Government Operations Committee on June 2nd, 2016

[Francis Drouin, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

Can you explain building information modelling for me?

[Mélinda Nycholat]

BIM is a new approach to designing, implementing, and maintaining facilities. It's data. As opposed to designing a building on drawings, it uses data. All the information on the building is stored in a data software, and then you can apply different technologies to do energy analysis, to do designs, to do conflict resolution between different elements of the building to make the construction more efficient, and to store data in regard to the maintenance—the requirements for different equipment, as well as the preventive maintenance programs.

It is a very integrated and very exciting new technology.

[Francis Drouin, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

The last time the ADM of real property was here, he was talking about potentially lining up technologies—user applications with property. He had some vision, but of course we didn't have time to expand on that. Are you looking at this as well?

[Mélinda Nycholat]

They are implementing a brand-new IE business modernization system, and it does include the potential use of BIM for the operation of their facilities. Of course, we are supporting them on that.

We and DND are both participating in the same industry committees together.

[Francis Drouin, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

Would you have been involved at the former Nortel site? Would that be you guys or not?

[James Paul]

Because that is in the national capital region, there are special protocols. We would do, say, 95% of the infrastructure projects nationally and globally, but within the national capital region there are special protocols. That is actually a PSPC—Public Services and Procurement Canada—department-owned facility. You could say that DND is the tenant or lodger at the facility, versus the custodian and owner. PSPC is managing that project.

[Francis Drouin, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

In terms of your greening policies versus those of PSPC, would you say you're more advanced, or are you not going to say that publicly?

[James Paul]

I was referring to DND's policies that we support, but we would mirror PSPC in a lot of ways. Our internal ones, which Mélinda mentioned, include the move to electronic document management, electronic bidding and procurement, and how we operate our own facilities. Most of our staff are collocated on bases and wings, so those are under DND's facilities, and we're supporting them on the environmental initiatives there. At our five regional sites across the country, which support our staff, we're very much focused on greening initiatives as well. They're relatively small facilities. We're sort of tracking both sides: what we do as an organization, and what we do to support our client partners, to help make them more green.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

We will go to the five-minute round, with Mr. McCauley.

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

I have some quick questions for you. I'm looking at the general income statements. We're losing money in food and beverage and attractions at Downsview and the Old Port, but your general statement shows that you're making money off of that. What are we missing here? Is that from the CN Tower?

[John McBain]

Yes.

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

Okay.

Do we do our own food and beverage operations at Old Port and Downsview as opposed to contracting out or leasing out?

[Robert Howald]

At Downsview, we actually have a third party that provides the property management services.

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

How do we lose money if we have that leased out or contracted out?

[Robert Howald]

With regard to the operation of the park at Downsview, 59% of Downsview Park land, over 300 acres, is actually passive and inactive park, so it's the maintaining of that. There are revenue elements with the—

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

The maintenance is listed under attraction, food, beverage, and hospitality?

[Robert Howald]

I'll have to look and see where. I'm just going to pull up that chart.

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

It's a very simplified income statement. There's not much comparing costs there. It's the same for Old Port. You're losing a fair amount of money there. Are we running Old Port food and beverage and attractions ourselves?

[Basil Cavis, Vice-President, Real Estate, Quebec and Old Port of Montreal, Canada Lands Company Ltd.]

The majority of the food and beverage operations are contracted out to third parties. The only exception is a small kiosk that we have in the Montreal Science Centre for the IMAX.

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

If we're contracting out Old Port, why are we still losing—and by we, I mean taxpayers—$7 million a year on the operations?

[Basil Cavis]

It's because there are other operations at the Old Port that are not related to food and beverage, including the operation of the green space in the park.

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

So can I assume the income statement listed here is incorrect?

[John McBain]

The income statement is correct. The Old Port used to operate under a $24 million-a-year appropriation from the government.

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

No. What I'm saying is that under attraction, food and beverage, and other hospitality, the revenue is $8.4 million and the expenses are $15.3 million, so unless you're putting some other costs in there...?

[John McBain]

I'm sorry, but I don't have in front of me what you have in front of you.