TORONTO -- It is set to be Toronto's newest tourist attraction, but thanks to COVID-19, when it will open is up in the air.

"Little Canada" was supposed to open its doors to the public on Canada Day, but like the real Canada, the pandemic has changed everything.

According to Little Canada's vice-president Dave MacLean, it all started with a construction shutdown, just months before the scheduled opening.

"When they came back to work it's been difficult to get people on site and also there's supplies. Lighting is a classic example, we've waited ten weeks to get certain lights. All of that- delays, and delays, and delays it's a huge challenge for us."

Inside the 44,000 square foot space that was formerly a Goodlife, on the lower two floors of 10 Dundas St. E., staff are hard at work, recreating Canada on a 1:87 scale.

Creation of 'Little Niagara' is almost complete, miniature models of Niagara-on-the-Lake, as well as Niagara Falls spare no tiny details.

The falls themselves will be created using light and sound projection, giving the visitor the impression that they're standing onboard the Maid of the Mist...and yes, there's a tiny one of those planned too.

Like many organizations, Little Canada shifted to a work-from-home model for part of the pandemic, in this case it involved actual models being built at the homes of their building staff.

"We're not unlike any other business, where we've had to deal with the challenges of Covid, and find creative solutions so we can keep going," MacLean told CTV News,

Most of the building was done over the past several years, inside a nondescript warehouse in Mississauga. The miniature cities, complete with working trains, trucks, and streetcars, were designed to be deconstructed once a permanent site was found. Now, the work of deconstructing, packing, and moving the miniatures to their new home at Yonge Dundas Square is underway.

Officials say more than 150,000 man hours have gone in to creating Little Canada. When it opens to the public, visitors will be able to walk through Little Toronto, Little Niagara, Little Golden Horseshoe, Little Ottawa, and Petit Quebec. They'll also be able to watch the construction of Little North, which is being built inside a temperature lowered room. More cities and areas will be built in the coming years. Guests will also have the chance to watch models being built, visit Little Canada's control centre, and make miniature versions of themselves.

As for when tourists will be able to visit Little Canada, officials now hope to welcome guests sometime next year. Plans are in the works to ensure that visits will adhere to all COVID-19 protocols, including limiting numbers, and ensuring appropriate physical distancing.

"We want to make sure that when we are open that the tourism market is ready for us- and that we're ready to bring people in to an indoor experience that will be one of the safest, most unique experiences that they've ever been through."