Construction is beginning on new airport-style security for the Ontario legislature as it becomes one of the last provinces to start making all visitors pass through metal detectors. All visitors going into Queen's Park right now can enter through several doors which are staffed by legislative security officers and they must present a government-issued ID. The only place visitors have to go through a metal detector currently is to get into the public galleries of the chamber according to The Star.
This will change around this time next year. The new visitor screening centre will be built as an addition outside the building's south basement entrance. All visitors entering the building will have to pass through this one entrance with metal detectors and x-ray scanners for bags.
"I think we were very blessed to have been able to keep the Ontario legislature as open and as accessible for such a long time. It's wonderful that we've been able to do that, but I think the security landscape suggests we need to consider a more robust process."
Sargeant-at-Arms | Jackie Gordon
Major incidents in Toronto last year had a shooter killing two people and injuring 13 on a bustling stretch of the city's Greektown, and a separate van attack with 10 people being killed and 16 injured.
"These incidents bring it closer to home. They hadn't really happened in this backyard and now we're seeing that change."
Sargeant-at-Arms | Jackie Gordon
The new visitor screening centre will cost $5.3 million and will be the first new addition to the building in more than 100 years. The last addition was the construction of the entire north wing which includes the legislative library.
Per Windsor CTV News, under Premier Doug Ford, the legislature has seen an increase in people protesting from the public galleries while the house is sitting but the sargeant-at-arms stated that this was not really a factor in the security upgrades.
When major construction finds it necessary, the functions of the legislature will have to move to a temporary new home.