Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
As chair of the LTVP working group, I am here today to update the board on the progress on the Centre Block rehabilitation program and what the working group has accomplished over the last two months.
We have numerous recommendations for the board’s consideration and approval today. The working group has met several times to ensure that key project elements are being reviewed in a timely manner so that the board can provide key decisions in alignment with the project schedule.
As an overall project update, the site work continues to progress very well. PSPC has confirmed that the overall project health remains in line with the planned approved scope, cost and schedule.
The 50% design development package for Centre Block was submitted at the end of December by the design consultants and is in full review by our House of Commons project team. A review package submission on this project consists of over 2,000 drawings and over 10,000 pages in the many supporting specifications and reports. The 50% design package for the Parliament welcome centre is expected in March. The working group has four more meetings scheduled this spring to be able to advise on the many key decisions required on behalf of parliamentarians and to support the project's progress.
In that regard, and from the latest detailed reviews the working group has been involved in, the following recommendations are proposed for BOIE decisions to facilitate that work.
Today we are seeking endorsement on the following key elements: endorsement on the proposed accessibility improvements in the Memorial Chamber and Peace Tower; endorsement for the proposed general layouts for lobbies and new lobby support space; endorsement on the multimedia enablement strategy, including a proposal to look at options for locations of simultaneous interpretation; endorsement of the proposed circulation, excluding material handling; endorsement of the proposed strategy for heritage rooms within Centre Block; and a further update on dedicating space in the fourth floor central courtyard infill.
As well, we are seeking endorsement on the overall security approach for the Centre Block welcome centre, but this will be briefed in camera at the end of my presentation.
There are innate accessibility challenges leading to and within the existing high heritage space of the Memorial Chamber. These challenges are part of the original design to distinguish the significance of what the Memorial Chamber represents and the lives that are honoured within. The materials that were used in the design are also significant themselves, as they are from the battlefields upon which many Canadians fought and died in the First World War.
The Working Group reviewed various detailed proposals for improvement and the type of intervention required to provide greater accessibility. We believe a balanced approach is advisable. The following are recommended improvements we are proposing to enhance accessibility during the visitor experience. They are achievable while still respecting the historic and heritage architectural nature of the space.
On the slide, you can see the many improvements listed, such as improved access to ramps into the Chamber, incorporation of Braille on the handrails, tactile mapping to help with wayfinding, modification to the angle the Books of Remembrance are displayed for improved viewing and handheld devices to assist viewing on the central altar.
Accessibility challenges in the Peace Tower observation deck are also intrinsic to the original architectural design. Public Services and Procurement Canada proposed a low-tech solution to enhance the viewing experience and overcome the stone windowsill obstruction. The introduction of periscopes, a creative solution, will enable various diverse users to fully enjoy the viewing experience. Other amenities such as seating and a washroom will also be added nearby to improve universal accessibility.
The Working Group recommends the proposed approach for accessibility improvements in these areas for the Board’s consideration and endorsement.
I hope you carefully reviewed the proposed layouts we presented.
On the proposed layouts for lobbies and new lobby support space, as you recall, the board gave direction to the Centre Block project to respect the heritage architecture of the building while modernizing to meet the needs of a working Parliament, and it endorsed an interconnected two-floor lobby and lobby support area.
The working group was consulted, as were the whips' offices, including their lobby representatives, to gather requirements and feedback. An on-site visit to the lobbies also facilitated further understanding of the importance of the functioning of the lobbies.
The working group has reviewed the proposed layouts. The lobby space has increased and is approximately two-and-a-half times larger than that of the pre-closure Centre Block. The lobbies will continue to have the same entrances off the chamber, with improvements for accessibility.
On the chamber level, the primary functions of the whips' and MPs' seating are prioritized, with space for the page desk and supporting amenities, such as technology and water services. Connected by internal stairs in each lobby, a lower floor offers further space and functions to support the work of members in the chamber, including the modern-style PODs that ensure some private work areas.
Additional members' amenities are included in close proximity to the chamber at the lower level, such as a coatroom, washrooms, meeting rooms and a larger family room with upgraded features, including electrical requirements as per feedback received during MP consultations.
The working group is satisfied with the proposed general layouts of the lobby space and lobby support space and believes that the proposal takes into consideration members' needs for supporting their work in the chamber.
We recommend that the proposed general layouts be endorsed, noting that they offer flexibility with free-standing furniture that can support a variety of arrangements in the future.
The next item is on the multimedia enablement strategy for Centre Block. As a result of the COVID‑19 pandemic response to provisioning of innovative technologies to support Parliament, such as remote interpretation and e-voting, limited proof of concepts were undertaken.
