2019 Minister’s Transition Book 2: Core responsibility 4—Government-wide support
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Translation Bureau overview
Established in 1934, the bureau offers a full range of linguistic services (translation, interpretation and terminology) in both official languages, in Canada’s Indigenous languages, and in over 100 foreign languages, to Parliament and to departments and agencies. Its enabling legislation is the Translation Bureau Act.
The bureau also supports deaf and hard of hearing public servants and Canadians by, among other things, providing sign language interpretation and closed captioning services. Moreover, through a Treasury Board decision, the bureau was granted status as the sole employer of Translation (TR) classified employees for the provision of translation, interpretation and terminology services to the parliament, the judiciary and the federal government, for an indefinite period. The bureau is also responsible for the Language Portal of Canada, a website that provides a host of free resources to help Canadians write well in both official languages, including reference material on: grammar, punctuation, solutions to common language problems, vocabulary used in specialized fields.
In this Section
Background
In 1995, the bureau became a special operating agency authorized to operate a revolving fund. Since then, it operates as an optional service on a cost-recovery basis for most of its services with the exception of translation and interpretation services to Parliament, as well as visual interpretation and closed captioning, which are funded through parliamentary votes or appropriations.
In 2018 to 2019, the bureau employed 1,213 employees nationwide, of which close to 800 are translators and interpreters belonging to the TR classification. Approximately 230 of its employees are teleworkers and 150 are collocated with client departments. The bureau's headquarters is situated in Gatineau. It also has regional offices in Charlottetown, Moncton, Halifax, Quebec City, Montreal, Toronto, Winnipeg and Vancouver. Regional offices allow the bureau to benefit from local contacts and networks and serve as the point of integration for the bureau’s business in the regions.
2018 to 2019 operational highlights
- 322.5 million words translated for departments and agencies ($125.2 million in revenue). This represents 70% of the government expenditures for interpretation and translation services
- 52.5 million words translated for Parliament
- 5,685 days of conference interpretation services in official languages
- 4,928 hours of captioning services
- 7,285 hours of visual interpretation services
- More than 6.5 million visits each year to the Language Portal of Canada
- Approximately 36 million searches in TERMIUM Plus® (one of the largest terminology and linguistic data banks in the world in English, French, Spanish and Portuguese, managed by the bureau) in more than 200 countries per year
- Interpretation services in foreign and Indigenous languages provided for approximately 300 conferences per year
Current status
Several factors are having a profound impact on the translation industry in Canada, and globally, including:
- the increasing sophistication of artificial intelligence, including online translation tools like Google and DeepL
- heightened client expectations for high quality, low cost and timely translations
- an increasing amount of content in need of translation
In this environment, the Government of Canada must adapt to the language industry’s digital transformation, while maintaining quality, efficiency and service excellence. The translation profession will likely evolve to use new technologies in a complementary way, enabling an increase of the volume they can translate and shifting their focus to post-edition and revision.
The bureau has done extensive work to implement a new vision, improve the quality of its services, strengthening the bureau’s relationships with Canadian universities and colleges offering a translation or interpretation program, its clients and professional associations such as the Language Industry Association, International Association of Conference Interpreters, and the Ordre des traducteurs, terminologues et interprètes agréés du Québec. There will be opportunities for the minister to help shape a new vision for Translation Bureau during the upcoming mandate.
Security and oversight services
In this Section
Integrity Regime
The department centrally administers the government-wide Integrity Regime for procurement and real property transactions. Under this regime, unethical suppliers may be rendered ineligible or suspended from conducting business with the Government of Canada.
Background
Corporate wrongdoing imposes significant economic, political and social costs, undermines fair competition and constitutes barriers to economic growth. All governments have an obligation to protect and safeguard the use of public funds, to ensure strong stewardship and transparency, and to uphold public trust in government procurement and contracting. In order to achieve these ends, the Government of Canada has a framework of laws, regulations, policies and programs in place to detect and prevent improper and unethical business practices.
One such program is the Integrity Regime (the regime), a rules-based debarment system introduced in 2015 that is designed to help ensure that the Government of Canada conducts business with ethical suppliers in Canada and abroad. The central component of the regime is the Ineligibility and Suspension Policy (the policy) which sets out when and how a supplier may be declared ineligible or suspended from doing business with the government.
