Entertainment

Uncertainty Lingers Over Toronto's Storm-Hit Rogers Stadium Ahead of AC/DC Concert

By Amy van den Berg · CBC News · Posted: Sep 09, 2026 12:19 PM EDT | Last Updated: September 9

With just days remaining before AC/DC's sold-out Sept. 16 concert, questions remain over whether Rogers Stadium in Toronto's Downsview area will be repaired in time following storm damage sustained a week earlier. The open-air venue, which can hold up to 50,000 people and is operated by Live Nation Canada, suffered significant damage last Wednesday when a storm tore out bleachers and scattered debris across the site. Doug Perovic, a professor in the University of Toronto's department of materials science and engineering, expressed doubt that repairs could be completed in time. "I don't think that's going to happen before AC/DC," he told Metro Morning on Wednesday. He said the process would likely require assessments, extensive repair work, and an independent inspection by a professional engineer, all of which could take a couple of weeks. "This timeline looks very compressed," he added. The City of Toronto issued an "unsafe building" order to the stadium's operators on Sept. 3, following an inspection. Live Nation was given until Sept. 8 to submit a report detailing the damage and a timeline for repairs, which the city confirmed it had received Wednesday morning. Details of the report have not been made public, but the city said it will continue working with the stadium's operator throughout the process. Under the order, operators must now provide an update on the repairs by Friday. A Live Nation spokesperson said Tuesday the company hopes to share more information about the AC/DC concert this week. As of Wednesday, the show had not been cancelled or postponed. Toronto's city manager, Paul Johnson, told Metro Morning on Tuesday that he could not confirm whether the venue would be ready in time. "Live Nation and their teams are working hard to get it up and going. Our job is to make sure the work is safe and done properly," he said, adding that a final decision does not need to be made immediately. Live Nation has described the storm as a "100-year event" and said addressing damage from major weather events is a standard part of stadium operations. "Safety for employees, fans, artists and vendors is always paramount for any part of our operations," the company said in a statement. Perovic argued that building codes should be updated to better withstand extreme weather, citing the fatal 2012 stage collapse before a Radiohead concert in Toronto, an incident he helped investigate as an expert witness. "We hear about this one-in-100-year storm term. To me, I don't buy that. It's somewhat of an excuse," he said. "We've got more work to do to make these venues safer." Meanwhhile, fans await word on the concert's status. Pam Pardy, a longtime AC/DC fan from Newfoundland, has tickets for the Sept. 16 show with her husband, who has never seen the band perform live. The couple has already arranged flights, dinner reservations, accommodations, and tickets to a Blue Jays game. "I've never seen them, hubby has never seen AC/DC live, so this is a big thing for us," Pardy said, adding that excitement turned to uncertainty after the Sept. 2 storm. "Now we're exactly a week away from the concert and we've heard nothing." Pardy said she and her husband plan to travel regardless of whether the show proceeds, but she remains hopeful Live Nation has a contingency plan, possibly involving another venue. "We all want this show to go on, and we also want to feel safe," she said.