Innovative and sustainable facilities will support a strong
future for federal science
OTTAWA,
ON, July 26, 2024 /CNW/ - Through
the Laboratories Canada strategy, the Government of
Canada is providing federal
scientists and researchers with world-class, sustainable and
collaborative facilities to support the transformative changes
facing science today and into the future.
Today, the Honourable Jenna Sudds, Minister of Families,
Children and Social Development, on behalf of the Honourable
Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Public Services and Procurement,
announced the next milestones for 2 new laboratory facilities in
the National Capital Area (NCA).
A site has been selected and contracts have been awarded for the
$1-billion TerraCanada National
Capital Area (TerraCanada NCA) project, and a preliminary schematic
design has been completed for the $500-million Transportation Safety and Technology
Science (TSTS) project. Both facilities will be located on the main
campus of the National Research Council
of Canada (NRC) on Montréal Road
in Ottawa, Ontario.
The TerraCanada NCA facility will support scientific
advancements for sustainable land and resource development, as well
as a low-carbon economy. The TSTS facility will assess and reduce
transportation safety risks for Canadians. Both projects will
provide scientists with leading-edge, multi-purpose, sustainable
and collaborative facilities to complement existing government
science laboratories and capabilities.
Following an open and competitive Request for Proposals, the
contract for architectural and engineering services to design the
TerraCanada NCA facility has been awarded to AECOM Canada
Architects Ltd., AECOM Canada Ltd. and AECOM Technical Services
Inc., in a joint venture, for a value of $59.5 million. The base contract for construction
management services for the TerraCanada NCA facility has been
awarded to EBC Inc., for a value of $78.8
million.
This significant investment in the local economy will see design
work beginning in 2024, with site preparation and construction
starting in 2026. At peak construction, up to 400 workers will be
on-site each day. This project will include benefits for Indigenous
businesses through an Indigenous Participation Plan. The facility
will house approximately 450 employees and scientists from Natural
Resources Canada and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.
The TSTS project will relocate the laboratory and head office of
the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB), and the facility will house over
260 employees and scientists from the TSB and NRC. The
architectural and engineering services contract for this project
was awarded to A49 and B&H, in a joint venture, in 2022, with a
preliminary schematic design completed. A Request for Proposals for
the construction management services contract is expected to be
published on CanadaBuys later in 2024.
Quotes
"By building these 2 new facilities on the National Research Council of Canada's main campus, we are providing our
scientists and researchers with unparalleled opportunities for
collaboration and transformation. Canadians can be confident that
they will have the tools they need to meet the needs of Canadian
society now and into the future."
The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos
Minister of
Public Services and Procurement
"These new facilities are a testament to Canada's dedication to scientific excellence
and innovation. By investing in state-of-the-art infrastructure, we
are not only enhancing our research capabilities but also driving
economic growth and positioning Canada as a global leader in science and
technology. This commitment ensures our scientists have the
resources they need to make groundbreaking discoveries and address
the challenges of tomorrow."
The Honourable Jenna Sudds,
Minister of
Families, Children and Social Development
"Ensuring our scientists have the right tools and spaces is key
to Canada's leadership in clean
energy research. Through the Laboratories Canada strategy, we're
bringing together government and academic researchers, boosting
collaboration and making Canada's
research scene more competitive. Facilities like the
future TerraCanada space in the National Capital Region
showcase this federal government's commitment to sustainable
development projects that support Canada's transition to a low-carbon
economy."
The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson
Minister of Energy and Natural Resources
"Canada's science and research
sector is addressing some of the world's greatest challenges, while
driving innovation, growth and productivity. As part of the
Laboratories Canada strategy, this site selection of two new
facilities is helping to ensure Canada's researchers continue to have access
to modern tools and laboratories that will cement Canada's position as a world leader for future
generations."
The Honourable François-Philippe
Champagne
Minister of Innovation, Science, and
Economic Development
"The commitment to open two new laboratories in Ottawa reaffirms Canada's position as a leader in science and
innovation while growing the local economy. These modern facilities
will support collaboration and research excellence, and help
attract and retain global talent to our region."
The Honourable Mona Fortier
Member of
Parliament for Ottawa–Vanier
"As the transportation sector continues to modernize and evolve,
it is important that the Transportation Safety Board of
Canada has access to a world-class
facility to conduct the engineering and testing work that supports
its investigations. This new facility, which will also include our
head office, will allow us to support critical work tied to our
investigations and to collaborate with the National Research Council of Canada, with the goal of advancing
transportation safety in Canada."
Kathy Fox
Chair of
the Transportation Safety Board of Canada
Quick facts
About Laboratories Canada
- Laboratories Canada is a
long-term strategy that delivers on the vision to strengthen
federal science in Canada. The
strategy includes the development of science hubs across the
country. These hubs will bring together science-based departments
and agencies to advance research in science priority areas in
modern, sustainable and accessible laboratories and collaborative
spaces enabled by modern digital information technology.
- Budget 2018 launched this strategy with an initial investment
of $2.8 billion, and Budget 2024
invested a further $900 million,
making the total investment to date $3.7
billion, all to support federal scientists in the important
work that they do for Canada.
About the TerraCanada Science and Innovation hub
- The TerraCanada Science and Innovation hub will energize
collaboration by establishing a multi-partner network with
facilities in the NCA and other regions across the country,
including the recently opened laboratories in Mississauga and Hamilton, Ontario.
- This network will be anchored by modern infrastructure that
will attract and retain global talent and promote opportunities for
diverse researchers and students, building the next generation of
federal science leadership to advance and develop Canada's natural resources.
About the Transportation Safety and Technology Science
hub
- The Transportation Safety and Technology Science hub will
strengthen collaboration and resource-sharing between complementary
federal science departments and agencies and academia to advance
transportation safety technology and science in the aviation,
marine, pipeline and railway sectors.
- The final design is expected to be completed in 2025, with
construction beginning then.
Associated links
- Laboratories Canada
- Long Term Vision and Plan: Laboratories Canada
- Government of Canada continues
to invest in laboratories to support science and research in
Canada
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SOURCE Public Services and Procurement Canada