accessible than Ontario Place is today. Because Therme welcomes guests all day (unlike concerts or sporting events), the facility will not experience or create 'surge' traffic congestion.

The opposite is true. A Combined Sewer Outflow handles a surcharge of water when a major storm event occurs and one CSO runs through the West Island of Ontario Place. The current CSO needs repairs. These repairs will improve the overall water quality.

The City was already planning to perform major upgrades to the network of CSOs which included moving the West Island CSO to a better location. The development of a new, accessible public beach has accelerated these efforts.

The Province is doing immediate repairs and studying a long-term solution to extend the CSO deeper into the lake and ensure the area is safe for everyone to swim.

Did you know?

- To ensure the water is clean at the new public beach, the Province is repairing a municipal Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO).

- CSOs operate during heavy rain fall events when the normal sewer system is over capacity. This is a type of system in use in many large waterfront Cities across North America.

- A City of Toronto report found the CSO adjacent at the Ontario Place West Island is in poor condition causing sewage to enter the West Channel before it empties offshore.

- Infrastructure Ontario is currently making interim repairs of these pipes and installing mitigation measures to protect the water quality and aquatic ecosystems.

- A longer-term solution is currently being studied by Infrastructure Ontario which will extend the CSO deeper into the lake to better improve water quality.

The Therme concept was created by architect Joseph Wund, leading to the development of several wellness destinations in Germany, under something called the Wund Foundation. After Wund’s passing in 2017, Wund’s architectural, engineering, and development teams joined part of Therme Group. This team is now designing and building future Therme Group locations, including the Ontario Place project.

Did you know?

-The modern concept of a large-scale wellbeing resort is credited to architect and entrepreneur Josef Wund.

- Robert Hanea, who had a long-standing personal and professional relationship with Josef Wund, developed Therme Bucharest, which opened its doors to the public in 2016

The Pods and Cinesphere are not part of the Therme development and are protected assets of significant heritage value. Therme’s plans have been developed with the historic Zeidler Pods and Cinesphere in mind, and with assistance from heritage experts.
The rooftop park at Therme will provide new views and ways in which new generations can experience the beauty and value of these assets. The Province of Ontario is currently refurbishing the Pods and Cinesphere, which were left without regular maintenance for decades.

No.

Did you know?

- From the beginning of this process, casino gaming has been explicitly excluded by the province as an option.

- Both the terms of the RFP, and now the zoning regulations enacted by the Province, explicitly forbid any casino or gaming at Ontario Place.

Yes. The business case for Therme at Ontario Place is very strong. The wellness attraction industry is growing globally, and particularly in Ontario.

Therme is the world’s largest operator of wellbeing resorts by attendance and intends to deliver an experience at Ontario Place that millions will enjoy each year.

Did you know?

- Over five years of Canadian market research shows strong support for Therme’s experience. Once fully operational, Therme Canada Ontario Place will eventually attract approximately 2.6 million visitors per year.

- Therme’s locations in Europe are set to surpass 3.5 million annual visitors. Bucharest and Erding each set new attendance records in 2024 with over 1.6 million and 1.9 million visitors respectively.

- Therme Group has a proven concept, and the two locations in Europe are wildly popular. Last year, Therme Bucharest saw a record number of international visitors, including 240% more from the UK in anticipation of the opening of Therme Manchester.

- Visitors love the Therme experience and return frequently; in a 2024 survey at Therme Bucharest, more than 50% of guests reported that they visit multiple times per year. In a similar survey at Therme Erding in 2023, nearly 40% of guests reported that they come at least 3 times per year.

Like any other development project, Therme will use its own resources, as well as project financing through the capital markets to build its destination attraction and restore the West Island.

Therme wasn’t required to do an environmental assessment. However, the company voluntarily submitted its own Shoreline Summary Report, reviewed by the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and publicly available through the City of Toronto development portal.

In addition, for the City of Toronto development application, Therme completed numerous studies and analyses of its proposed plans. The landscape design plans for the 16 acres of public park space at Ontario Place include shoreline restoration work to support fish habitat, a wetland area to reintroduce native species to the area, as well as using native plants across the site.

Did you know?

- The West Island of Ontario Place only had a 50-year design life and is both contaminated and crumbling into the lake – making the property prone to flooding and some areas unsafe for visitors to enjoy.

- Shoreline restoration will be done to guard against flooding and severe weather, and to reintroduce an aquatic habitat into this part of Lake Ontario. This means restoring the shoreline with porous, stacked rock to make it storm-ready and allow fish habitat to flourish.

Therme at Ontario Place will use bird-friendly designs to prevent bird collisions. The glass and lighting inside the building are being chosen carefully to protect wildlife.

Developed with feedback from those who have loved swimming at Ontario Place the new public beach will be larger, sandy, fully accessible to swimmers of modest ability, and continuously maintained.

As part of the design for the West Island, there will be a nearly 16-acre public park that will be free to enjoy, year-round.
Much like with Trillium Park on the east side of Ontario Place, Therme plans to offer select programming in some of the gathering spaces during the year.

Yes! Part of Therme’s design includes a brand-new beach on the shores of Lake Ontario that will be free and accessible to everyone, year-round.

The design for Therme at Ontario Place is being led by a world-renowned team of building and landscape architects who are designing a wellbeing and waterpark attraction surrounded by 16 acres of beautiful parkland that will reconnect visitors with Lake Ontario.

The design honours and celebrates Ontario Place’s history and respects the size and scope of the existing developments around Ontario Place.

Did you know?

- The curved roof and walls of the building gently slope down to meet the public space, and green roofs provide additional greenspace for planting and pathways.

- The park and landscaping will flow up the roof of the building and will offer new views of the city, Lake Ontario, Pods, and Cinesphere.

- The building design respects the latest bird-friendly design rules and the glass and lighting inside the building are being chosen carefully with those stringent guidelines in mind.

- There will be a seamless indoor-outdoor connection for visitors to enjoy pools, botanical gardens, and the surrounding beauty of the Lake.

- In response to comments and input from the City of Toronto and engagement with stakeholders, the building scale has been reduced by 25 per cent from what was previously contemplated, and more public park added.