First Ontario Parliament Buildings

The First Ontario Parliament Buildings (or the Third Parliament Buildings of Upper Canada) were built between 1829 and 1832 near Front, John, Simcoe and Wellington Streets in Toronto, Upper Canada. It served as the parliament buildings for Upper Canada, the Province of Canada, and the province of Ontario after Canadian Confederation in 1867.

The Third Parliament Buildings of Upper Canada in 1834, shortly after its completion.

History
Members of Provincial Parliament in session within the Parliament Buildings, 1871.

The parliament buildings was the third parliament complex built by the Upper Canadian government in York, Upper Canada. Construction took place between 1829 and 1832, with J.G. Chewett, Cumberland & Storm (firm), Samuel Curry, John Ewart, John Howard and Thomas Rogers as its architects. Alterations took place in 1849.

The buildings were 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 third building was the last to have an upper chamber as the new province of Ontario did not have a legislative council after 1866.

The Front Street location served the Ontario legislature from Confederation until 1893, when the new Ontario Legislative Building was opened at Queen's Park. The building later housed Upper Canada College and was demolished in 1903. The site of Ontario's first parliament buildings is now occupied by Simcoe Place and the Canadian Broadcasting Centre.

See also

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

References

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


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