Parliamentary Precinct: Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates—June 2, 2021

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Status of the Long Term Vision and Plan for the Parliamentary Precinct

Context

Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) is implementing the Long Term Vision and Plan (LTVP)—a multi-decade strategy to restore and modernize the Parliamentary Precinct.

Suggested response

• In partnership with Parliament, we are restoring the Parliamentary Precinct for future generations of Canadians, and making it modern, safer, greener and more accessible
• Our focus is on restoring the Centre Block and transforming the Parliamentary Precinct into an integrated parliamentary campus
• The Centre Block is the most iconic heritage building in Canada—we are committed to preserving it for Canadians and modernizing it to support 21st century parliamentary requirements

If pressed on continuing work during COVID:

• the health and safety of Canadians is our number one priority
• from the beginning of the pandemic, PSPC worked directly with the construction industry to develop strict health and safety protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19. These protocols adhere to the Province of Ontario’s most recent restrictions, and have since the start of the pandemic
• as an additional preventative measure, the construction manager began rapid testing on site in April 2021
• PSPC and its parliamentary and industry partners are closely monitoring the situation. We will continue to work in close collaboration to maintain the highest level of safety measures on the construction site and will continue to align with federal as well as provincial and territorial government direction

If pressed on the media reports about Victoria Building:

• the LTVP is a flexible strategy to restore and modernize Canada’s parliamentary precinct 
• PSPC is always working in collaboration with Parliament to assess opportunities to improve outcomes for Parliament and Canadians. PSPC recently presented options to the Senate that would reduce overall costs by over $65M. This cost savings option would see senators relocated from the Victoria Building to nearby leased space so that the Victoria could be modernized as part of the broader block 2 redevelopment  
• to support decision making, the Senate requested cost comparisons of multiple scenarios. The $28M cited in recent media reports is an estimate of the future costs associated with keeping the Victoria Building, a building at the end of its lifecycle, online for an additional decade
• no decision has been made on the matter

If pressed on Centre Block interpretive panels:

• once the pandemic is over, Parliament Hill will once again welcome millions of visitors each year
• PSPC and its partners in Parliament are committed to maintaining a positive visitor experience during the Centre Block rehabilitation
• interpretive panels have been developed for the construction site to provide wayfinding assistance for visitors, highlight the role of Parliament, showcase architectural details of the historic Centre Block and the modernizing work, as well as underline the history of Canada’s Indigenous Peoples in the area and across the country
• we will continue to ensure that Parliament Hill remains a dignified setting and worthy of visiting while the Centre Block undergoes its much needed rehabilitation work 

If pressed on the Parliament Hill escarpment:

• PSPC is restoring the natural forested landscape of the historic escarpment to provide a safe environment for all Parliament Hill visitors that will be more resilient to climate change
• over time, invasive plants with large canopies have filled the escarpment, preventing local trees and shrubs from flourishing. This mix is not climate resilient, and the plants and soil will give way over time, leaving exposed rock if not restored to its natural state
• PSPC will prune or remove about 245 trees that are in poor health or are invasive species and plant about 70 000 new Indigenous plants, shrubs and bushes that will have both structural and ecological benefits to the escarpment—an approach that exceeds the National Capital Commission’s recommendation of a 2 to 1 replacement ratio

If pressed on governance and costs for the Centre Block:

• PSPC is carrying out work on the Centre Block in full partnership with Parliament. We are working closely with a member of Parliament (MP) Working Group accountable to the Board of Internal Economy to help build consensus and guide decision making
• parliamentarians from both Chambers have had opportunities to see the site first-hand. We will continue to provide parliamentarians with similar engagement opportunities
• key decisions being made in collaboration with Parliament will enable us to establish a baseline scope, cost and schedule

If pressed on Parliamentary engagement:

• the LTVP is delivered by PSPC on behalf of Parliament
• PSPC engages Parliament through its administration, and is working closely with a senate sub-committee and an MP Working Group, each responsible to Parliament’s administrative boards
• recent engagements have helped drive forward key decisions in our collective efforts to restore and modernize the Centre Block. This includes, for example, the House of Commons’ Board of Internal Economy , which unanimously endorsed the conceptual design for a central entry to the new Parliament Welcome Centre
• PSPC will continue to engage with parliamentarians to ensure that we can meet the needs of a 21st century Parliament while protecting and preserving our built heritage

If pressed on redevelopment of block 2:

