Status of the Long Term Vision and Plan for the Parliamentary Precinct
Context
Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) is implementing the Long Term Vision and Plan (LTVP)—a multi-decade strategy to restore and modernize the buildings and grounds in Canada’s Parliamentary Precinct.
Suggested responses
- In close partnership with Parliament, we are carrying out major infrastructure work within Canada’s Parliamentary Precinct to restore some of our country’s most important heritage treasures for future generations of Canadians and to ensure that they meet the needs of a 21st century Parliament
- We work hand in hand with Parliament to create safer, greener and more accessible state-of the-art facilities
- The historic transition of Parliament last year from the Centre Block to the newly restored West Block and Senate of Canada Building was a major milestone in our collective efforts
- We are now focused on restoring and modernizing the iconic Centre Block and transforming the Precinct into an integrated campus.
- These important investments are making the Precinct greener, safer and more accessible while creating significant employment and skills development opportunities for Canadians across the country
- Moving forward, we will continue to deliver results for Canadians trhough this work, includingtargeting significant improvements to sustainability, reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and improving accessibility
If pressed on costs
- We have made investments of approximately $3 billion in the Parliamentary Precinct. These investments have created over 25,000 quality jobs in a broad cross-section of the local and national economy in, for example, engineering, architecture, construction, manufacturing and skilled trades sectors.
Background
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.
The restored and modernized West Block, Senate of Canada Building and Visitor Welcome Centre were officially transferred to Parliament in fall 2018. These projects followed the completion of the 180 Wellington Building in 2016 and the Sir John A Macdonald building in 2015.
Moving forward, PSPC is focusing on restoring and modernizing the Centre Block, which will be the largest project of this nature in Canadian history. Efforts are also focused on restoring the remaining 23 assets in the Precinct in a holistic approach to address important connective infrastructure issues, including material handling, the movement of people and goods, accessibility, sustainability, and security to create an integrated parliamentary campus.
Restoring the Centre Block is a core objective of the LTVP. The building is now fully decommissioned and transferred over to PSPC and the Construction Manager. Building condition assessments and investigations are coming to completion and major demolition and abatement work will commence by December 2019. Excavation work for the Phase 2 of the Visitor Welcome Centre will commence in early 2020.
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 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 and transforming the Parliamentary Precinct. PSPC has reduced greenhouse gas levels in the Precinct by 56% from 2005 levels and is on track to reach 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 in rehabilitated heritage buildings. 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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