The truth about Toronto's CN Tower

Added: 2026-05-27

[00:00:00]Did you know the original design for one of the world's most iconic landmarks was completely different? Back in 1968, the CN Tower was planned as a massive tripod structure. Three separate towers rising together, connected near the top by bridges and observation decks. The tower was supposed to be an anchor for a gigantic redevelopment project called Metro Centre. The proposed development covered nearly 200 acres of rail land south of Front Street. Office towers, apartment buildings, underground malls, a new transit hub, and even a new CBC headquarters were all part of the plan.

[00:00:32]Metro Centre also called for the demolition of Union Station. At first, the project had support, but as details became public, opposition exploded. Then came the final blow. The province of Ontario announced that Union Station would stay, and that decision killed Metro Centre overnight because the entire project depended on relocating the rail corridor farther south. Before the overall project was killed, construction had already started on the tower portion of the proposed development. Yet, without the larger project around it, the original tripod design was abandoned and replaced with a simplified single tower version. And that version became the CN Tower, the tallest free standing structure in the Western Hemisphere, and one of the most recognizable landmarks in the entire world. It's also the last remaining piece of a futuristic city that Toronto never built. For more Toronto videos like this, follow Insider Toronto.