Upcoming projects - Public art and monuments

List of upcoming projects

• LGBTQ2+ National Monument
• Global Affairs Commemorative Artwork
• National Monument to Canada's Mission in Afghanistan
• Memorial to the Victims of Communism — Canada, a Land of Refuge

LGBTQ2+ National Monument

The LGBTQ2+ National Monument will memorialize the historic discrimination against LGBTQ2+ Canadians, including the LGBT Purge. The purge was prolonged and widespread campaign led by the Government of Canada to identify and expel thousands of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender members of the Canadian Armed Forces, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the federal public service. The purge began in the 1950s and continued until the 1990s. The Monument will reflect the profound impacts of discrimination experienced by Canada’s LGBTQ2+ community, as well as celebrate the achievements of those who fought for equality, educate visitors, and inspire hope and change for the future.

Canadian Heritage is facilitating the development of the Monument in partnership with the LGBT Purge Fund. The National Capital Commission will be responsible for the design development and construction of the Monument.

The creation of the Monument is mandated by a Federal Court of Canada order. Completion of the monument is planned for 2025.

The site

The Monument will be prominently located at the north-east side of the intersection of Wellington Street and Portage Bridge, close to the Ottawa River. Centrally located, this site offers views of the Judicial Precinct, a balance of public visibility and space for contemplation as well as the ability to host large gatherings.

Design competition

Teams of professional artists, landscape architects, architects, and other urban design professionals are invited to submit their credentials and examples of prior work on similar projects.To view and download the competition documents, please visit the Buy and Sell website. The Request for Qualifications will close on January 5, 2021

During the first phase of the design competition, a jury of experts will evaluate qualifications and shortlist up to five design teams; the second phase – the Request for Proposals – will invite these finalists to develop their design concepts. Survivors of the purge, members of the LGBTQ2+ community, other stakeholders, and the public will be invited to provide feedback on the finalists’ proposals before a design is chosen by the jury.

Global Affairs Canada Commemorative Artwork

The Global Affairs Canada Commemorative Artwork will be a lasting tribute to employees of the Government of Canada working in Global Affairs Canada missions abroad. It will recognize the dedication of and the sacrifices made by such individuals and their families in their service to Canada.

Canadian Heritage is facilitating the development of the commemorative artwork in partnership with Global Affairs Canada. The National Capital Commission will be responsible for the design, development and construction.

The site

The commemorative artwork will be located on the grounds of the John G. Diefenbaker Building at 111 Sussex Drive in Ottawa.

Design competition

Teams of professional artists, landscape architects, architects, and other urban design professionals are invited to submit their credentials and examples of prior work on similar projects. To view and download the competition document, please visit the Government of Canada’s Buy and Sell website. The Request for Qualifications will close on December 16, 2020.

This first phase of the design competition will evaluate qualifications and shortlist up to four teams; the second phase – the Request for Proposals – will invite these finalists to develop their design concepts. The public will be invited to provide feedback on the finalists’ proposals before a design is chosen. 

National Monument to Canada's Mission in Afghanistan

The National Monument to Canada's Mission in Afghanistan will serve as a testament to the commitment and sacrifice of Canadian Armed Forces members, police officers, public servants and civilians who served in Canada's mission in Afghanistan. The Monument will also recognize the strong support offered by Canadians at home to those who served during the mission.

Canadian Heritage is facilitating the development of the Monument in partnership with Veterans Affairs Canada. The National Capital Commission will take responsibility for the development of design and construction of the Monument, with completion expected in 2024.

Please note: Key milestones for this monument may need to be adjusted given the COVID-19 pandemic.  All decisions on these matters will be made under advisement from public health authorities.

The site

The Monument will be prominently located at LeBreton Flats across from the Canadian War Museum, on the east side of Booth Street, north of the National Holocaust Monument. With views of Parliament and other key federal institutions, the site will provide easy access to and high visibility to the Monument for both vehicle and pedestrian traffic.

Design competition and consultations

In January and February 2020, Veterans Affairs Canada led consultations with Veterans, affected families and other stakeholders on design considerations for the Monument. See the results of the consultations here.

Teams of professional artists, landscape architects, architects, and other urban design professionals were invited to submit their credentials and examples of prior work on similar projects as part of a Request for Qualifications that closed on February 27, 2020.