Under the regime, a bidder becomes ineligible to be awarded a contract or real property agreement for 10 years when convicted of certain offences in Canada or similar offences in other countries in the last 3 years. This can be reduced by 5 years if the supplier demonstrates that they cooperated with law enforcement authorities or addressed the causes of their misconduct. If a supplier is charged with a listed offence, they may be suspended from doing business with the federal government for up to 18 months, should they pose a significant risk.
The regime applies to all federal departments and agencies listed in schedule I, I.1 and II of the Financial Administration Act and can be adopted by other federal entities (such as Crown Corporations) on a voluntarily basis. As part of its responsibilities under the regime, the department conducts integrity verification requests on behalf of federal organizations—a process whereby the department confirms whether a supplier is ineligible or suspended from conducting business with the federal government. In 2018 to 2019, the department conducted over 26,000 integrity verification requests, on approximately 343,000 individual names, of which over 99% of these requests were completed by the department within the program’s 4-hour client service standard.
All determinations of ineligibility or suspension are undertaken pursuant to the process set out in the policy and are rendered by the registrar of ineligibility and suspension, an assistant deputy minister-level position within the department that has been delegated the authority to administer the regime. The names of ineligible or suspended suppliers are published on the departmental website. Currently, one supplier has entered into an administrative agreement with the department in lieu of suspension (SNC-Lavalin Group Inc.); and 3 suppliers have been rendered ineligible (Hickey Construction Ltd, Les Entreprises Chatel Inc. and R.M Belanger Limited). The minister is informed of all determinations of ineligibility and suspension.
In 2017, after 2 years of operations, the department initiated a review of the regime to determine whether it was achieving its intended objectives and to scope whether possible enhancements were required to address gaps and shortcomings. Following this review, in fall 2017, a national consultation on “Expanding Canada’s toolkit to address corporate wrongdoing” was initiated, which included a stream related to potential enhancements to the Integrity Regime. The results of this consultation were reported publicly in February 2018. Following an announcement of planned enhancements to the regime, the department sought comments and feedback on the text of a draft revised policy that reflected the proposed modifications. This second consultation occurred in fall 2018.
Subsequent to this consultation, public discourse has increased regarding corporate wrongdoing and governments’ responses to this type of misconduct. As a result, the department is taking additional time to consider elements of the regime and the feedback received to date.
Current status
The current Ineligibility and Suspension Policy remains in effect.
Fairness Monitoring Program
The Fairness Monitoring Program is part of the Government of Canada’s framework to support accountability and integrity in procurement and real property transactions. The program engages independent third-party fairness monitors to observe all or part of a departmental activity, such as procurements and real property transactions, in order to provide an impartial opinion on the fairness, openness and transparency of that activity.
Fairness monitors are engaged and while the monitored activity is ongoing, they provide their observations and raise issues in real time. This provides management with the opportunity to resolve potential issues while the activity is still under way, thus averting fairness deficiencies and avoiding possible costly after-the-fact resolutions. The program provides management, client departments, government suppliers, parliament and Canadians with independent assurance that monitored activities are conducted fairly and with integrity.
Background
According to the departmental policy, fairness monitoring is not mandatory but certain activities require a mandatory risk-based assessment to determine if fairness monitoring coverage is warranted. Usually fairness monitoring is provided for high dollar value and highly sensitive complex activities.
The program uses independent and impartial third party professionals to observe and provide fairness attestations.
Each fairness monitoring engagement concludes with a Fairness Monitor Final Report which provides an attestation as to the fairness, openness and transparency of the monitored activity. The department makes all fairness monitor final reports available to the public on its website, subject to limitations on disclosure under the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act.
Since the Fairness Monitoring Program’s inception in 2005, over 220 fairness monitoring engagements have been completed. The Fairness Monitoring Program is currently monitoring 78 procurements including many high profile initiatives, such as:
- Future Fighter Capability Project
- Canadian Surface Combatant in Service Support
- HR and Pay Next Generation
- Laboratories Canada Initiative Design and Construction
- Parliamentary Precinct Branch projects such as the rehabilitation of Block 2, Confederation Building and the Supreme Court of Canada
Current status
The Program will continue to engage fairness monitors to observe sensitive, material and complex procurement activities and inform the minister in writing of upcoming postings of fairness monitor final reports on the department website.
