West Block: Rebuilding a National Symbol for the 21st Century
Ottawa, Ontario
Project Lead: Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC)
Project Duration: 2011 – 2018
Services: Real Property Advisory, Project Management
West Block under construction
As part of its rehabilitation, approximately 45% of the West Block’s masonry was dismantled and rebuilt.
Constructed in 1866 in the Victorian High Gothic style, West Block needed modernization to meet the needs of 21st-century Parliamentarians. It was the first of three major rehabilitation projects in the Parliamentary Precinct, undertaken as part of the Government of Canada’s Long-Term Vision and Plan to restore and conserve key heritage assets in the National Capital Region.
The West Block project enabled the relocation of the House of Commons from Centre Block by providing critical interim space accommodations.
Project Goals
The rehabilitation of West Block aimed to transform the building into a modern and secure home for Parliament.
The goals of the West Block rehabilitation were to:
- Rehabilitate exterior masonry, sculptural elements, and ironwork
- Replace windows and roofing systems
- Abate and remove hazardous materials
- Upgrade mechanical, electrical and life-safety systems to current safety standards
- Modernize information technology and multimedia capabilities
- Create a new House of Commons Chamber
- Construct a 4-level Visitor Welcome Centre
- Implement sustainability measures in alignment with LEED standards
To avoid disrupting public access and ongoing parliamentary activities, project teams carefully sequenced construction to account for the limited footprint around West Block. Extensive exterior work also necessitated structural interventions and the rehabilitation of the Mackenzie and Laurier Towers’ masonry, which required close collaboration between PSPC, Project Management Support Services (PMSS), designers, construction managers, and trades.
Tiree’s Role
Tiree supported PSPC through the provision of Real Property Advisory and Project Management services on the West Block rehabilitation project.
In addition, PSPC, with support from Tiree, provided technical and project planning support, including coordination with the House of Commons, the Senate of Canada, the National Capital Commission, the RCMP, the City of Ottawa, the Federal Heritage Building Review Office, and the public.
Project Outcomes
After seven years of coordinated effort, West Block was outfitted with an interim House of Commons Chamber, four committee rooms with broadcast capabilities, an office for the Prime Minister, and offices for House officers, party leaders, and party whips.
The glass-roofed House of Commons Chamber, built in West Block’s courtyard, is the first of its kind and increased usable space by approximately 50%.
The newly constructed Visitor Welcome Centre is a four-level underground complex that serves as the main visitor entrance to West Block. This addition represents the first phase of a two-part plan to improve the visitor experience in the Parliamentary Precinct. The second phase will be delivered through the Parliament Welcome Centre as part of the Centre Block project.
Interim House of Commons Chamber