Question Period Note: Memorial to the Victims of Communism

The Memorial to the Victims of Communism—Canada, a Land of Refuge is in its construction and fabrication phase. Work on site is expected to be completed in 2021, at which time the monument will be unveiled.

• On May 17, 2017, the Government of Canada announced that Team Raff’s proposal “Arc of Memory” was chosen as the winning design for the Memorial to the Victims of Communism–Canada, a Land of Refuge.
• On June 21, 2018, the National Capital Commission Board of Directors granted Federal Design Approval for the Memorial.
• Timelines are currently being adjusted in light of delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

• The Memorial to the Victims of Communism–Canada, a Land of Refuge, will recognize Canada’s role as a place of refuge for people fleeing injustice, persecution and oppression. It is intended to commemorate the millions of victims of communism worldwide and in Canada.
• The project proponent is Tribute to Liberty (TTL), a charitable organization.
• The monument is projected to cost $3.5 million, TTL has raised $1.5 million towards the project.
• The Department of Canadian Heritage is responsible for the overall project management of the Memorial. The National Capital Commission (NCC) is responsible for securing Federal Land Use and Design Approvals and for managing the implementation and construction phase of the project.
• In February 2016, the Department hosted an online public consultation to seek input from Canadians on the Memorial design. The Department shared the survey results with stakeholders during a roundtable and the results were also posted online.
• On June 2, 2016, the NCC granted Federal Land Use Approval for the site at the Garden of the Provinces and Territories.
• On August 29, 2016, a design competition process was launched taking into consideration the feedback from the survey and roundtable. Canadians were also invited to comment on the finalist design proposals.
• On May 17, 2017, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage (Multiculturalism) announced the winning design, “Arc of Memory”, by Team Raff.
• On June 21, 2018, the National Capital Commission Board of Directors granted Federal Design Approval for the Memorial.
• The Memorial features a sculptural array of over 4,000 bronze rods that signify the many moments of suffering and injustice and invite visitors to reflect on Canada as a free and welcoming country.
• The Memorial will also feature a Wall of Remembrance that will display events and the names of individuals from different Canadian ethno-cultural communities who have chosen Canada as a land of refuge. These names will be linked to a website to be developed and hosted by Tribute to Liberty that will share the personal stories of these individuals.
• On November 7, 2019, construction began at the Memorial site for the base that will support the main sculptural piece, the Arc of Memory, which is being fabricated in Toronto by Paul Raff Studio.
• The pouring of the Memorial’s concrete plinth and the production of the sculptural element were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic with some of the suppliers or service providers forced to slow down or halt operations.

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