Controlled Goods Program
Under the Defence Production Act and the Controlled Goods Regulations, Public Services and Procurement Canada administers the Controlled Goods Program (the program), which supports the Government of Canada’s national security framework by regulating industry’s examination, possession and transfer of controlled goods within Canada.
Background
Controlled goods are goods, components, technologies or documentation that have military or national security significance. Created in 2001 to prevent controlled goods from being obtained by unauthorized persons and to strengthen Canada’s defence trade controls, the program now ensures compliance of more than 4,600 registrants from the aerospace, defence and security industries. The program also fulfils international commitments in the context of Canada’s privileged and unique export control relationship with the U.S. which benefits both Canadian government and industry.
In addition, the program supports Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada in its administration of the Investment Canada Act whereby direct investment transactions that have a national security component are discussed and reviewed.
Current status
The Controlled Goods Program has adapted to evolving security considerations and starting in 2011, it implemented an Enhanced Security Strategy which included enhancements and business improvement measures for increasing the program’s ability to deal with potential national security and/or proliferation threats.
Incremental funding associated to those enhancements and to maintain service levels has been provided via the federal budget since 2012 and is due to sunset on March 31, 2022.
Contract Security Program
The Contract Security Program contributes to the national security framework through the protection of Canadian and foreign sensitive government information and assets (including work sites) while in the custody of the private sector. This is achieved through the security screening of organizations and individuals as part of the Government of Canada contracting process.
Background
The Contract Security Program, which has been in existence since 1942, screens approximately 5,000 organizations and 135,000 individuals annually seeking to work on contracts that include sensitive government information and assets. The program operates on a cost recovery basis, deriving the majority of its funding from memoranda of understanding with 50 to 60 client departments and agencies. It provides contract security services for approximately 90% of all Government of Canada contracts with security requirements, and also provides security services for all foreign government contracts with security requirements that are awarded to Canadian industry.
Over the past few years, the Contract Security Program has re-engineered a number of internal processes and realized efficiencies resulting in sustained performance improvement. All service standards are now consistently met or bettered more than 90% of the time. For example, between April and June 2019, the program met its service standard of processing a simple request for reliability status (meaning to access protected information and assets) within 7 business days 99% of the time, and met its service standard of processing complex requests for reliability status within 120 business days 92% of the time.
Due to the shifting threat environment, some challenges to the efficiency of the program remain. The program is seeing an increase in complex files (due to adverse information, out of country verifications, mandatory credit checks, and a need to assess ownership), which require time-consuming additional verification and a specialized workforce. This can lead to lengthy processing delays, which raise complaints from client departments and industry. Such complex files account for approximately 4% of the program’s personnel security screening annual business volume.
Current status
The Contract Security Program is adapting to address these challenges through continued process improvement. This will be informed by collaboration with client departments, the government’s security and intelligence community, industry and foreign partners. In parallel, the department is also working on implementation of a secure, e-enabled solution for industry to submit applications, reduce administrative burden and improve efficiency. Moreover, the department is continuously reviewing opportunities to simplify the requirements to participate in a procurement to better align the procurement system with market capacity and best value, including the assessment of the security level and requirements for a contract.
Government-wide corporate services
Public Services and Procurement Canada offers a diverse range of services to federal institutions, including:
In this Section
Shared Travel Services
The department administers the delivery of travel and corporate credit card services for federal institutions through the Shared Travel Services Program for online management and planning of trips. Oversight and policy/legislative authority for travel by government employees remain with the President of the Treasury Board.
To improve upon these services, the Next Generation Travel initiative (NextGEN Travel) was launched in October 2018. In collaboration with the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, consultations with public servants are underway to inform the design of a future system.
Government information services
The Receiver General and Pension Branch within the department provides key information services to Canadians, along with services and advice to departments for delivering or undertaking select communications activities.
Advertising services
The department provides planning and coordination advice to departments and agencies on government advertising, along with advertising skills training. Additionally, the department is responsible for reporting annually on government advertising activities and coordinates an advertising budget of approximately $55 million (2018 to 2019). The department also manages the Agency of Record (that plans and buys media on behalf of the Government of Canada).
Public opinion research
The department serves as the mandatory technical authority for the conduct of contracted public opinion research for the government. In this role, it coordinates and advises client departments and agencies, and oversees a community of practice to support capacity building. The department reports annually on public opinion research activities.
