Some politicians claim the Ford government is looking to gain control over City-owned land at Exhibition Place in what the NDP describe as an “unconscionable land grab.”New legislation introduced by the PC government earlier this month as part of its Fall Economic Statement seeks to amend the Rebuilding Ontario Place Act, which governs the site’s $2.2 billion redevelopment plan.Buried in the details are numbered pieces of City-owned land which make up the Exhibition grounds in Toronto. If the legislation is passed, critics say the area north of Princes’ Boulevard could soon be designated as part of the Ontario Place site and fall under the province’s control.The exact details of the plan have not yet been released, but the idea has spurred criticism from local politicians and opposition MPPs.“What are the Ford conservatives planning to do with Exhibition Place that they need to seize this kind of control?” ONDP MPP Chris Glover asked in an interview with CityNews. “And why the secrecy?”???? BREAKING ????My office just uncovered that, buried in their Fall Economic Statement, Ford’s Conservatives are quietly seizing control of Exhibition Place.They’re bringing the land under the Rebuilding Ontario Place Act—legislation that lets the Premier override provincial… pic.twitter.com/Uh3aAsFUbV— Chris Glover (@chrisgloverndp) November 13, 2025Deputy Mayor of Toronto Ausma Malik said the legislation was “moved forward without any advance notice to the City of Toronto or Exhibition Place.”“If it is what it looks like, it’s unacceptable and there must be a challenge to that,” she added.In a statement to CityNews, Tourism Minister Stan Cho denied that the province is looking to seize control over Exhibition Place and called it a “backstop measure” for any infrastructure work that needs to take place for construction happening further south at Ontario Place.“Amendments to the ‘Rebuilding Ontario Place Act’ makes it easier for all partners to come to the table, including the City of Toronto, to identify areas of collaboration while removing duplicative processes to get shovels in the ground for the transformation of Toronto’s iconic waterfront,” Cho wrote.“To be clear, we are not taking over Exhibition Place,” he added. “These legislative amendments are intended to be a backstop measure for all authorities in partnership to work together to rebuild Ontario Place in a timely manner.”However, critics like Glover are not convinced.“The provincial government has given itself the power to break environmental laws, to break heritage laws. So any building there, if they pass this bill, would be under their jurisdiction,” he explained. “They could do whatever they want.”The grounds at Exhibition Place are regularly used as a public gathering spot for seasonal events and large-scale festivals. It has been the site of the Canadian National Exhibition for 145 years and the Royal Winter Fair for 103 years. It is also the home of BMO field which will host matches for the upcoming FIFA World Cup in 2026.The City says it welcomes millions of people to the site each year and that it is a major economic driver for Toronto.