The following teams were shortlisted by the design competition jury to develop design concepts for this monument:

• Team Daoust: Daoust Lestage, architects, urban designers and landscape architects (Montreal, QC); The Honourable Louise Arbour, strategic advisor (Montreal, QC); Luca Fortin, public artist (Québec, QC)
• Team Hapa: Joseph Fry, landscape architect (Vancouver, BC); Jacqueline Metz and Nancy Chew, visual artists (Vancouver, BC)
• Team Lashley + JMA: Lashley + Associates, landscape architects (Ottawa, ON and Montreal, QC); John MacDonald Architect, architects (Kitchener, ON); Sandra Dunn, visual artist (Kitchener, ON)
• Team PFS Studio: Jennifer Nagai, landscape architect, PFS Studio (Vancouver, BC); Nicolas Demers-Stoddart, architect, Provencher Roy (Montreal, QC); Jonathan Villeneuve, visual artist (Montreal, QC)
• Team Stimson: Adrian Stimson, visual artist (Siksika Nation, AB); Jana Joyce, landscape architect, MBTW Group, (Toronto, ON), Graham Carr, landscape designer, MBTW Group (Toronto, ON); Christine Leu and Alan Webb, public art coordinators, LeuWebb Projects (Toronto, ON)

The teams have until spring 2021 to complete their proposals.

The designs will be evaluated by a jury composed of experts in the fields of arts and urban design and representatives from key stakeholder groups. Members of the jury are:

• Dr. Stephen Borys, Director and CEO, Winnipeg Art Gallery
• Virginia Burt, Landscape Architect and Principal, Virginia Burt Designs
• Master Warrant Officer Steve Chagnon, Veteran of Canada’s Mission in Afghanistan
• Reine Samson Dawe, representing the families of the fallen and 2019 National Memorial (Silver) Cross Mother
• Ambassador Arif Z. Lalani, Canada’s Ambassador to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan during the height of Canada’s military and civilian mission
• Talbot Sweetapple, Architect and Partner, Mackay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects
• Dr. Lee Windsor, Deputy Director of The Brigadier Milton Gregg VC Centre for the Study of War and Society, University of New Brunswick

Stakeholders, families of the fallen and the public will be able to view and comment on the design concepts before a final decision is made. The announcement of the winning design is planned for summer 2021.

Memorial to the Victims of Communism – Canada, a Land of Refuge

The Memorial to the Victims of Communism – Canada, a Land of Refuge will recognize Canada's international role as a place of refuge for people fleeing injustice and persecution and honour the millions who suffered under communist regimes.

Canadian Heritage is facilitating the development of the monument in partnership with Tribute to Liberty. The National Capital Commission will take responsibility for the construction of the Memorial.

The site

The Memorial will be built just west of the terraces of the Garden of the Provinces and Territories in Ottawa. This intimate site borders Confederation Boulevard and the Parliamentary and Judicial Precincts and is situated near key federal institutions, including Library and Archives Canada.

The design

The winning design chosen for the Memorial to the Victims of Communism is "Arc of Memory." This concept was submitted by Team Raff, a group of architects and landscape architects based in Toronto that includes Paul Raff (artist and architect), Michael A. Ormston-Holloway (designer and certified arborist), Brett Hoornaert (landscape architectural intern) and Luke Kairys (landscape architect). "Arc of Memory" is a sculptural array of over 4,000 bronze rods intended to express the vastness of communist oppression and invite visitors to reflect on Canada as a free and welcoming country.

Design competition

In fall 2016, teams of professional artists, landscape architects, architects, and other urban design professionals were invited to provide their credentials and examples of prior work.

A distinguished jury of design professionals and content specialists was assembled to evaluate the concepts for this competition. The jury was composed of five members: Alexandra Badzak (Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Ottawa Art Gallery); Larry Beasley, C.M. (retired Director of Planning for the City of Vancouver); Ruth Derksen, Ph.D. (Professor Emeritus at the University of British Columbia); Ludwik Klimkowski, (Board Chair of Tribute to Liberty); Ted Merrick (Director of the design studio at Ferris + Associates).

A public viewing of the finalists' design concepts was held on March 2, 2017, where attendees could view the presentations, meet the design teams, and share their thoughts. Canadians from across the country were also invited to comment on the designs through an online survey that ran from March 2–10, 2017. The survey results are available here.

The jury considered this feedback along with the comments from the National Capital Commission's Advisory Committee on Planning, Design and Realty and experts in conservation, landscape, engineering and costing. Based on the jury's recommendation, the Government of Canada announced that the design presented by Team Raff has been selected for the future Memorial.