Canada Gazette
Published since 1841, the Canada Gazette is the official newspaper of the Government of Canada and publishes new statutes, new and proposed regulations, and various government and public notices. The Gazette forms a key step in Canada’s regulatory process, by serving as a platform to post draft regulations and facilitate consultation with the public. The department maintains the Gazette for access by government departments and agencies, and the public.
Publishing and Depository Services
The department provides Canadians with information on government publications and maintains online access to reference documents on the Government of Canada Publications website, allowing for approximately 2 million downloads a year. The department also provides guidance to federal institutions in meeting publishing requirements as per Treasury Board procedures on publishing.
Copyright Media Clearance Program
The department coordinates access to over 7,000 electronic articles per day from 70 Canadian media sources. It offers licensed access to copyright-protected articles and permits the sharing of copyright cleared news sources with roughly 100 eligible institutions, including the House of Commons, the Senate and parliamentary committees.
Imaging services
Since 1976, the department has provided bank reconciliation and investigation, authentication and status verification services for Receiver General payments. The department’s document imaging service is responsible for providing quality and efficient document imaging and data capture services on a cost-recovery basis, supporting government modernization and process automation. It also provides front-end mailroom services to federal organizations.
Specialized service programs
The department is responsible for 5 government-wide specialized service programs: GCSurplus, Seized Property Management, Canadian General Standards Board, GCdocs program and the GCcase program.
GCSurplus
GCSurplus manages the sale and divestiture of surplus moveable and controlled assets for the Government of Canada and client organizations. GCSurplus carries out services with an eye to obtain best value for the Crown and provides expert surplus and controlled asset management solutions relating to reuse, recycling and divestiture (sale). Most assets are divested through online auction, and in the case of surplus military assets through a website for restricted bidders.
Seized Property Management Program
The Seized Property Management Program manages the sale and divestiture of forfeited assets on behalf of law enforcement agencies, and for federal and provincial institutions. The department offers services at the 3 stages of the asset management lifecycle resulting from legal or regulatory action: pre-seizure, post-seizure and post judicial/regulatory outcome, and works with other federal organizations in government-wide anti-money laundering initiatives.
Canadian General Standards Board
The Canadian General Standards Board assists clients in developing standards and conformity assessment services in support of the economic, regulatory, procurement, health, safety and environmental interests of government, industry and consumers. It offers standardization products and services, including standards development, product evaluation, certification and quality assessment.
GCdocs program
Responsible for the official enterprise document and records management solution of the Government of Canada, the GCdocs program provides bilingual content management services. The GCdocs program allows client departments and agencies to store their electronic documents in a reliable, secure and backed-up data centre while still permitting their employees to access and amend documents.
The Treasury Board Secretariat is exploring options for the next generation of GCdocs program within the next 3 to 5 years.
GCcase program
The department provides the GCcase program as a common case management system solution for Government of Canada departments and agencies. The GCcase program enables organizations to automate, manage, track and control activities, tasks and workflow processes.
The National Print Portfolio
The National Print Portfolio prints cheques for the Receiver General of Canada, which are dispersed through various programs such as Old-Age Security, Employment Insurance, the Canada Pension Plan, and tax refunds. The National Print Portfolio also prints notices and other information for the Canadian Intellectual Property Office and for the Phoenix Pay System. In fall 2019, the department was delegated responsibility for additional printing work generated by Employment and Social Development Canada and Veterans Affairs from Shared Services Canada. This additional work provided an opportunity to centralize printing activities under Public Services and Procurement Canada.
Reconciliation with Canada’s Indigenous Peoples
Given its role as a common service provider, Public Services and Procurement Canada is uniquely situated to support reconciliation with Canada’s Indigenous Peoples. The department is integrating reconciliation considerations, and the engagement and involvement of Indigenous Peoples, into day to day activities across the full scope of its mandate.
In this Section
Background
Through procurement, real property, language services and services to other government departments across the country, the department is engaged with Indigenous businesses, communities and governments at the operational level. Moreover, it has established a dedicated unit to coordinate and build upon existing reconciliation activities across the department with a view to developing the organization’s first Reconciliation Strategy to enable the department to engage with Indigenous partners systematically and in a coordinated way to advance outcomes including recognizing self-determination, reducing socio-economic gaps and strengthening the Indigenous-Crown relationship.
