Ontario's First Parliament Buildings 1798

Ontario's First Parliament Buildings

Photo by Alan L Brown - March 31, 2004

Plaque Location

The City of Toronto
At the north end of the park, Berkeley Street at The Esplanade, 1 block south of Front Street

Plaque Text

In 1793 it was decided to move the capital of Upper Canada from Niagara to York (now Toronto). Two single-storey brick parliament buildings were constructed near this site. Opened in June 1798, the buildings were used for court proceedings and religious services in addition to parliamentary sessions. During their occupation of York, April 27 to May 2, 1813, American troops set fire to the parliament buildings. By 1820 they had been repaired and a connecting centre block added. Four years later, fire from an overheated chimney flue reduced them to ruins. The site was abandoned and in 1832 new parliament buildings were completed on Front Street, west of Simcoe Street.

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