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Public Services and Procurement Canada announced the next milestones for two 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.
“By building these two 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,” said Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Public Services and Procurement.
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.
“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,” said François-Philippe Champagne , Minister of Innovation, Science, and Economic Development.
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.
“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.” said Kathy Fox, chair of the Transportation Safety Board of Canada. |