• a design competition has been launched to transform aging and underutilized Crown-buildings into a sustainable and integrated campus that supports a 21st century Parliament, respectful of and complementary to their place in Canada’s capital
• a design competition will bolster innovative ideas and promote design excellence, all of which reflect the significance of the site. In fact, the original Parliament buildings were the result of a design competition held in 1859
• a balanced jury of design professionals, members of civil society and parliamentarians is in place to review and recommend a design that reflects the needs of Parliament and showcases the significance of this site at the heart of the Parliamentary Precinct

If pressed on 100 Wellington:

• as planned in June 2019, PSPC completed a short-term project focused on making 100 Wellington Street a useable space. The department continues to support Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs, the National Indigenous Organizations and the Algonquin Nation in developing a national space for Indigenous Peoples’ in the Parliamentary Precinct
• Indigenous People are being engaged in the LTVP and will play a lead role in transforming 100 Wellington Street into the Indigenous Peoples’ space

If pressed on Indigenous involvement in the precinct:

• PSPC is proud to contribute to Canada’s reconciliation with Indigenous peoples by working to increase the socio-economic participation of Indigenous people in the federal procurement process for projects in the Parliamentary Precinct
• the department is working with our partners to develop broader strategies to increase skills development, as well as apprenticeship and employment opportunities for Indigenous People and firms

Background

The LTVP was first approved in 2001 for the restoration and modernization of Canada’s Parliamentary Precinct. All major projects continue to track on time and budget.

PSPC has invested approximately $3.5 billion in the Parliamentary Precinct to date. This has created over 25,000 jobs in local and national economies in, for example, engineering, architecture, construction, manufacturing and skilled trades sectors.

The restored West Block and Senate of Canada Building and the new Parliament Welcome Centre (phase 1), were transferred to Parliament in fall 2018. These projects followed the completion of the 21 key projects since the Library of Parliament in 2006, including the 180 Wellington Building (2016) and the Sir John A Macdonald Building (2015).

Efforts are now focused on restoring and modernizing the Centre Block and leveraging the remaining 23 assets in the Parliamentary Precinct to create an integrated parliamentary campus that addresses Parliament’s long-term requirements, including material handling, the movement of people and goods, accessibility, sustainability, and security.

Restoring the Centre Block is a core objective of the LTVP. Since the building was successfully de-commissioned in fall 2019, significant progress has been made:

• completion of the comprehensive assessment program and all enabling projects to facilitate the commencement of major construction activities
• commenced demolition and abatement in the Centre Block, erection of scaffolding to support the masonry program, and excavation for the Parliament Welcome Centre

Parliament is being actively engaged on the future of the Parliamentary Precinct and in particular, the Centre Block. The Senate has established a subcommittee to the Committee of Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration, The House of Commons has established a Working Group of MPs that provides advice and recommendations to the Board of Internal Economy. PSPC officials have appeared regularly before these bodies since the spring of 2020, helping drive forward key decisions on the Centre Block.

During the fall of 2020, over 40 parliamentarians toured the Centre Block and Parliament Welcome Centre construction site through 10 site visits to survey the progress of the project. Overall, reactions to the project have been positive regardless of party affiliation.

Parliamentarians have raised questions on the construction including on the quantity and type of hazardous material removed from the site, the number of workers on site, and the impact of COVID-19 on the progress of construction. Programmatic questions such as governance, schedule and cost of the overall program are also raised routinely.

On June 21, 2017—National Indigenous Peoples Day—the Prime Minister announced that 100 Wellington Street would become the Indigenous Peoples’ space. The project also includes the re-development of the former CIBC building located at 119 Sparks Street and an infill space between the 2 buildings.

In June 2019, while planning continued on the long-term development, a short-term use project at 100 Wellington was completed by PSPC that was co-developed with the National Indigenous Organizations (Assembly of First Nations, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, and the Métis National Council), the Algonquin, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC) and PSPC. However, the space did not open as planned due to a lack of consensus amongst the National Indigenous Organizations on governance, and a request by the Algonquin Nation (represented by the Algonquin Anishinabeg Nation Tribal Council (AANTC)) for equal and full partnership.

PSPC has leveraged the LTVP to create opportunities for Canadians, including youth and Indigenous Peoples. We have committed to include provisions in all of our major projects’ contracts that would subcontract at least 5% of work to Indigenous firms.

The Parliamentary Precinct is a model for accessibility. It will achieve, and in some cases exceed, accessibility standards. The West Block and Senate of Canada Building include barrier-free access and improved accessibility features in the Chambers, public galleries, offices, meeting places, washrooms and corridors.

