Ontario Science Centre and shady developers lead plot of new Law & Order episode

A recent episode of a Toronto-based crime drama opens with the deaths of a billionaire pharmaceutical CEO and his philanthropist wife, and quickly turns its focus to a public science museum caught in the middle of a land dispute and redevelopment battle — sound familiar?

While fictional, the storyline closely mirrors the real-life situation that unfolded with the Ontario Science Centre, which closed at its site near Don Mills last year following a controversial structural report that solidified its relocation.

Similar to its other episodes, Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent dives into a story inspired by Toronto's real-life headlines. The show's season 2, episode 9, titled "Bitter Pill," opens with the shocking discovery of a billionaire couple, Stanley and Didi, who are found murdered in their luxurious home.

Detective Sergeant Frankie Bateman (Kathleen Munroe) and Detective Sergeant Henry Graff (Aden Young) are called to investigate the high-profile double homicide, and as the investigation unfolds, they uncover a web of motives tied to a contentious piece of land and a massive charitable donation.

At the heart of the episode is Share Science, a fictional charity founded by Didi, who, in a letter written to her lawyer before her death, reveals plans to dedicate the proceeds from the sale of her husband's pharmaceutical company to preserving and upgrading the fictional "Toronto Centre for Science."

In the episode, it's revealed that 30 years ago, Stanley gifted Didi conservation land in Don Mills for their wedding. She eventually donated the land to the Toronto Centre for Science and named a wing of the facility in Stanley's honour.

However, her charity's mission came under threat when a politically connected developer pushed for the redevelopment of the land, arguing that the community would benefit more from a luxury condo complex.

The detectives also uncover that the same developer ordered and funded a building conditional assessment, one that potentially exaggerated structural concerns to justify its abrupt closure.

"You do plan on killing the soul of this area with this homage to mediocrity," Detective Graff says as he examines a model of the proposed development. According to one of the centre's board members who spoke with the detectives, the developer assured that the centre wouldn't be closing, only relocating.

Last year, the Ford government abruptly closed the iconic Raymond Moriyama-designed Ontario Science Centre, citing safety concerns from a 52-page report by Rimkus Consulting Group. The sudden announcement ignited lots of backlash, especially since it followed Ford's contentious plan to relocate the Ontario Science Centre to Ontario Place.

Last week's episode also featured a well-known Toronto food spot. Detectives Bateman and Graff stopped by Pizzeria Badiali on Dovercourt Road, which served as the backdrop for a tense investigative scene. Departing from its usual crowds and long lines, the pizzeria was part of a key moment for the case, as the detectives followed up on a suspicious Hawaiian pizza order.

Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent’s next episode airs Thursday at 10/9c on Citytv and is also available for streaming on Citytv+.