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

Public Services and Procurement Canada is implementing the Long Term Vision and Plan, a multi-decade strategy to restore and modernize the Parliamentary Precinct.

Centre Block and Block 2:

• Public Services and Procurement Canada is restoring Canada’s Parliamentary Precinct to support 21st century parliamentary operations, while making the Precinct safer, greener, and more accessible
• Rehabilitation of the Centre Block and construction of Canada’s new Parliament Welcome Centre remain on track to deliver the program in 2030-2031 within the estimated budget of $4.5-$5B
• Design and construction are now underway to transform Block 2 to meet the needs of a 21st Century Parliament

If pressed on Wellington Street:

• Balancing the security and openness for all who work, visit and live in the area is at the heart of discussions on the future of Wellington Street
• PSPC remains committed to purchasing Wellington Street from the City of Ottawa

If pressed on the Parliamentary Campus Tunnels:

• Planning is currently underway for an underground tunnel network approved by Parliament that will connect the Centre, East and West Blocks with parliamentary buildings on the south side of Wellington

The Long Term Vision and Plan supports the mandate commitment of advancing work to rehabilitate and reinvigorate places and buildings of national significance. Key priorities underway include the rehabilitation of the Centre Block, construction of a new Parliament Welcome Centre and the redevelopment of Block 2 (the city block directly south of Parliament Hill). All major projects continue to track on time and budget.

An update of theLong Term Vision and Plan is now complete and is seeking approval from Parliament this fall. The updated Long Term Vision and Plan has shifted from a building-by-building strategy to a campus-based approach, which takes into consideration the growing needs of Parliament through the redevelopment of the three city blocks facing Parliament, starting with Block 2. It also incorporates campus-wide considerations pertaining to security, environmental sustainability, accessibility, and the visitor experience.

Wellington Street

Formal discussions with the City of Ottawa on the future of Wellington Street were launched in April 2023 and remain ongoing. A draft agreement, including fair compensation, for consideration by the City was developed jointly by City and federal officials to support the transfer of the street. The City has not yet responded to the offer, but Public Services and Procurement Canada remains open to continuing discussions.

Centre Block Rehabilitation Program

Work is underway to restore and modernize the Centre Block and construct Canada’s new Parliament Welcome Centre. 50% design development milestones have been achieved for the Centre Block, Parliament Welcome Centre, and landscape designs, with 100% design development targeted for fall 2025. From a construction perspective, efforts are now focused on the structural rebuild for both the Centre Block and the Parliament Welcome Centre.

Block 2 Redevelopment

The rehabilitation and modernization of Block 2 will transform obsolete heritage buildings into modern, sustainable, accessible and permanent facilities for Parliament. It will also enable key buildings to be emptied for their restoration. In 2023, the construction contract was awarded to Pomerleau Inc. and the design contract for the project was awarded to Zeidler Architecture Inc., in association with David Chipperfield Architects and complemented by Two Row Architects – an Indigenous firm. Schematic design continues to advance. Construction activities are now focused on completing site preparatory work, which includes the relocation of site utilities, site grading, abatement and removal of existing architectural finishes.

Parliamentary Campus Tunnels

Public Services and Procurement Canada has initiated the Parliamentary Campus Tunnels project to support the ongoing shift to a fully modernized campus with interconnections between all core buildings that will allow for the secure movement of accredited pedestrians and goods in the Parliamentary Precinct. In 2022, the tunnel network concept was endorsed by the Senate’s Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration and the House of Commons’ Board of Internal Economy. Both the Senate and House of Commons reiterated the need for the tunnel network as a future infrastructure project required to sustain parliamentary operations at committee meetings that took place in February 2024.

The project continues to be in the early stages of planning. Previous costs for the tunnel network project presented to Parliament reflected early rough order of magnitude estimates. These early estimates for construction only have now been updated following a feasibility study conducted in 2024. As the project progresses, detailed functional requirements will be established in collaboration with Parliament, which will be used to better inform a baseline project budget.

Indigenous Procurement

Parliamentary Precinct projects continue to collaborate with Indigenous partners to advance reconciliation through increased economic opportunities for Indigenous businesses. Indigenous Participation Plans have been implemented for major Parliamentary Precinct projects, including the Centre Block and Block 2 projects. Efforts are also underway with the Anishinàbe Algonquin as the host nation to more effectively communicate and link Indigenous businesses with existing and future opportunities. To date, $10.3 million has been awarded to Indigenous businesses through the Centre Block Rehabilitation Program. For the Block 2 Redevelopment project, all major contracts have set a minimum target of 5% of the total value of contracts to be performed by Indigenous businesses.

• Public Services and Procurement Canada has invested approximately $5.4 billion in the Parliamentary Precinct, which has created approximately 80,000 jobs (person-years of employment) to date
  • The Centre Block, Parliament Welcome Centre, and Block 2 redevelopment projects are key projects that are in progress