The $3.7B Laboratories Canada initiative is one of the most ambitious public infrastructure programs in Canadian history—aiming to transform five federal science hubs into a national network of collaborative, modern, and accessible laboratories.
This 25-year strategy, delivered in phased 5-year increments, will build world-class research facilities across the nation, benefitting the health, safety, and longevity of Canadians and the vital ecosystems we depend on.
With the goal of putting Canada at the forefront of scientific innovation, Tiree is supporting Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) to maximize space, reduce redundancy, and optimize existing investments, while balancing the needs and priorities of 14 other federal agencies.
The Labs Canada program will empower scientists in diverse fields to come together to share industry knowledge, collaborate on new initiatives, and find innovative ways to solve Canada’s most pressing challenges.
This article explores the national impact of the Labs Canada program, including how Tiree is supporting PSPC through the provision of advisory and project management services to align stakeholder needs, secure funding, develop business cases, and support project delivery—shaping Canadian science and technology for generations to come.
The Government of Canada operates over 1,450 laboratory and science facilities across 175 sites—however, 36% of this infrastructure is in poor or critical condition.
To inspire tomorrow’s scientific discoveries, the Labs Canada program is focused on five key hubs, each supporting a different domain of federal science. These hubs are being integrated into existing facilities to maximize space and resources:
The Labs Canada program aims to identify synergies between disciplines that can use similar types of resources and equipment, marking a shift in how Canada approaches science infrastructure. This cross-functional model supports collaboration, efficiency, and agility.
As part of the project, Tiree’s advisory and project management team develops business cases for each science hub, framing proposed investments in a strategic context. These business cases are critical to securing approvals and enabling evidence-based decision-making across stakeholder groups.
In parallel, Tiree’s experts develop tailored procurement strategies that outline the most efficient way to acquire the goods and services required to successfully deliver each science hub.
As such, Tiree has helped guide each of the five hubs through the three-stage project lifecycle to ensure scientific requirements and federal priorities are met.
For the past seven years, Tiree and PSPC’s close partnership has helped make a national impact—advancing each science hub through the project lifecycle by bringing together scientists from different disciplines to promote collaboration and innovation.
Each hub moves through three stages: consolidating requirements and selecting sites, defining designs, and preparing for occupancy.
Tiree works with stakeholders to define program requirements, align objectives, estimate costs, and shape funding strategies. These collaborative planning sessions help identify overlapping program needs, ensuring that each project is feasible and future focused.
As program needs evolve, due to shifts in scientific priorities, building performance assessments, or changing market dynamics, we’re able to adapt plans, refine project scopes, and adjust delivery approaches in collaboration with PSPC. This ability to pivot and respond to complexity is essential in managing complex infrastructure projects that span decades.
By modernizing federal research laboratories across Canada, TerraCanada will drive national advancements in clean energy and low-carbon innovation.
In 2021, construction began on two TerraCanada sites in Hamilton and Mississauga, representing key investments in science and technology infrastructure.
At both sites, Tiree provided ongoing advisory and project management support through design and construction, guiding funding approvals, adapting to evolving requirements, and establishing robust project controls and scheduling frameworks to ensure efficient delivery.
The Hamilton site, located within Natural Resources Canada’s CanmetMATERIALS facility, added 92 m² of lab space and upgraded mechanical and electrical infrastructure. Additional enhancements included fume hoods, service carriers, and mobile lab furniture.
TerraCanada Mississauga, part of the National Research Council of Canada’s advanced materials research facility, added 4,000 m2 of space to accelerate the development of new materials.
During this process, Tiree supported PSPC in determining the most viable and cost-effective procurement and delivery strategies for each facility that align with long-term federal objectives. This included investment analysis as part of the broader approval process, with the added complexity of a 25-year planning horizon.
Tiree’s strategic approach demonstrates how advisory and project management support can translate into high-impact, future-ready infrastructure that supports scientific innovation.
Tiree remains a dedicated partner to PSPC, helping to align scientific mandates with stakeholder priorities to advance the Government of Canada’s vision for modern, collaborative, and resilient federal science infrastructure.
“Our ability to tell the program story effectively is critical to our success,” explains Paul Knowlton, Senior Vice President of Real Property Advisory Services at Tiree. “It reflects our deep understanding of the Labs Canada program and what it’s designed to achieve.”
For Paul and his team, the most meaningful reward is “seeing the success” of these projects firsthand, as federal priorities come together into spaces that will accelerate scientific discovery.
For organizations navigating complex multi-year, multi-stakeholder infrastructure programs, strategic advisory and project management support can make all the difference in delivering a project on time and on budget—and with lasting impact.
As new Labs Canada initiatives take shape, Tiree remains committed to helping the federal government execute on their vision of a national network of future-ready laboratories that will put Canada at the cutting-edge of advancements in science and technology.