The examples below are not exhaustive, but illustrate the breadth of activity within the department. The minister will be engaged on the Reconciliation Strategy as it matures.
Procurement
Federal procurement is widely recognized as an important lever for increasing socio-economic benefits for Indigenous businesses and peoples. As outlined in more detail in the material in this package on the Indigenous Procurement Strategy, the department is working towards increasing procurement with Indigenous businesses to 5% of its total procurement (by dollar value) through the Procurement Strategy for Aboriginal Business, which allows procurement opportunities to be targeted to Indigenous firms. The department will also continue to leverage its role and expertise as the common service provider for federal procurement services and will work with Indigenous Services Canada to refine the Indigenous Procurement Strategy to include a broader range of procurements.
Real property
Considering the significant investment and planned activities over the next decade and beyond in the National Capital Region (including the Parliamentary Precinct), the department is exploring work with Employment and Social Development Canada and other government departments (and through memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with Algonquin governments) to establish training, employment, and business opportunities with Indigenous partners. These activities will allow for collaborative, long-term planning on Public Services and Procurement Canada’s activities, including disposal of assets and contracting. Further investment in capacity development within Indigenous communities, and the establishment of a mechanism for providing Indigenous businesses with information on future Government of Canada projects could help to advance these partnerships.
The department also has a role to play in establishing and updating practices to ensure a consistent government-wide approach to the valuation and transfer of federal lands to Indigenous groups through different processes such as disposal; treaty negotiations; Recognition of Indigenous Rights and Self-Determination tables; self-government and comprehensive claim negotiations; and accommodation as a result of the duty to consult.
Indigenous peoples space at 100 Wellington Street
As outlined in more detail in the material in this package on the project at 100 Wellington Street, the department is playing a supporting role in the redevelopment of the former United States Embassy as a space for Indigenous peoples directly across from Parliament Hill. Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada leads the engagement with the National Indigenous Organizations and the Algonquins of Ontario and the Algonquin Anishinabeg Nation of Quebec.
Language services
In January 2019, for the first time in the history of Parliament, the Translation Bureau began offering Indigenous language interpretation services to the House of Commons, including in Oneida sign language. This marks the first time Indigenous languages were translated and included in Hansard. The Bureau is continuing to provide translation services in Indigenous languages and is planning on developing standing offers to expand Indigenous language services to the whole of government and offer government services/products in Indigenous languages.
Recruitment, training and culture
Public Services and Procurement Canada is working to develop an Indigenous recruitment and retention strategy for its workforce as well as to create an Indigenous space for the benefit of employees. Given the importance of ensuring employees and senior leaders have sufficient cultural literacy to engage appropriately and constructively with Indigenous partners and stakeholders, opportunities for training are being explored and encouraged in cooperation with the Canada School of Public Service.
Regional perspectives
Across the country, the department’s regional operations engage closely with communities on projects ranging from property disposals for Cape Breton Operations in the Atlantic region, to the development of strong relationships with first nations communities adjacent to the Esquimalt Graving Dock in British Columbia, to local engagement and capacity-building in the context of the Giant Mine Remediation Project in the Northwest Territories. Many of the most direct impacts of the department’s activities are seen in the work of the regional offices, making them critical to advancing on reconciliation from a departmental perspective.
Current status
Though still nascent, the Reconciliation and Indigenous Engagement team is working to develop the department’s first Reconciliation Strategy to effectively leverage all of the department’s programs and services to advance reconciliation and to tell a simple story to the public, public service and Parliamentarians about the programs we manage, the services we provide, and the results they can help to achieve for Canada’s Indigenous peoples.
Portfolio organizations
In this Section
Governor in Council appointments
The minister is responsible for recommending Governor in Council appointments of presidents and chief executive officers, chairs and board members of entities under the portfolio's purview.
