Construction set to begin on new energy centre in Gatineau

News release

June 9, 2022 - Gatineau, Quebec - Public Services and Procurement Canada

The Government of Canada is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, which includes leading by example to green its own operations.

Today, the Honourable Filomena Tassi, Minister of Public Service and Procurement, along with the Honourable Greg Fergus, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and to the President of the Treasury Board, and in the company of Anthony Housefather, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister Tassi, and representatives from Innovate Energy,  launched the construction of the Modernized Gatineau Energy Centre.

The Centre is part of the Energy Services Acquisition Program (ESAP), a project that will modernize and decarbonize the federal district energy system that provides heating for 80 buildings and cooling for 67 in the National Capital Region (NCR), including the Parliament buildings. Through a public-private partnership agreement, Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) is working with Innovate Energy to deliver a district energy system that will help the government meet its goal of reducing the greenhouse gas emissions in its own operations by 40% by 2025.

Construction on the Centre, one of 4 sites that make up the federal district energy system, will begin in June 2022 and is expected to be completed by March 2025. When operational, the new Centre will be carbon neutral and one of the cleanest, most sustainable energy centres of this scale in North America.

By 2025, the entire federal district energy system will be modernized and converted from an energy-intensive and high-polluting steam system to a state-of-the-art low-temperature hot-water system, reducing greenhouse gas emissions from heating and cooling operations by an estimated 92%.

Additional multimedia

An aerial view of the proposed Modernized Gatineau Energy Centre design.
An aerial view of the proposed Modernized Gatineau Energy Centre design.
A computer drawing of the proposed Modernized Gatineau Energy Centre interior.
A computer drawing of the proposed Modernized Gatineau Energy Centre interior.

Quotes

“The new energy Centre will represent a major shift in conventional thinking on how we heat and cool buildings in the National Capital Region. Not only will we reduce greenhouse gas emissions from our operations, save hundreds of millions of dollars in heating and cooling costs, and improve safety conditions, the Centre has the potential to be a showcase project for other jurisdictions worldwide.”

The Honourable Filomena Tassi
Minister of Public Services and Procurement 

“The Modernized Gatineau Energy Centre will become one of the only carbon-neutral heating and cooling energy centres of this scale in North America. The community will also benefit as the additional greenspace will provide local residents with a public area that can be enjoyed year-round.”

The Honourable Greg Fergus
Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and the President of the Treasury Board

“Innovate Energy is proud to work as a partner with the Government of Canada to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save money and improve safety as we design, construct and operate the modernized district energy system in the National Capital Region.”

Tony Cook, Project Director for the Energy Services Acquisition Program
Innovate Energy

Quick facts

  • Through ESAP, PSPC is modernizing the central heating and cooling plants that heat and cool federal and non-federal buildings in the NCR. The department supplies heating and air conditioning to 1.6 million square metres of space accommodating 55,000 occupants.

  • The NCR district energy system consists of 5 central plants using piping that was built between 50 and 100 years ago. The system currently uses outdated technologies and many of its components are at the end of their service life. 

  • The ESAP project is valued at $3.8 billion and is broken down into 2 components. The first, valued at $1.5 billion, is for the design and construction of the new district energy system, to be completed by 2026. The second component is for the operation and maintenance of the new system, which includes energy costs, over a 35-year period, valued at $2.3 billion.

  • The contract for the ESAP project was awarded in 2019 to Innovate Energy, a consortium of partners comprised of PCL Construction, ENGIE Services Canada and Black & McDonald, with the participation of bbb architects and WSP.

  • The new Centre will leverage Hydro-Québec’s 99% carbon-free grid to become one of the few carbon-neutral heating and cooling plants of this scale in North America.

  • A portion of the new facility will be concealed underground, integrated with its surroundings, and allow for a new public space built overtop, with gardens, courtyards, urban landscapes and greenspace for recreational activities. 

  • Once completed in 2025, the modernized system will consist of 4 energy centres: the new Tunney’s Pasture Energy Centre; the new Cliff Energy Centre at Parliament Hill; the new Modernized Gatineau Energy Centre; and the renovated and retrofitted Confederation Heights Energy Centre. The National Research Council facility will be decommissioned. 

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Contacts

Olivier Pilon
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Filomena Tassi
613-323-6621
olivier.pilon@pwgsc-tpsgc.gc.ca

Media Relations
Public Services and Procurement Canada
819-420-5501
media@pwgsc-tpsgc.gc.ca

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