Partnerships and engagement: The Long Term Vision and Plan for the Parliamentary Precinct—Annual Report 2022 to 2023

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• Partnerships and engagement
• Outreach and exchanging best practices
• Public engagement

Partnerships and engagement

A key ingredient in the success of the Long Term Vision and Plan is the diversity and expertise of our partner network. Over the past decade-plus, we have developed an outward focus of working with an array of partners that bring unique skills and experiences that add value to the projects and help us deliver results. Also critically important is engaging with the public and key stakeholders and providing updates on progress, key milestones and decision points.

Outreach and exchanging best practices

In August 2022, Canada hosted the Annual Conference of the International Network of Parliamentary Properties (INPP). Forty-eight delegates from ten countries exchanged best practices and lessons learned from their Parliamentary renovation projects. Sessions were held on these important issues, including universal accessibility, considerations for visitor centres and exploring issues and opportunities where parliamentary properties and public spaces intersect.

The INPP chaired by Canada, is dedicated to the conservation, restoration, rehabilitation and development of Parliamentary estates. The event was hosted by Public Services and Procurement (PSPC) in collaboration with Parliamentary Partners—the Senate of Canada, the House of Commons and the Library of Parliament. Conference sessions were held in House of Commons facilities in the Wellington Building.

In partnership with INPP member organizations, PSPC senior leadership had the opportunity to participate in site visits to European parliaments undergoing similar renovation projects in November 2022. These engagements provided an opportunity to learn from organizations engaged in rehabilitation programs for their Parliaments, and included key topics of discussion such as security and public access, the intersection of Parliamentary properties with the public and governance.

During the past year, there was also engagement with the Architect of the Capitol and the National Capital Planning Commission in Washington D.C. The engagement with the Architect of the Capitol focused on public programming for the Capitol Visitor Centre. The National Capital Planning Commission engagement focused on the Pennsylvania Avenue Initiative, and the redevelopment of this public space. The visit provided insights on how to harmonize public access and security considerations in public areas adjacent to important federal government properties, such as the White House and the Capitol Building.

Throughout the year, PSPC also worked closely with numerous key stakeholders, including Ottawa Tourism, Tourisme Outaouais, Heritage Ottawa, Canada Green Building Council, the Rick Hansen Foundation and Greenspace Alliance. The department had the opportunity to engage with other experts by participating in key conferences including the Real Property Institute of Canada National Workshop, the Annual General Meeting of Heritage Ottawa and the National Trust Conference.

Public engagement

The renewal of Block 2 is a critical piece of Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC)’s Long Term Vision and Plan for the Parliamentary Precinct. In April 2022, PSPC held a virtual public event during which the six design team finalists presented their concepts for Block 2. Public feedback on the designs was collected and provided to the independent jury. The following month, the Minister of Public Services and Procurement announced the winner of the design competition, Toronto’s Zeidler Architecture and the United Kingdom’s David Chipperfield Architects at a public event.

PSPC also developed and implemented several visitor experiences designed to bring public awareness to the rehabilitation of the Parliamentary Precinct.

Participating in the annual Doors Open Ottawa event in June 2022 provided Canadians with an inside look at the significant ongoing construction and rehabilitation work underway on Parliament Hill and plans for the future of Block 2. At the Parliament Hill site, visitors were able to see the Centre Block excavation site to view progress, and visit an exhibit featuring artifacts found during the archaeological excavation on the Hill, including the mòkomàn, a pre-contact stone knife estimated to be 4000 years old. At the Block 2 site, visitors followed the progress of the design competition, through displays of design renderings and a maquette of the winning design. Over 3,000 people attended the Doors Open Ottawa event, offering an opportunity to engage with PSPC to learn about the vision and progress of the rehabilitation of the Precinct.

PSPC also collaborated with Canadian Heritage in supporting the Discover the Hill summer visitor program. The department provided training to students focused on the renewal of the Parliamentary Precinct to inform their interaction with the public over the course of the tourism season.

PSPC sought to create and support visitor experiences within the Precinct, making the most of the opportunities to animate Sparks Street, in particular. Through a partnership with the City of Ottawa, the art exhibit Beads and Pieces, featuring artworks by Indigenous and Inuit artists was installed in windows on Sparks Street. During Winterlude 2023, PSPC facilitated the installation of an ice carving on Sparks Street by Canadian Heritage that was inspired by the carved faces of builders and workers in the frieze of the Senate Foyer.

During the winter of 2023, a photo exhibit was installed in the windows along Sparks Street. The fully framed windows featured large-scale images depicting the removal and conservation of heritage building elements, such as murals, stained glass windows and the carillon bells. The exhibit illustrated the ongoing work to find harmony between conservation and modernization within the Centre Block Rehabilitation Program.