First Ontario Parliament Buildings

The Front Street Parliament

The first Ontario Parliament Buildings were built between 1829 and 1832 near Front, John, Simcoe and Wellington Streets in Toronto, Canada. Architects of the buildings were J.G. Chewett, Cumberland & Storm (firm), Samuel Curry, John Ewart, John Howard and Thomas Rogers. Alterations took place in 1849.The building later housed Upper Canada College and was demolished in 1903.

The buildings were originally the third constructed for the parliament of the province of Upper Canada, which sat in them from 1832–1841. In 1841, Upper Canada was absorbed into the Province of Canada, and its capital rotated among several locations. The buildings served as the seat of government for the new province at various times between 1849–1859.

When the province of Canada ceased to exist with the creation of Ontario at Confederation on July 1, 1867, Toronto was named the provincial capital, and these Front Street buildings were the first used by the Ontario legislature. Therefore, they are the province of Ontario's first parliament buildings, but not the first parliament buildings in present-day Ontario.^[1]

The Front Street location served the Ontario legislature from Confederation until 1893, when grand new parliament buildings opened at Queen's Park.

The site of Ontario's first parliament buildings is now occupied by Simcoe Place and the Canadian Broadcasting Centre.

Notes

1. ^ The first parliament of Upper Canada met at Navy Hall in Newark, Upper Canada, now Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. Subsequently, three parliament buildings were built for Upper Canada, this being the last.

See also

• Parliament Buildings of Upper Canada

External links

• History of Ontario's Legislative Buildings (Government of Ontario site)

References

• Ontario Legislature

Coordinates: 43°38′42″N 79°23′14″W / 43.64503°N 79.38715°W / 43.64503; -79.38715

Preceded by Bonsecours Market, Montreal

Site of the Legislative Assembly of the United Provinces of Canada 1851–1854

Succeeded by Old Parliament Building (Quebec), Quebec City

Preceded by Quebec Music Hall and Quebec City Courthouse, Quebec

Site of the Legislative Assembly of the United Provinces of Canada 1859–1860

Succeeded by Old Parliament Building (Quebec), Quebec