Infrastructure Ontario worked with engineering firm ahead of science centre closure report [Video]

Key details of an engineering report that led to the permanent closure of the Ontario Science Centre were known and actively discussed by senior staff at Infrastructure Ontario (IO) eight days before the findings were presented to the attraction’s board of directors, Global News has learned, something the Crown corporation says is standard practice.

Internal texts and emails, obtained using freedom of information laws, show staff had conversations about details in the report and its recommendations, including when the attraction would have to be vacated, before it was submitted.

Text messages also suggest executives at Infrastructure Ontario were in direct contact with figures at Rimkus while they were working on the expert report, raising questions about what role the government’s Crown agency played in shaping the final product.

Infrastructure Ontario, however, said the move is a standard practice in finalizing an independent expert report.

“Following normal industry processes, IO worked with Rimkus to …