Ontario's First Parliment Buildings
Ontario's First Parliment Buildings, 1798
In 1793 it was decided to move the capital of Upper Canada from Niagara to York (now Toronto). Two single-storey brick parliment 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 parliment buildings. By 1820 they had been repaired and a centre block added. Four years later, fire from an overheated chimney flue reduced them to ruins. The site was abandoned and in 1832, new parliment buildings were completed on Front Street, west of Simcoe Street.
Ontario Heritage Foundation, an agency of the Government of Ontario
Contributed by: @Saskajanet