Canada Post Corporation appointments
- The President and Chief Executive Officer was appointed for a term of 4 years in March 2019
- The Chairperson was appointed in December 2017 and her term will expire in December 2022
- The terms of 3 directors will expire in mid-2020
Canada Lands Company Limited appointments
- The President and Chief Executive Officer’s term was extended until August 2020
- The Chairperson was appointed in June 2019 and her term will expire in June 2021
- The terms of 2 directors will expire in mid-2020
Defence Construction Canada appointments
- The President and Chief Executive Officer was appointed for a term of 5 years in September 2019
- The Chairperson was appointed in November 2017 and her term will expire in November 2022
- No director vacancies are expected in the short-term
Payments in Lieu of Taxes Dispute advisory panel
- According to the Payments in Lieu of Taxes Act, the Governor in Council shall appoint an advisory panel of at least 2 members from each province and territory with relevant knowledge or experience to hold office during good behaviour for a term not exceeding 3 years, which term may be renewed for 1 or further terms. The Governor in Council shall name 1 of the members as chairperson
- The chairperson’s term (who is also a member) expires in mid-2020
- There are currently 13 vacancies on the panel in the following provinces and territories: Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Quebec, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Nunavut, Yukon, and Northwest Territories
Procurement Ombudsman
The Procurement Ombudsman was appointed for a term of 5 years in April 2018.
Canada Post Corporation
The Canada Post Corporation reports to parliament through the minister. Arm’s length with respect to operations, it takes policy direction from the minister in terms of its priorities. The minister is accountable for providing guidance and oversight to ensure that the overall direction and performance of Canada Post aligns with the government’s policies and objectives. This is normally communicated via an annual letter of expectation.
Background
The Canada Post Corporation became a Crown corporation in 1981, and has 3 subsidiaries: Purolator, SCI Group, and Innovapost.
The Canada Post Corporation Act mandates the establishment and operation of a postal service for all Canadians, and the exclusive privilege to collect, transmit and deliver letters up to 500 grams within Canada.
The Canada Post Corporation was transferred from the portfolio of the Minister of Transport to the Minister of Public Services and Procurement in November 2015, with revenues of approximately $8 billion, annually, and a workforce of approximately 65,000 employees (including subsidiaries) from coast to coast to coast.
The Canada Post Corporation reports to Parliament through the minister. It is arm’s length with respect to operations, however, it takes policy direction from the minister on its priorities. The minister is accountable for providing guidance and oversight to ensure that the overall direction and performance of the corporation aligns with the government’s policies and objectives. This is normally communicated via an annual letter of expectation.
Canada Post Corporation receives $22.2 million in annual appropriations for 2 programs on behalf of the Government of Canada: Government Mail Free of Postage (parliamentary mail) and materials for the use of the visually impaired. Otherwise, the legislation sets out the need for the Canada Post Corporation to conduct its operations on a self-sustaining financial basis.
Current status
On January 24, 2018, following comprehensive reviews by an independent task force and the Standing Committee on Government Operations, a New Vision for Canada Post Corporation was announced.
In particular, Canada Post was asked to undertake the following as it develops its program for implementing renewal:
- Consider the applicability in Canada of best practices and successful innovations in other countries, particularly various models of alternate day delivery
- Examine options for innovative parcel delivery models, including expanded use of parcel lockers and weekend delivery
- Explore partnership opportunities with other federal departments and agencies, other jurisdictions and communities to improve public services to Canadians, especially in rural and remote areas, by leveraging Canada Post’s extensive retail network and presence across Canada
Canada Post will articulate its plans for the future through its upcoming corporate plan, which is anticipated to be sent to the minister before late November. The Corporate Plan will update the government on the financial situation of the corporation.
Canada Lands Company Limited
Canada Lands Company Limited reports to Parliament through the minister. Arm’s length with respect to operations, it takes policy direction from the minister in terms of its priorities. The minister is accountable for providing guidance and oversight to ensure that the overall direction and performance of Canada Lands Company Limited aligns with the government’s policies and objectives. This is normally communicated via an annual letter of expectation.
Background
Canada Lands Company Limited (the corporation) was created in 1956 to hold, develop and dispose of Government of Canada real property. It is a shell corporation that has 3 subsidiaries.
Canada Lands Company was created in 1995 to optimize the financial and community value of strategic surplus Government of Canada properties. Canada Lands Company is considered to be the real estate arm of the corporation and handles almost all the real estate purchases and sales. Canada Lands Company also operates the CN Tower, in Toronto. When a surplus federal property is identified as being strategic, the land is sold to Canada Lands Company so that it can develop it and derive further value.
