First Ontario Parliament Buildings
Encyclopedia
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Canada. Architects of the buildings were J.G. Chewett, Cumberland & Storm (firm), Samuel Curry, John Ewart
John Ewart (architect)
John Ewart was a Canadian architect and businessman.He was born in Tranent Scotland in 1788. After completing his apprenticeship in building, he moved to London around 1811. In 1816, he emigrated to New York City and moved to York in Upper Canada a few years later...
, John Howard and Thomas Rogers. Alterations took place in 1849.The building later housed Upper Canada College
Upper Canada College
Upper Canada College , located in midtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, is an independent elementary and secondary school for boys between Senior Kindergarten and Grade Twelve, operating under the International Baccalaureate program. The secondary school segment is divided into ten houses; eight are...
and was demolished in 1903.
The buildings were originally the third constructed for the parliament of the province of Upper Canada
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
, which sat in them from 1832–1841. In 1841, Upper Canada was absorbed into the Province of Canada
Province of Canada
The Province of Canada, United Province of Canada, or the United Canadas was a British colony in North America from 1841 to 1867. Its formation reflected recommendations made by John Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham in the Report on the Affairs of British North America following the Rebellions of...
, 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
Canadian Confederation
Canadian Confederation was the process by which the federal Dominion of Canada was formed on July 1, 1867. On that day, three British colonies were formed into four Canadian provinces...
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.
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
Canadian Broadcasting Centre
The Canadian Broadcasting Centre, located in Toronto, Ontario, is the broadcast headquarters and master control point for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's English-language television and radio services...
.