Backgrounder
The Supreme Court of Canada Building was built from 1938 to 1940 and houses the Supreme Court of Canada, its judges and staff, as well as two courtrooms and chambers for the Federal Court of Appeal and the Federal Court, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Security Service detachment and PSPC maintenance. It requires significant and extensive rehabilitation work. This work is expected to begin in 2023 and be completed in 2028.
From 2019 to 2023, the West Memorial Building will undergo its own rehabilitation, which will be completed in time to accommodate the Supreme Court of Canada Building occupants by serving as an interim space from 2023 to 2028. The West Memorial Building has been vacant since 2008 and requires major rehabilitation in order to meet current standards for sustainability, health and safety, and accessibility, while at the same time conserving its heritage character. Rehabilitating the West Memorial Building will help conserve one of Canada's primary heritage memorials to those who lost their lives in the Second World War and to honour veterans for years to come.
A greener building
PSPC has been working in close collaboration with the Supreme Court of Canada, the Courts Administration Service, the Department of Justice Canada, the RCMP, Veterans Affairs Canada, the City of Ottawa, the Federal Heritage Buildings Review Office, and the National Capital Commission (NCC) for the West Memorial Building rehabilitation project concept designs. These concept designs have been developed by the prime consultant, Moriyama & Teshima Architects and Kasian Architecture Interior Design and Planning Ltd. PSPC obtained all required concept design approvals at the NCC Board of Directors meeting on June 20, 2019.
The contract award to EllisDon Corporation for construction management services was announced on October 26, 2018, and the contract to Moriyama & Teshima Architects and Kasian Architecture Interior Design and Planning Ltd. for design and architectural services was announced on February 23, 2018, for the West Memorial Building rehabilitation project.
Upcoming milestones:
- City of Ottawa site approval process and permits (September 2019)
- Detailed designs presentation to judges (October 2019)
- NCC final approval (fall 2019)
- Beginning of rehabilitation (fall 2019)
