Legislative Assembly

Legislature construction, courtesy of the Archives of Ontario

Located in the heart of Toronto's downtown, the Legislative Building at Queen's Park has been the meeting place for Ontario's provincial parliament since 1893. The impressive building is the fifth home for the Legislative Assembly since the province was created, as Upper Canada, in 1792.

The Legislative Building officially opened on April 4, 1893. The architect was English-born Richard A. Waite, who lived in Buffalo, New York at the time. It took six years to build and cost $1.4 million. The heavy stonework, rounded archways and bold carvings featured in Waite's "Richardsonian Romanesque" style, together with his origins south of the border, created controversy as some criticized the design for being too American.

The Queen's Park site was once owned by King's College, forerunner of the University of Toronto. A building for the college was constructed on the grounds and opened in 1845. In 1854, King's College leased the land at Queen's Park to the City of Toronto with the understanding that part of the site would be reserved for the construction of a new parliament building. The lease was to last 999 years, but was replaced with a new arrangement in 1859 with the city paying $6,000 per year.

In the 1850s the college moved further west to its present site, and the original building was used for a few years as the University Hospital for the Insane. It was later abandoned and demolished when construction of the Queen's Park Legislative Building began in 1886. In the 1890s, the land around the building was transferred to the Province of Ontario, while the parkland north of Wellesley Street remained under the control of the City of Toronto.

Plans called for Canadian material to be used wherever possible in construction. Pink sandstone from the Credit Valley and Orangeville, and 10.5 million bricks made by the inmates of the Central Prison were used. A dome marks each of the four corners, and in the centre the windows of the Legislative Chamber overlook the grounds to the south.

Facing south down University Avenue, the Legislative Building has always been an important Toronto landmark. A statue of Sir John A. Macdonald guards the southern entry to the site and visitors can enjoy an impressive view as they approach the building.

Looking north from the Legislature's south lawn, you may notice the building appears slightly lopsided. This was not the intent of the architect, but the result of a fire in 1909 that saw the majority of the west wing burn to the ground after sparks from a charcoal stove ignited roof timbers. An extra floor was added during the rebuilding and the distinctive pyramid-like roof of the east wing was replace by a flat one.

Before entering the Legislature, visitors can appreciate a number of other noteworthy buildings nearby. At the southwest corner of College and University stands the headquarters for Ontario Power Generation. Mirroring the curve of Queen's Park Circle is the Frost Building that houses the Ministry of Finance. Learn More