Future of Wellington Street committees: Terms of reference

1. Background

Responsibility for the care, management and operations of Wellington Street and the broader Parliamentary Precinct is split between the City of Ottawa and several entities in the legislative and executive branches of the federal government. The illegal protests in Ottawa that occurred in the winter of 2022 brought to the fore longstanding issues of ownership, security and governance, and threatened the operations of Canada’s democratic institutions. These issues are increasingly relevant. Within the next decade approximately 50% of parliamentarians will be permanently accommodated in the 3 city blocks south of Wellington Street. The ongoing restoration and modernization of the Parliamentary Precinct, the planned redevelopment of the Judicial Precinct, and plans for a public tram to run through both Precincts emphasize the need to establish a holistic and integrated plan to guide future development and set a clear decision-making and operational framework for the seat of Canada’s most important institutions.

2. Raison d’être

The legislative and executive branches of government are charged with developing options and recommendations for the Parliamentary Precinct that are focused on removing jurisdictional barriers in the Parliamentary Precinct, establishing an enhanced security profile and enacting appropriate governance structures to support its effective management and operations. A corollary objective is for the judicial and executive branches to develop options and recommendations to address similar issues for the adjacent Judicial Precinct. Close collaboration with the City of Ottawa will also be critical to ensuring that recommended paths forward have support of the municipal government and a clear implementation pathway.

3. Mandate

A report with clear recommendations on a future-oriented framework is to be developed that focuses on the 3 core issues of:

1. Ownership and control: establish a clear geographic boundary for the Parliamentary Precinct and make changes in ownership or control to remove jurisdictional boundaries within the Precinct to facilitate more effective decision-making in support of planning, development, and operations.
2. Security: changes in built infrastructure, technology, and security and policing mandates to create a safer and more secure Parliamentary Precinct, while also supporting an enhanced visitor experience.
3. Governance: changes to governance structures including potential adjustments to responsibilities and accountabilities of organizations to eliminate jurisdictional gaps and to effectively bridge any remaining jurisdictional gaps to support the planning, development, and operations of the Parliamentary Precinct

Options and recommendations should seek to:

• establish a legally defined geographical boundary for the Parliamentary Precinct with a secure perimeter
• establish a single landowner for the Parliamentary Precinct
• establish clear accountability for security and policing in the Parliamentary Precinct
• establish a streamlined governance structure for the effective management and operations of the Parliamentary Precinct

The Working Group will develop and assess options and recommendations, including an implementation plan, and will ultimately draft and submit a report to the Joint Steering Committee. The Working Group will interface with the Joint Steering Committee to ensure that clear direction is received, and that a timely and focused analysis of the options is generated to support the development of clear recommendations. The Working Group will engage with key decision makers and stakeholders at the officials level to ensure that there is a basis of support for the recommendations or mitigation measures in areas where there may be a lack of alignment.

Membership of the Working Group will be comprised of a core group and an extended group. The core group’s mandate will be focused on assessing options and establishing recommendations in relation to the Parliamentary Precinct. Members of the extended group will be invited to participate in certain meetings in order to address the broader issue of the Judicial Precinct. Membership of the City of Ottawa in the extended group meetings will also ensure alignment between recommended adjustments and implementation plans with the municipality’s interests. In addition, membership of the National Capital Commission in the extended group meetings will ensure alignment with broader urban planning considerations and important public infrastructure projects.

4. Composition of the Committee

5. Procedures

1. Context

Responsibility for the care, management and operations of Wellington Street and the broader Parliamentary Precinct is split between the City of Ottawa and several entities in the legislative and executive branches of the federal government. The illegal protests in Ottawa that occurred in the winter of 2022 brought to the fore longstanding issues of ownership, security, and governance, and threatened the operations of Canada’s democratic institutions. These issues are increasingly relevant. Within the next decade, approximately 50% of parliamentarians will be permanently accommodated in the 3 city blocks south of Wellington Street. The ongoing restoration and modernization of the Parliamentary Precinct, the planned redevelopment of the Judicial Precinct, and plans for a public tram to run through both Precincts emphasize the need to establish a holistic and integrated plan to guide future development and set a clear decision-making and operational framework for the seat of Canada’s most important institutions.

2. Raison d’être

The legislative and executive branches of government are charged with developing options and recommendations for the Parliamentary Precinct that are focused on removing jurisdictional barriers in the Parliamentary Precinct, establishing an enhanced security profile and ensuring that there are appropriate governance structures to support its effective management and operations. A corollary objective is for the judicial and executive branches to develop options and recommendations to address similar issues for the adjacent Judicial Precinct. Close collaboration with the City of Ottawa will also be critical to ensuring that recommended paths forward have support of the municipal government and a clear implementation pathway.