Parc Downsview Park was created in 1998 to hold the former Canadian Forces Base in Toronto, with the purpose of using these lands primarily as a unique urban recreational green space. The Downsview property consists of 572 acres of land which is largely comprised of park land but also includes a number of existing and proposed neighbourhoods and facilities.
The Old Port of Montreal Corporation was created in 1981 to promote development of the Old Port of Montreal lands and to administer, manage and maintain the property as an urban recreational site. The port also manages the Montreal Science Centre.
Current status
For the 2019 to 2020 fiscal year, Canada Lands Company Limited is forecasting revenues of $273.9 million.
Defence Construction Canada
Defence Construction Canada reports to Parliament through the minister. Arm’s length with respect to operations, it takes policy direction from the minister in terms of its priorities. The minister is accountable for providing guidance and oversight to ensure that the overall direction and performance of Defence Construction Canada aligns with the government’s policies and objectives. This is normally communicated via an annual letter of expectation.
Background
Defence Construction Canada was created in 1951 to provide infrastructure and environmental services for defence projects. The Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces are its main clients.
Defence Construction Canada’s work is organized among the following 5 service lines: Contract Services, Contract Management Services, Environmental Services, Project and Program Management Services, and Real Property Management Services.
Defence Construction Canada activities include divestment or demolition of underused or obsolete buildings; improving facilities on bases and wings such as housing for military personnel; and constructing infrastructure for new aircraft. It is self-financing, operating on a cost recovery basis, now delivering approximately $1 billion in project work annually.
Defence Construction Canada carries out a wide range of procurement, disposal, construction, operation, maintenance and professional activities required to support the defence of Canada.
Some of its most noteworthy projects include the following:
- the A/B Jetty Recapitalization project at Canadian Forces base (CFB) Esquimalt
- the Enterprise Data Centre built at CFB Borden
- the remediation of Goose Bay in Newfoundland and Labrador
- the North Park Armoury Rehabilitation and Fit-up in Halifax
- the Communications Security Establishment long-term accommodation facility in Ottawa
National Capital Commission
Mandate
The National Capital Commission is a federal Crown corporation created by Canada’s Parliament in 1959 under the National Capital Act. Its predecessors were the Federal District Commission, created in 1927, and the Ottawa Improvement Commission, created in 1899.
Building on more than a century of experience, the National Capital Commission provides unique value in the capital region by fulfilling 3 specific roles: long-term planner of federal lands, principal steward of nationally significant public places, and creative partner committed to excellence in development and conservation.
Background
In order for the National Capital Commission (NCC) to achieve its mission, Parliament granted the corporation several key powers, including the acquisition and disposal of lands. The act also authorizes the National Capital Commission to undertake the following, amongst its other roles:
- construct, maintain and operate parks, squares, highways, parkways, bridges, buildings and any other works
- maintain and improve any property of the commission, or any other property under the control and management of a department, at the request of the authority or minister in charge thereof
- cooperate or engage in joint projects with, or make grants to, local municipalities or other authorities for the improvement, development or maintenance of property
The NCC is the main federal urban planner in Canada’s Capital Region. In this role, the National Capital Commission works in collaboration with stakeholders to enhance the natural and cultural character of the capital. As the largest landowner in Canada’s Capital Region, the NCC cares for and protects vital public places that are unique to Canada’s symbolic, natural and cultural heritage.
As steward of these holdings, the NCC manages Gatineau Park, the Greenbelt, the Rideau Canal Skateway, urban lands and parks, pathways, scenic parkways, real property and heritage buildings, agricultural and research facilities, and commemorative monuments. It is also the custodian of the capital’s 6 official residences.
Some of its most noteworthy plans include the following:
- the Gatineau Park Master Plan is for the long-term planning use and management of Gatineau Park as a model for protecting natural and cultural heritage
- the Greenbelt Master Plan outlines the values that should inform any decisions made pertaining to the Greenbelt
- the Capital Illumination Plan includes recommendations related to access and wayfinding for public spaces, public safety and comfort, and the protection of natural areas, artistic lighting and energy savings
- the Capital Urban Lands Plan applies to urban lands that extend to the Greenbelt boundary on the Ontario side, and those located within the urban perimeter on the Quebec side
- Capital Core Area Sector Plan applies to the federal lands in the downtown areas of Ottawa and Gatineau
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