The Ballet Opera House was planned as the home and performance center for the National Ballet of Canada and the Canadian Opera Company, located in downtown Toronto between Bay and Yonge Streets. When a new provincial government was elected, however, the project was indefinitely shelved pending resolution of funding issues. Safdie's design features a public passage, referred to as "Gallery of the Artists," traversing the site at street level and accommodating specialty retail elements. The heart of the project was to be a 2,000 seat auditorium consisting of a main stage and three support stages, while the exterior of the building was to be composed of a series of tower-like elements that integrated it with the surrounding streets of Toronto.