
An Ontario historical plaque marking the site of Upper Canada's first Parliament Buildings.
The first 'Parliament Buildings of Upper Canada' were built at the foot of Parliament and Front Streets in
York, Upper Canada (now
Toronto,
Ontario,
Canada). The complex of three buildings (two wood and one brick) served from
1798–
1813, when it was burned to the ground by invading United States troops during the
War of 1812.
The first Parliament Buildings did not serve the first parliament, however, but the second. The first session was held from
1792–
1796 in
Navy Hall at
Newark, Upper Canada, now called
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. It was relocated by Lieutenant-Governor
John Graves Simcoe, who decided, in
1793, that York would provide less exposure to attack from the United States. In the end, both Navy Hall and the Parliament Buildings at York were destroyed in the
War of 1812.
By
1820, new Parliament Buildings were erected, with a connecting center block added. Four years later, an overheated chimney flue caused a fire which reduced them to ruins. The site was abandoned, and new Parliament Buildings were erected by
1832 on
Front Street, west of Simcoe Street. These third Parliament Buildings were the last to serve Upper Canada, for it dissolved into the
Province of Canada in
1841. But the buildings continued to host the legislature of the Province of Canada at various times between
1849 and
1859, then became the first parliament buildings of Ontario when the province was created on
July 1,
1867. New parliament buildings would eventually be constructed at
Queen's Park, replacing the Front Street location in
1893.
The site of the first Parliament Buildings is currently a parking lot at a car dealership. A dig at the site is now documenting the existence of the buildings and there are demands to preserve the site.
Reference
★
History of Ontario's Legislative Buildings (Government of Ontario site)
★
Ontario historical plaque - Ontario's First Parliament Buildings 1798
★
Provincial Parliament Buildings (2nd)