Question Period Note: Rehabilitation of the Supreme Court of Canada, the West Memorial Buildings and 100 Wellington

From 2019 to 2023, the West Memorial Building (WMB) will undergo rehabilitation in order to meet the standards of the National Building Code of Canada.

Once rehabilitation is complete, the WMB will temporarily accommodate occupants of the Supreme Court of Canada Building (SCCB) from 2023 to 2028, as the SCCB undergoes its own rehabilitation.

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 2 buildings.

• The Government takes the integrity and safety of its heritage buildings seriously
  • Over $1 billion is being invested in the SCCB and the WMB’s rehabilitation
  • This investment will also create jobs for the middle class by creating employment opportunities for Canadians in construction, manufacturing, and professional services
  • In the West Memorial Building, construction started in April 2020 and the COVID pandemic situation has had minimal impact on the project schedule

If pressed on current building conditions:

• All measures to ensure the continuous delivery of operations in the SCCB are in place, including the monitoring of key building components and pursuing the urgent repair and maintenance

If pressed on 100 Wellington:

• Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) completed a short term concept as planned in June 2019 and continues to support Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNA), 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 we working with our partners to develop broader strategies to increase procurement and skills development opportunities for Indigenous peoples and firms

The WMB has been vacant since 2008 and requires major rehabilitation in order to meet the standards of the National Building Code of Canada. Work began in fall 2019 and will include upgrades to meet current building standards for sustainability, health and safety, and accessibility, while at the same time conserving its heritage character.

The selection of the WMB for rehabilitation makes sense as it will allow a vacant classified federal heritage building, within the downtown Ottawa area to return to the active federal real estate portfolio.

From 2019 to 2023, the WMB will undergo its rehabilitation. It will serve as an interim space for occupants of the SCCB from 2023 to 2028 The SCCB rehabilitation will take place from 2023 to 2028 once the occupants have moved into the WMB.

The contract award to EllisDon Corporation for construction management services was announced on October 26, 2018, and the contract to Moriyama & Teshima Architects and Kasian Architecture Interior Design and Planning Ltd. for design and architectural services was announced on February 23, 2018, for the WMB rehabilitation project.

Demolition started in October 2019 around the site. A City of Ottawa permit was received and construction started in April 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic situation has had minimal impact on the project schedule.

100 Wellington

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 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, 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.

None