Parliamentary Secretary Marie-France Lalonde breaks ground on new Military Family Resource Centre at Base Petawawa
News release
July 22, 2024 – Petawawa, ON – National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces
Today, on behalf of the Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence, Parliamentary Secretary Marie-France Lalonde led a groundbreaking ceremony for a new Military Family Resource Centre at 4th Canadian Division Support Base (CDSB) Petawawa. The $42 million facility will consolidate the Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services Personnel Support Programs and Military Family Resource Centre from seven separate locations into a single facility for family support and wellness on the base. This project will sustain approximately 130 jobs during the construction phase and is expected to be completed in Fall 2026.
The centre will provide a family-focused community hub featuring modern offices and recreation spaces to deliver high-quality and more efficient counselling, family services, and programming. There will also be daycare services on site for approximately 160 children. Daycare, among other services, will be relocated from seven existing locations on the base that are currently at capacity, allowing for more accessible, integrated, and better-coordinated services for military families at Petawawa. It will also consolidate military family support services, improve coordination of these services, and make them more accessible for military families, while providing modern workspaces for about 90 personnel.
This facility will be net-zero ready and built to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver standards, which will contribute to the federal government’s target of being carbon neutral by 2050. The Department of National Defence has reduced greenhouse gas emissions from its buildings and non-military vehicles by 35.9% across Canada, compared with 2005 levels.
Quotes
“Providing our military personnel and their families with the support they need is a priority for our government. Through our renewed defence policy, Our North Strong and Free, we are providing the infrastructure necessary to cultivate community-focused, accessible, and holistic support services and programming on base. We will continue to invest in Defence infrastructure that enables the health and readiness of our military personnel.”
The Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence
“This new Military Family Resource Center will be an excellent addition to Canadian Forces Base Petawawa and the broader community of Canadian Armed Forces members living and working there. Not only will this project feature green components to help reduce the government’s carbon footprint, this $42 million investment will provide economic opportunities and sustain 130 jobs for Petawawa.”
Marie-France Lalonde, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence
Quick facts
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This new facility allows for future growth at 4 CDSB Petawawa, which has seen a nearly 40% increase in population over the last 12 years.
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The design contract for this facility was awarded to M. Sullivan and Sons Ltd., of Arnprior, ON, for $703,000 on October 27, 2020. Construction is expected to cost approximately $25 million. The remainder of the funds will be used for project and contract management costs, information technology, office furniture, necessary equipment, ground works, and demolition of four buildings that are beyond economic repair.
Associated links
Contacts
Simon Lafortune
Press Secretary and Communications Advisor
Office of the Minister of National Defence
Email: Simon.Lafortune2@forces.gc.ca
Media Relations
Department of National Defence
Phone: 613-904-3333
Email: mlo-blm@forces.gc.ca
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