The LTVP is reducing the government’s carbon footprint. PSPC has already reduced greenhouse gas levels in the precinct by 60% from 2005 levels and is on track for reductions of 80% by 2030 while also diverting more than 90% of demolition materials from landfills.

The slope behind the Parliament has deteriorated over time as invasive (non-native) species have increasingly displaced the healthy mixed forest. As a result of this unbalance, barren slopes have destabilized and, if not rehabilitated soon, could pose health and safety concerns. Working with experts in forestry, geology and environmental biology, PSPC carried out a successful pilot project in 2015 to reforest the eastern section of the escarpment. PSPC is now extending the work up to the west side of the escarpment. The new planting will consist of seedlings and small shrubs to anchor the slope. Of the 70,000 plants, approximately 4,100 are deciduous trees, 2,650 are coniferous trees, 3,000 are large shrubs and the balance are small shrubs and plants. Of the trees, a few varieties may be as tall as 1 metre, but most will be 1 foot or less when they go in the ground.

Laboratories Canada Strategy

Context

Laboratories Canada is a 25-year strategy, guided by a Long Term Vision and Plan, to strengthen federal science. The vision is to build modern, accessible, and sustainable laboratories while addressing critical enablers such as scientific equipment and Information Management/Information Technology (IM/IT) systems, and barriers that inhibit collaboration.

Key messages

• Phase 1 of the Laboratories Canada strategy includes the development of 5 science hubs across the country that will support science program synergies in the context of:
  • security and regulation
  • health and safety
  • resource management and a low-carbon economy
  • transportation safety
  • cultural heritage and preservation
  • the protection and sustainability of Atlantic fresh water and coastal ecosystems
• Phase 1 of the Long Term Vision and Plan has progressed significantly including the initiation of laboratory projects both in the National Capital Region and other regions across the country
• Concrete benefits are beginning to flow from the Laboratories Canada investments as we move into contracting for the first wave of major projects
• The TerraCanada hub’s Hamilton project is nearing completion of construction in June 2021 and the Mississauga project is scheduled for completion in 2023
• Laboratories Canada has supported federal science partners on key COVID-19 pandemic response efforts, such as the National Research Council’s biologics manufacturing centre project (Royalmount facility in Montreal), and by assisting the Public Health Agency of Canada’s National Microbiology Laboratory, by developing a secure bio bioscience network to enable real-time collaboration with provincial and academic partners
• Laboratories Canada is well placed to support the economic recovery associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, by leveraging investment to engage professional and trades sectors to support the construction of the new, leading-edge and sustainable laboratories across the country

Background

The Minister of Public Services and Procurement is supporting the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry in bringing forward a new vision for federal science infrastructure.

Budget 2018 launched the first phase of the Laboratories Canada strategy by providing a historic $2.8 billion investment to build world-class, collaborative and accessible science facilities. Phase 1 lays the foundation for future success, addresses scientific facilities that are in poor-to-critical condition, and supports science in priority areas such as security, regulation, health and safety resource management, transportation safety, and heritage conservation. This strategy brings together science-based departments and agencies to share facilities, develop synergies, and facilitate collaborative research in addition to scientific excellence. Public Services and Procurement Canada is leading integrated efforts across government, working hand-in-hand with federal science departments and agencies as well as service providers, to deliver the Laboratories Canada strategy.

Federal science and research is critical to solving increasingly complex national issues (for example climate change, COVID-19) and plays a key role in the lives of Canadians. Laboratories Canada is an integrated approach to building modern, multi-purpose facilities with modern equipment that will support evidence-based decision-making. This investment will create benefits to small- and medium-sized businesses and create direct, related, and induced jobs, while integrating accessibility and sustainability practices through the construction of environmentally sustainable, climate resilient, and carbon-neutral buildings.

Various science hubs, projects, and components of phase 1 of the Laboratories Canada strategy have been announced publicly. Minister Anand announced the Laboratories strategy on April 15, 2021, which outlined the Laboratories Canada LTVP for federal science, investments in science infrastructure to support Canadian scientists, and the phase 1 TerraCanada hub, including the investments in its Mississauga and Hamilton projects. On April 8, 2021, Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc with Liberal MP Ginette Petitpas Taylor announced the launch of 2 requests for proposals, as well as the concept design, for the new Atlantic Science Enterprise Center (ASEC) Hub facility in Moncton. The Laboratories Canada website was also launched in November 2020. These events represent major milestones that will enable Laboratories Canada to continue advancing phase 1 projects, and engage with key stakeholders such as municipalities, community organizations, Indigenous groups and universities.

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