‘Great day for this arena:’ Topping off ceremony celebrates significant milestone at Canada Life Place

Dignitaries sign beam outside Canada Life Place at Topping Off ceremony to celebrate expansion in London, Ont., on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025. (Reta Ismail/CTV News London)

Canada Life Place held a Topping Off ceremony Friday morning, to celebrate the multimillion-dollar expansion of the facility in downtown London, Ont.

“London is a place, where people come for education, where they come for health care, where they come for commerce, and of course, for entertainment, and this venue is really at the center of that”, said London Mayor Josh Morgan. “This investment that has been made by the city in partnership with Oakview Group, and Ellis Don, is really going to help transform this building to the, to the next phase.”

The ceremony marked a significant milestone in the Elevation Project, which includes a major expansion of the venue’s back-of-house facilities as well as extensive concession renovations.

Dignitaries were on hand to sign a commemorative steel beam, soon to be integrated into the expansion, signifying the near completion of the structural phase.

Kelly Austin, the GM of Oak View Group at Canada Life Place says they are excited for the transformation of the existing arena into a more ‘dynamic and guest-focused entertainment destination’.

“It’s kind of exciting that we’re doing this topping off in the same night that the Knights are going to be dropping their banners from last season, so it’s a great day for this arena, this community, the city.”

Austin adds, these upgrades underscore Canada Life Place’s commitment to delivering exceptional experiences for both performers and guests.

“One of the biggest things that fans are going to see when they come to Canada Life Place is our new concession stands, fans are going to be able to come in, grab the items they want, go check themselves out,” said Austin.

The project will enhance the venue’s capabilities, attract premier events, drive tourism, and reinforce its role as a cornerstone of London’s entertainment landscape.