Question Period Note: Status of the Long Term Vision and Plan for the Parliamentary Precinct

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.

Note: Questions related to a National Space for Indigenous Peoples should be directed to the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs as the federal lead on this initiative.

• 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 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
  • Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, construction has continued on the Centre Block and East Block with industry-leading health and safety protocols in place to ensure appropriate social distancing and compartmentalization of the construction site

If pressed on governance and costs for the Centre Block:

• PSPC is carrying out the Long Term Vision and Plan and work on the Centre Block in full partnership with Parliament. We are working closely with an MP Working Group accountable to the Board of Internal Economy to help build consensus and guide decision making
• A number of key decisions being made in collaboration with Parliament will enable us to establish a baseline scope, cost and schedule

If pressed on specific cost increases for the Centre Block in recent media reports and in the House:

• Recent statements of cost increases for the Centre Block made by media and in the House are not accurate
• The reported numbers relate to overall expenditures for the entire Parliamentary Precinct in fiscal year 2018 to 2019, the year the West Block and the Senate of Canada building were being completed
• With regard to costs specifically related to the renovations of the Centre Block, a total of approximately $120M has been spent to date of the initial $655M allocated to decommission the building, for design work and to initiate construction activities such as excavation, removal of heritage items, interior demolition and asbestos abatement and masonry restoration work

If pressed on preserving bullet holes:

• Shortly after the 2014 shooting our heritage experts worked closely with the Curator of the House of Commons to make necessary repairs, including to the marble base of the Nurses’ Memorial sculpture located outside the entrance to the Library
• There are no plans for further repairs as part of the Centre Block rehabilitation project
• If Parliament decided to have the bullet holes repaired, my officials would work collaboratively with Parliamentary partners to do so

If pressed on redevelopment of Block 2:

• A design competition is being used to transform aging and underutilized Crown-buildings into a sustainable and integrated campus that supports a 21st century Parliament, while building a respectful complement to 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

If pressed on 100 Wellington:

• PSPC completed a short-term concept as planned in June 2019 and 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 Long Term Vision and Plan and will play a lead role in transforming 100 Wellington Street into a national space for Indigenous Peoples

If pressed on Indigenous Involvement in the Precinct:

• Indigenous people are being engaged in the Long Term Vision and Plan and will play a lead role in transforming 100 Wellington Street into a national space for Indigenous Peoples
• We are leveraging set-aside criteria in the procurement of work on major projects, including the historic rehabilitation of the Centre Block, and working with our partners to develop broader strategies to increase procurement and skills development opportunities for Indigenous peoples and firms

If pressed on Parliamentary engagement:

• The Long Term Vision and Plan 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 us to drive forward key decisions in our collective efforts to restore and modernize the Centre Block, in particular
• 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

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, which 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 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. It will be the largest project of its kind in Canadian history. The program is on track and several key milestones have been accomplished:

• A series of enabling projects ranging from the construction of a temporary loading dock to the re-location of the Books of Remembrance are now complete
• The most comprehensive assessment program undertaken in the precinct to date is now complete. It includes 100 field surveys, 900 openings, 2000 inspections, 10,000 tests and samples, and 20,000 heritage assets recorded
• Demolition and abatement is well underway now in the Centre Block. In addition, excavation of the footprint of the Phase 2 Parliament Welcome Centre is advancing well too

PSPC is working with the Parliamentary Partners (Senate, House of Commons, the Library of Parliament, and the Office of the Prime Minister and Privy Council) to finalize their functional and design requirements. Progress was made over the summer of 2020 confirming the size of the Parliament Welcome Centre, and the approach for preserving the House of Commons Chamber. However some key decisions are outstanding, including the entry sequence to Parliament and the design for the House of Commons lobbies. The outcomes of these decisions will directly support the design efforts of the building rehabilitation. Along with the schematic design, which was completed in June, they will inform the baseline scope, schedule and budget for the project.

As part of the Government of Canada’s commitment to renew relationships with Indigenous Peoples and advance reconciliation, the Prime Minister announced on June 21, 2017 — National Indigenous Peoples Day — that 100 Wellington Street would become a national space for Indigenous Peoples. The project also includes the re-development of the former CIBC building located at 119 Sparks Street and an infill space between the two 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, CIRNA 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.

Parliament Hill draws millions of visitors annually and is a key driver of tourism that contributes significantly to the Ottawa economy. PSPC is committed to ensuring that a positive visitor and parliamentary experience continues during the rehabilitation program.

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 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 to achieve reductions of 80% by 2030 while also diverting more than 90% of demolition materials from landfills.

The 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.

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