For immediate release
May 25 , 2007, St. George, New Brunswick – The Honourable Greg Thompson, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Regional Minister for New Brunswick, today officially opened the new St. George Government of Canada Building in St. George, N.B., on behalf of the Honourable Michael M Fortier, Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada. The new building consolidates two offices of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) in southwestern New Brunswick within one location. The building also houses Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) operations and employees.
"I am delighted with the construction of this new facility," Minister Thompson said. "This building reflects a cooperative effort between three federal departments resulting in a one-stop service centre for improved services to the fishing and aquaculture industries in southwestern N.B."
The building is located next to DFO's and CFIA's provincial counterparts and accommodates 49 employees from the two departments. This co-location will also serve to strengthen the relationships and service provided by both levels of government.
The building provides modern and unique accommodations for CFIA including a sensory lab, post mortem room and canned fish inspection area. DFO's improved office accommodations, which include an on-site warehouse and compound for easy access to boats and equipment, enhances the efficiency of their operations significantly.
Construction of the St. George Government of Canada Building was managed by Public Works and Government Services Canada.
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For more information, contact:
Darcy Truen
Communications Advisor
Public Works and Government Services Canada
902-497-0307
Gerald A. Lefebvre
Director of Communications
Office of Minister Thompson
613-996-4649
Backgrounder
St. George Government of Canada Building
The new St. George Government of Canada Building provides office and laboratory space to co-located staff from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). The building is located adjacent to the Provincial Fisheries and Aquaculture Building – providing one stop service for the fisheries and agriculture industries in Charlotte County, N.B. This building replaces three Government of Canada Buildings in Blacks Harbour, St. Andrews and St. George.
Located at 99 Mount Pleasant Road, St. George, N.B. The facility consists of two buildings, a main office building and a warehouse. The residential features of the main building make it well suited to this rural area. This office/lab facility consists of a single storey slab on grade assembly with wood framed walls and conventional wooden trussed roof. The exterior of this attractive facility is clad in fibre cement siding and an asphalt shingled roof. The office and public areas allow natural light to penetrate the building core through a multitude of aluminum framed windows and doors. The entrances are identified by gabled roofs and protected by canopies forming an integral part of the overall roof assembly.
The main structure is equipped with a full range of building services including an air handling system with air conditioning capability and direct digital controls. Specialized air handling capabilities are provided in laboratory spaces. Heating is provided by hot water boilers. A new communication system will accommodate the users' telephone and data requirements well into the future. A fire alarm and emergency lighting system are provided. The lighting system consists of ceiling-mounted energy efficient fixtures.
The warehouse structure is located behind the main building. This facility is a pre-engineered industrial type structure with concrete foundation and slab on grade floor. The entire structure is clad in vertical metal cladding.
The site contains ample public parking and sufficient space to accommodate vehicles assigned to the tenant departments. A fenced compound has been provided to address exterior storage requirements.
Features
1300 sq.m single storey office building consisting of office area, meeting rooms and labs.
580 sq.m warehouse building
Staff
Department of Fisheries and Oceans: 34
Canadian Food and Inspection Agency: 15
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