The Fifth Floor
In the fire of 1909, the west wing of the Legislative building burned to the ground. When the wing was rebuilt by Architect E.J. Lennox, he added a fifth floor as part of his redesign. Offices once housed here included the Archives of Ontario and the Ontario Board of Censors (1928-48). For nearly half a century, this area of the Legislative Building above the skylight was used only for storage as it lacked a second fire exit stairway to meet fire code requirements.
In the 1990s, the roof above this area was restored. A layer of tar that had been applied to the glass-bricked roof was removed and a protective housing was placed above it to allow natural light to flow back in to the attic space and light the McCausland stained glass laylight featuring the Ontario Coat of Arms. The interior was also restored during the 2000s, adding contemporary office space, a new ventilation system, new fire exit hallways and stairwells.
This renovated space that was formerly an abandoned attic now houses the unique offices of Hansard Reporting and Interpretation Services. Staff in this new space prepare transcripts of the sittings of the Legislature and its committees and offer French and English interpretation services to the Members of Provincial Parliament.