Parliamentary Precinct: Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates—November 16, 2020
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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 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.
Suggested response
- 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 Blocks 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 committed to working in partnership with parliament throughout this process
- there are a number of important decisions that need to be made before we can establish the baseline scope, cost and schedule
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 (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 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 makes regular appearances before the administrative boards in the Senate and House of Commons
- 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
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.
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 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.
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.
Investigation into the architectural and engineering services contract for the Centre Block restoration and modernization project
Context
Under the Access to Information Act, information regarding the findings of an investigation into allegations of conflict of interest and potential unfair advantage gained by the architectural and engineering services firm for the Centre Block project is being released.
Suggested response
- The government is committed to open, fair and transparent procurement processes
- In spring 2017, the department identified and investigated a potential conflict of interest in the procurement of the design contract for the Centre Block rehabilitation project
- The investigation found that the winning firm acted in good faith and gained no advantage during the procurement process. Because of the importance of the Centre Block program, the department also engaged a third party expert to conduct an independent review of the investigation and its findings. This review supported the investigation’s findings
- Based on these findings, the contract with the winning firm remained valid
Background
To ensure that contracts are awarded through fair, open and transparent procurement processes and that the work itself is carried out to a high quality and at good value, Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) has in place a robust oversight and control framework.
Shortly after awarding the contract for architecture and engineering services for the Centre Block in spring 2017 to CENTRUS, a joint venture of HOK and WSP Global Inc., PSPC officials identified a potential conflict of interest related to this contract.
The internal investigation found that a conflict of interest was created when CENTRUS hired a consultant with undisclosed business associations on a short term contract, but that the conflict was inadvertent and administrative in nature, and that this did not result in an advantage to the company and therefore, did not compromise the validity of the procurement process.
As an external check to the internal investigation, PSPC also hired an independent third-party to conduct a review of the investigation. This independent review confirmed the outcome of the investigation—that the conflict was inadvertent, administrative in nature and that no advantage was gained.
Based on the departmental investigation and the third-party review that concluded that no unfair advantage was obtained, PSPC maintained the architectural and engineering services contract with CENTRUS.
The competitive process was also monitored by an independent third-party fairness monitor, who observed the procurement activities and validated the integrity of the process. A report on their observations was provided in August 2017 after the investigation was concluded. The report is Centre Block Rehabilitation architectural and engineering services.
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