In 2021, the Translation Bureau and PSPC, in collaboration with the House of Commons, pursued a limited technical evaluation to determine if secure, encrypted centralized simultaneous interpretation, or CSI, would meet the Canadian parliamentary and global ISO standards for audio and video quality. Based on the successful security test for the Senate and House of Commons, the interpretation strategy warrants further testing to determine the reliability, scaleability, operational impacts and client user experience.
The project is leveraging the success of the limited tech evaluation for centralized simultaneous interpretation as a probable solution for the space pressures within Centre Block and the Parliament Welcome Centre. Space pressures to accommodate modern parliamentary functions, universal accessibility, as well as basic building upgrades, required Parliament to prioritize space and investigate alternate approaches to deliver services to support parliamentarians.
Given the technical security evaluation success for the House of Commons, designs for Centre Block and the Parliament Welcome Centre were advanced using the concept of centralized interpretation, and not traditional simultaneous interpretation booths.
Based on the success of the upcoming proof of concept, including Privy Council Office security validation, CSI is expected to deliver a modern environment, custom designed to meet the needs of parliamentary interpreters.
A centralized facility, as well as backup capabilities located in the Centre Block Underground Services, will be planned and implemented to align with the opening of Centre Block. Parliamentary Protective Services will continue to secure these spaces.
The working group supports this approach, as it also offers good potential for efficiencies in terms of business continuity, support and operations, as well as potential cost savings. We recommend that the Board of Internal Economy endorse the centralized approach for simultaneous interpretation for Centre Block and for the project to pursue options for the location within the Precinct.
On the proposed circulation strategy, a presentation on design progress was provided to the working group with the aim of explaining the circulation into and within the new parliamentary welcome centre and the rehabilitated Centre Block. The circulation strategy includes visitors, business visitors and parliamentarian routes.
Reviewing the plans to understand how the buildings will function is quite complex. While the working group has the opportunity to engage, ask questions and develop a detailed view of this circulation, we believe that the proposed circulation is conducive to the functioning of Parliament with a balance of accessibility and security. We understand that the circulation paths will continue to develop as the design evolves, and we will continue to monitor the progress to ensure that it aligns with parliamentary operations.
We are recommending that the proposed circulation strategy be endorsed by the board.
Now, let’s talk about endorsement of the proposed strategies for heritage rooms within Centre Block.
There are 50 high-heritage spaces in Centre Block that require conservation and modernization to support parliamentary operations and base building improvements. The board specified that heritage rooms must be protected and restored to reflect the importance of their history and the role they play in support of Parliament.
The Working Group was briefed on the extensive analysis undertaken on the project to understand the original design intent and heritage features of these rooms. Subsequently, this analysis informed the end-state design vision. It will guide design decisions wherever upgrades are required.
The strategy for heritage rooms proposes three options for treatment types defined to guide the design of all individual heritage spaces within Centre Block.
The first option is preservation and restoration. Construction will restore the original design intent, particularly where it has been eroded or concealed over time by significant alterations. An example of this design preservation strategy is the House of Commons railway committee room.
The second option is sensitive reinterpretation. It reveals and respects the original design intent but balances it with the contemporary role of the room or space and occupant expectations. The parliamentary dining room is an example of the design preservation strategy.
The third option is the contemporary option. It is reserved for spaces less sensitive to change. It aims to create a legible but subtle and respectful distinction between what is historical and what is new through the design of contemporary elements and features. An example of this design preservation strategy is a non-pavilion parliamentary office.
With this strategy approval, the project team can start to apply the concept to individual heritage rooms and develop the design. The team proposes bringing forward each individual room with a design recommendation developed by heritage experts for review and endorsement, thus ensuring it meets the expectations specified by the Board of Internal Economy.
The working group recommends endorsing the high-level proposed strategy for the treatment of heritage rooms in Centre Block. We will update the Board of Internal Economy with the actual proposed design for individual rooms as they are developed.
On the proposed indigenous cultural practices room, at the last LTVP update that I provided for the board, you asked that the working group reconsider the use and name of the dedicated shared space on the fourth floor of the central courtyard infill that would be constructed with appropriate systems to accommodate events that would require the use of smoke.
The board did give approval for the building design to progress in support of such a room, but felt further discussion was required on its name and future use.
This week I received a request from a member of the LTVP to revisit a few points on our decision. I will bring this back as soon as possible. I know we're booked for the next few meetings. We will bring that back at the next one.
In conclusion, before we go in camera for the last item, I would like to mention that the working group was very engaged in a detailed review of issues and proposed designs for Centre Block and the new Parliament Welcome Centre. We remain confident that parliamentarians’ requirements are taken into consideration. We hope to be able to update the board on the design through the spring and as work progresses.
I am happy to take your questions along with my two friends, Ms. Jennifer Garrett and Ms. Susan Kulba, whom I should have introduced at the beginning of my presentation, so that we may confirm the proposed endorsements. We will then have a discussion in camera.