3. Mandate

A report with clear recommendations on a future-oriented framework is to be developed that focuses on the 3 core issues of:

1. Ownership and control: establish a clear geographic boundary for the Parliamentary Precinct and make changes in ownership or control to remove jurisdictional boundaries within the Precinct to facilitate more effective decision-making in support of planning, development, and operations.
2. Security: changes in built infrastructure and technology, and reviewing security and policing mandates to create a safer and more secure Parliamentary Precinct, while also supporting an enhanced visitor experience.
3. Governance: reviewing governance structures and the mandates, responsibilities and accountabilities of organizations with the goal of eliminating any remaining jurisdictional gaps that may exist

Options and recommendations should seek to:

• establish a legally defined geographical boundary for the Parliamentary Precinct with a secure perimeter
• establish a single landowner for the Parliamentary Precinct
• establish clear accountability for security and policing in the Parliamentary Precinct
• establish a streamlined governance structure for the effective management and operations of the Parliamentary Precinct

The Joint Steering Committee will provide strategic leadership and oversight on the development and assessment of options and recommendations, including an implementation plan, and will ultimately endorse the final report and recommendations provided to the Joint Panel. The Joint Steering Committee will interface with the Joint Panel and the Working Group to ensure clear direction is established and that timely and focused analysis and options are generated to support the development of clear recommendations. It will engage with key decision makers and stakeholders at the senior official level to ensure that there is a basis of support for the recommendations or mitigation measures in areas where there may be a lack of alignment.

Membership of the Joint Steering Committee will be comprised of a core group and an extended group. The core group’s mandate will be focused on endorsing options and recommendations in relation to the Parliamentary Precinct. Members of the extended group will be invited to participate in certain meetings in order to address the broader issue of the Judicial Precinct. Membership of the City of Ottawa in the extended group meetings will also ensure alignment between recommended adjustments and implementation plans with the municipality’s interests. In addition, membership of the National Capital Commission in the extended group meetings will ensure alignment with broader urban planning considerations and important public infrastructure projects, such as the Société de transport de l’Outaouais (STO) Tram.

4. Composition of the Committee

5. Procedures

1. Background

Responsibility for the care, management and operations of Wellington Street and the broader Parliamentary Precinct is split between the City of Ottawa and several entities in the legislative and executive branches of the federal government. The illegal protests in Ottawa that occurred in the winter of 2022 brought to the fore longstanding issues of ownership, security, and governance, and threatened the operations of Canada’s democratic institutions. These issues are increasingly relevant. Within the next decade approximately 50% of parliamentarians will be permanently accommodated in the 3 city blocks south of Wellington Street. The ongoing restoration and modernization of the Parliamentary Precinct, the planned redevelopment of the Judicial Precinct, and plans for a public tram to run through both Precincts emphasize the need to establish a holistic and integrated plan to guide future development and set a clear decision-making and operational framework for the seat of Canada’s most important institutions.

2. Raison d’être

The legislative and executive branches of government are charged with developing options and recommendations for the Parliamentary Precinct that are focused on removing jurisdictional barriers in the Parliamentary Precinct, establishing an enhanced security profile and ensuring that there are appropriate governance structures to support its effective management and operations. A corollary objective is for the judicial and executive branches to develop options and recommendations to address similar issues for the adjacent Judicial Precinct. Close collaboration with the City of Ottawa will also be critical to ensuring that recommended paths forward have support of the municipal government and a clear implementation pathway.

3. Mandate

A report with clear recommendations on a future oriented framework is to be developed that focuses on the 3 core issues of:

1. Ownership and control: establish a clear geographic boundary for the Parliamentary Precinct and make changes in ownership or control to remove jurisdictional boundaries within the precinct to facilitate more effective decision-making in support of planning, development, and operations
2. Security: changes in built infrastructure and technology, and reviewing security and policing mandates to create a safer and more secure Parliamentary Precinct, while also supporting an enhanced visitor experience
3. Governance: reviewing governance structures and the mandates, responsibilities and accountabilities of organizations with the goal of eliminating any remaining jurisdictional gaps that may exist

Options and recommendations should seek to:

• establish a legally defined geographical boundary for the Parliamentary Precinct with a secure perimeter
• establish a single landowner for the Parliamentary Precinct
• establish clear accountability for security and policing in the Parliamentary Precinct
• establish a streamlined governance structure for the effective management and operations of the Parliamentary Precinct

The Joint Panel will receive and approve the final report(s) from the Joint Steering Committee (Deputy Minister level). The report will include recommendations and an implementation plan that address the core issues. The Panel will also engage with other key stakeholders to ensure that there is a basis of support for the recommendations or mitigation measures in areas where there may be a lack of alignment.

4. Composition of the Joint Panel

5. Procedures