A city councillor is questioning whether safety at a major Toronto concert venue can be improved after this week’s fierce storm left parts of it in ruins.
Rogers Stadium suffered significant damage during Wednesday’s severe weather, which pounded the city with heavy rain and shearing winds. Destruction visible at the 50,000-capacity Downsview Park site included sections of its northern seating area that appeared torn apart, and bleachers that looked to have buckled.
When the venue opened in June 2025, some concertgoers complained about the stands swaying under the weight of attendees, which they said made them feel unsafe. At the time, operator Live Nation issued assurances that the movement was normal and the stadium was designed to be flexible and absorb the energy of surging crowds.
Local councillor James Pasternak (York Centre) told the Star he was “disturbed” that the seating collapsed during Wednesday’s storm. He said his understanding was that the city declared the structure safe when it was built, and when he toured the venue he went beneath the stands which appeared secure.
“Whether they tested it for extreme weather events, I do not know,” he said. Pasternak noted that the former airport lands the venue sits on are in an elevated part of the city and could be particularly vulnerable to strong winds.
The stadium has been a flashpoint in Pasternak’s ward, with some residents complaining it has caused excess noise and traffic. He said he was “frustrated” Live Nation wasn’t providing more information about the cleanup, and called on the company to clarify its plans for the venue.
“The question is, can they rebuild and will it be rebuilt to a safer standard? And those are questions I can’t really answer,” he said.
Safety ‘paramount,’ says venue operator
A spokesperson for Live Nation said in a statement that the safety of employees, fans, artists and vendors is “paramount” for the organization, and the venue “undergoes a rigorous safety inspection process administered by city officials.”
“Wednesday’s storm was a severe and significant weather event” and the company is working with the municipality on the inspection and remediation of the impacts, which it said was standard after “a red-level storm of this nature.”
The stadium has one last show on its 2026 calendar, with Australian rock legends AC/DC scheduled to play on Sept. 16 as part of their Power Up tour.
With less than two weeks to go, it’s not clear whether the venue can be repaired and declared safe in time for the concert to go ahead. Live Nation said it would provide more information “as it becomes available.”
City inspection after storm found stadium currently unsafe
The municipality issued an order to Live Nation on Thursday ordering it to remedy what it deemed an unsafe property. An inspection found wide-ranging damage including collapsed sections of the north stadium, damaged seating areas and compromised framing at some temporary structures, according to the order. The document also recorded damage to other structures and equipment from high winds, including overturned viewing stations, tents and shipping containers.
“Based on the observed damage, multiple structures and associated structural components on the property appear to be in a condition that may pose a risk to the health and safety of persons,” says the order, specifically citing potential hazards of “structural instability or falling material.”
The city has required Live Nation to immediately take steps to prevent access to the damaged property, retain an engineer to to assess its condition, and report back by no later than Sept. 11 on the status of remedial measures.
No one is allowed to use the site until the city signs off on an engineer report confirming that it’s safe, according to the order.
