Government Operations Committee on Nov. 19th, 2013

[Denis Blanchette, NDP, Louis-Hébert, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I'd like to thank our guests for being here.

This is a fairly enormous job. You spoke during your presentation about renovating the Conference Centre before it houses the Senate. I think that's a new strategy to meet the 2019 deadline.

What is your expected time frame and cost for the centre?

[Nancy Chahwan]

The Government Conference Centre is another example of an innovative approach. We adjusted the strategy, which had Treasury Board approval. Now we are going to be able to move up the start date for work on Centre Block.

This project is estimated at $190 million and includes major investments in built heritage. We're talking about upgrading to comply the National Building Code and current accessibility and safety codes. The work on these buildings will be there for generations to come, even after the Senate's functions have moved back to Centre Block.

[Denis Blanchette, NDP, Louis-Hébert, QC]

What is the plan when the Senate returns to East Block? What is your strategy to ensure that the building can be used again easily without investing too much to meet new needs?

[Nancy Chahwan]

Thank you for the question.

It's an important point that we looked at. We'll be able to give you much more specific answers once we have finished the design work. As you may know, we issued a call for tenders for the choice…

[Denis Blanchette, NDP, Louis-Hébert, QC]

When is the design work planned?

[Nancy Chahwan]

I am talking about design work for the interior of the Government Conference Centre.

[Denis Blanchette, NDP, Louis-Hébert, QC]

What is your timeline on that?

[Nancy Chahwan]

We have put it out to tender. We expect to award a contract for detailed design early in 2014. About a year after that, we will have a very specific idea of the design for the interior.

My colleague can give you details on the functional program that we are currently planning for the interior. I would like to stress the fact that we are doing everything we can to develop a functional concept that we can subsequently reuse. That is one of our guiding principles.

Can you answer about the functional program, please?

[Ezio DiMillo]

Thank you for the question.

Yes, the program for the building while it's occupied by the Senate will contain the Senate chamber, 21 offices, and two committee rooms. All of the mechanical and electrical systems, life safety systems, etc., will be replaced in the building. They have gone well beyond their useful lifespan. We are designing the systems that are being put into the building to be as flexible as possible for reuse in the future for multiple potential uses.

[Denis Blanchette, NDP, Louis-Hébert, QC]

Of course, buildings this old have to be brought up to code, and there is a cost for that. Do you have an idea of what will have to be done to bring these buildings up to code?

[Nancy Chahwan]

We are bringing the buildings into compliance with the National Building Code, as revised. This involves making significant changes. For example, the 2005 seismic requirements for the buildings are key elements, key considerations in our work. I do not have the precise estimates with me because it is very difficult to isolate that element from the rest of the consolidation and refurbishing work on the building envelope or from the modernization of the ventilation system. But I can assure you that it is one of our projects. It is a significant aspect of the work that will not only keep our heritage buildings intact, but will also protect the health and safety of the occupants.

[Denis Blanchette, NDP, Louis-Hébert, QC]

I would like to take advantage of your presence to ask a question about the Supplementary Estimates (B). I feel you are qualified to answer.

You are asking for an additional $896,000 in the Supplementary Estimates (B). What is that for exactly? Why are you asking for that amount given that you operate with a multi-year envelope?

[Nancy Chahwan]

The Supplementary Estimates (B) just give PWGSC access to the amounts that the government has already approved. This is not new money, or money in addition to the project estimates that we gave you a little earlier.

The $896,000 represents 0.3% of the LTVP, which, for 2013-2014, is $261 million. The money is required for a preliminary analysis of the government conference centre, for operational support and for the operation and maintenance of the food production facility.

[The Chair, NDP, Pierre-Luc Dusseault]

Thank you.

Mr. Cannan, you have the floor.

[Ron Cannan, Conservative, Kelowna—Lake Country, BC]

Thank you very much.

I commend you and your team. It's an ambitious project. I had a chance last year to tour the facilities, so I'm looking forward to this afternoon to see the update.

Maybe you could inform the committee whether you're on schedule and if everything is moving according to the timeline we had last year. I believe the West Block was scheduled to open in the spring of 2017, and the Sir John A. Macdonald Building in early 2015.

Could you clarify how we're doing? Your notes indicate a budget. Are you on schedule to meet those opening dates?

[Nancy Chahwan]

Thank you very much for your comments and your question.

Mr. Chair, we are very proud to say that despite the scope of this endeavour, our projects are indeed progressing on time and on budget, including the Sir John A. Macdonald Building for early 2015, as a date for the end of construction, and 2017 for the West Block. We have in place sturdy systems of performance management and oversight to ensure that we will remain on schedule and on budget until the delivery of the construction project.

[Ron Cannan, Conservative, Kelowna—Lake Country, BC]

For the new West Block, where the House of Commons will be relocated for eight to ten years, or maybe even more depending on the timeline of the Centre Block completion, how many seats have you instructed the chamber to hold?

[Nancy Chahwan]

We are already working on the impact of the Fair Representation Act on the requirements of our client. For the West Block, the design for the interim chamber is taking these requirements into consideration.

[Ron Cannan, Conservative, Kelowna—Lake Country, BC]

So at least 338 is what you're saying.

[Nancy Chahwan]

Yes, that is what I'm saying.

[Ron Cannan, Conservative, Kelowna—Lake Country, BC]

The design is very complicated. As it is a heritage building, we have to weigh the cost of maintaining it. It was never an option to knock these down and rebuild. Is that something that you or the design team considered?

[Nancy Chahwan]

In this case, it was not. On the option of the rehabilitation, I will turn to Ezio, but I want to insist on the fact that we at PWGSC consult experts. We set engineering design workshops to make sure that our design options are challenged by the best experts and third party experts, including our internal experts.

Ezio, please.

[Ezio DiMillo]

Thank you.

Mr. Chair, obviously, heritage buildings are classified buildings. Knocking them down is something that we did not consider because of the importance of these iconic structures. As my colleague mentioned, we looked at many, many options for the design of the buildings, and for all of the buildings we organized design review committees. We brought in architects from other provinces and from the private sector to challenge the designs and to ensure that we are putting forward the best, most cost-effective option.

[Ron Cannan, Conservative, Kelowna—Lake Country, BC]

I wouldn't advocate knocking them down. I was looking more at the cost of rebuilding a heritage building versus building something new. How much more is it to restore a heritage building?

[Ezio DiMillo]

If I understand the question, it's basically to build a similar building.