Today, the Honourable Darren Fisher, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence announced, on behalf of the Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence, the recent award of a $60.6 million contract to Pomerleau of Bedford, N.S., for the first package of work in Phase 2 of the North Park Armoury rehabilitation and modernization project.

“The rehabilitation of the North Park Armoury provides our Reserve Force personnel with a modern and efficient facility and positions them to better perform their important work. Phase 2 of the project will bring economic opportunities to local businesses throughout the Halifax Regional Municipality and will sustain jobs throughout the process.”

The Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence

“The North Park Armoury stands as a historic cornerstone of our municipality, reflecting Halifax’s proud military past and present. This project symbolizes more than just the rehabilitation of a military armoury, it is a commitment to preserving Canada’s rich heritage and our local history. Preserving and modernizing the North Park Armoury will ensure that our Reserve Forces are well equipped to serve effectively for years to come, all while safeguarding an important piece of our shared legacy.”

The Honourable Darren Fisher, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence

• Originally built in 1899, the North Park Armoury is one of the largest and most prominent landmarks in the Halifax area, having sheltered residents in the aftermath of the Halifax Explosion of 1917.

• The North Park Armoury is a federally designated heritage building and a National Historic Site of Canada. Rehabilitation work will protect and enhance its key heritage features and use original stones where possible. Irreparable stones will be replaced by stone from the same geological source used to build the armoury from 1895 to 1899 or comparable stone with the same characteristics.

• A contract valued at $9.1 million was awarded to Maxim Construction Inc. of Dartmouth, N.S., for the Phase 1 reconstruction of the historic west wall of the Armoury. Additionally, a design contract for the Phase 2 of the project worth $2.4 million was awarded to Eastpoint Engineering Ltd. in August 2018. Phase 2 design work was completed in January 2024.

• Upgrades to the armoury’s interior will be designed to meet the 3 Green Globes standard and will incorporate energy efficiency measures to reduce its environmental footprint. Some green elements of the renovations include:

  • exterior lighting that limits light pollution at night;
  • energy-efficient heating and cooling systems;
  • smart meters to verify and optimize building water and energy consumption; 
  • high-efficiency water fixtures to lower water use;
  • high-efficiency LED lighting and controls;
  • solar panels;
  • geothermal heating and cooling; and 
  • thermal heating in the drill hall floor slab.

Laurent de Casanove
Press Secretary and Senior Communications Advisor
Office of the Minister of National Defence
Email: laurent.decasanove@forces.gc.ca

Media Relations
Department of National Defence
Phone: 613-996-2353
Email: mlo-blm@forces.gc.ca