Executive Summary

You may ask, is it reasonable to look so far ahead as one hundred years or more, and to make plans for generations in the distant future?¹ Todd Report, 1903

The House of Commons has developed a comprehensive, goal-oriented set of requirements for its facilities. Building the Future addresses the detailed requirements for existing and replacement facilities within and outside of the Parliamentary Precinct.

Current long-term planning for the renovation of the Parliamentary Precinct provides an ideal opportunity for comprehensive changes urgently needed to address current space inadequacies, prepare the Precinct for the future and maintain architectural and heritage integrity.

Priorities in an Integrated Whole

The House of Commons’ approach is comprehensive and integrated. While requirements for each line of business and for the supporting administration and Precinct-wide services are important in their own right, they must be considered and implemented as an integrated package. House of Commons priorities call for:

Over the short-term …

Adoption and endorsement of a proposed management model — clearly setting out roles and responsibilities, recognizing the House of Commons as a knowledgeable client and partner throughout the planning and implementation of the long-term renovation of the Parliament Buildings;
Formal designation of a clearly defined, secure Parliamentary Precinct — reaffirming existing boundaries — the Rideau Canal to the east, the Ottawa River to the north and Wellington Street to the south — and extending the western boundary to Kent Street to ensure location of all facilities for Members within the Precinct; and
Construction of a facility to replace inadequate committee rooms — the most pressing physical requirement, as well as the key to effective sequencing and transition of all renovations.

Renovation over the longer term …

West Block — providing essential committee rooms and Members’ offices and a temporary Chamber. This building is vital to the transition and effective sequencing of all initiatives;
Centre Block — focusing on the restoration of committee and caucus rooms near the Chamber, improving accessibility for Members and visitors with special needs and upgrading outdated information technology and security infrastructure; and
Confederation Building — providing standard offices and ensuring that appropriate space is provided for support services.

Ongoing throughout the renovation…

All buildings will be equipped with the information technology and security infrastructures to ensure appropriate access to services across the Precinct. Facilities and grounds will be improved to ensure that the media and visitors are accommodated effectively and circulation routes support intended activities. Renovation of Members’ offices will be implemented as each building is renovated to meet House of Commons’ standards.

A Solid Foundation

In-house expertise in architectural conservation, security and information technology has developed these requirements in partnership with all lines of business and other functions across the House, to be:

forward-looking and reflective of Members’ needs;
valid from both a functional and design perspective;
based on sound planning and management principles; and
aimed at achieving broader goals.

Addressing Inadequate Facilities

The roles and responsibilities of Parliamentarians, the way they do their work, and expectations of electors continue to change.

Development and upkeep of the Parliamentary Precinct has simply not kept pace with these changes in terms of overall space allocation, location and adjacency of important services and functions. The infrastructure essential for security, information technology and other vital services must be integrated. The grounds of the Precinct are unable to respond to the increased demands of today’s pedestrian and vehicular traffic.

In fact, there is an ever-widening gap between requirements to support the functions of Parliament on one hand and the allocation of space and location of services on the other.

Over the longer term — with more elected Members and a growing visitor population — Members’ work and office space will be pushed farther from the Chamber, causing longer delays and putting greater distance between the lines of business and the services essential to support them. Security will be affected by the lack of a clearly defined area in which Members work.

Seizing the Opportunity

The long-term renovation program of the Parliament Buildings to be undertaken by Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) is a unique and welcome opportunity to address the major physical limitations and to realign and develop the buildings and grounds to support Members in the performance of their Parliamentary duties.