Marineland owner Marie Holer dies — unclear who will now lead controversial park

Marineland's owner, Marie Holer, has died. But the southern Ontario park said Friday it "remains under strong leadership" with a "robust succession plan."

Holer's "grace, kindness, and unwavering support were integral to the fabric of Marineland's legacy," the park said in a statement.

"Our founder, anticipating life's uncertainties, had put in place a robust succession plan to ensure the continuity of our operations," it said. "All our projects are progressing as planned."

Marineland did not say who will inherit the keys to the park.

Last year, Marineland said it was looking for a new owner to help transition to a new era.

The park said this year that transition to new ownership was ongoing, but did not provide details. Property records this summer showed no change in hands.

As rumours of a sale swirled, the park announced it would only open for two months this year, July and August, rather than from the May long weekend to Thanksgiving. Its last day of operation for the season was Sunday.

It opened under vastly reduced rates with all of its rides closed and many of the animals off limits.

Holer took over Marineland, in Niagara Falls, Ont., from her husband John Holer after he died in 2018.

The pair worked side by side for decades, growing the business into one of the most popular zoos in the country.

But the park also attracted a lot of criticism from protesters over the years, many concerned about the well-being of the marine mammals kept in captivity.

Former employees spoke out about the allegedly poor treatment of its animals 10 years ago, which the park denied.

Since then, both the province and the federal government have passed laws against keeping killer whales in captivity.

Seventeen whales have died at Marineland since 2019, including its last killer whale, and the last captive orca in Canada, Kiska, which died in 2023.