The rehabilitation of the Parliamentary Precinct is the largest heritage project ever undertaken in Canada—and one of the largest in the world.
For the past 18 years, Tiree has been a trusted partner to Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC), providing Advisory and Project Management services to support the planning and delivery of complex infrastructure projects in the National Capital Region.
“It’s incredibly rewarding to help deliver the infrastructure required to run the country,” asserts Howard Babb, Director of Project Management at Tiree.
This once-in-a-generation opportunity has allowed us to help shape Canada’s democratic landscape through functional, sustainable, and accessible improvements to the built environment.
In this blog, we’ll look back at how we supported PSPC in the rehabilitation of the Parliamentary Precinct—and how we improved sustainability, accessibility, and stakeholder engagement while remaining accountable to the Government of Canada’s long-term objectives.
You’ll also hear from Howard Babb, who shares what it’s like to work on the Parliamentary Precinct after nearly two decades with Tiree.
For us, the Parliamentary Precinct is more than a portfolio of projects, it’s a symbol of national pride. And we’re incredibly honoured to be part of its preservation and evolution.
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The Parliamentary Precinct is home to several historic buildings, including the iconic Parliamentary Triad—West Block, East Block, and Centre Block—which are commonly referred to as Parliament Hill. Beyond “the Hill,” the larger Parliamentary Precinct includes the Library of Parliament, the Parliamentary Welcome Centre, the Confederation Building, the Justice Building, the Senate of Canada Building, and all government buildings within three blocks south of Wellington Street.
For Howard, our work on the Parliamentary Precinct is incredibly important, as “[Tiree] is supporting the delivery of infrastructure required for Parliament to be successful for the next 100 years.”
Several buildings in the Parliamentary Precinct have not been significantly renovated for 100 years or more—and as the centre of Canadian democracy, it required a comprehensive rehabilitation plan.
In 2001, the Canadian government released their Long-Term Vision and Plan (LTVP) for the Parliamentary Precinct, which was positioned as more a flexible framework, rather than a fixed strategy.
Since then, the Long-Term Vision and Plan has been updated several times—most notably with the addition of the Parliamentary Precinct Portfolio Plan in 2017. This update expanded the Precinct boundaries to include Wellington Street (divided up and referred to as Block 1, 2, and 3), and two buildings east of Rideau Canal.
Despite several updates, the goals of the LTVP have remained the same:
These mandates guide our work supporting PSPC and have served as the foundation for our long-standing impact in the public sector.
Our approach balances heritage preservation with technology integration, sustainability, and accessibility, while considering the priorities and needs of multiple stakeholder groups.
The rehabilitation of the Parliamentary Precinct began with West Block, a strategic starting point that enabled the relocation of the House of Commons from Centre Block, which needed to be unoccupied during its eventual restoration.
Tiree supported PSPC with Advisory and Project Management services in this $863 million rehabilitation from 2011 to 2018. Built in the Victorian High Gothic style, the building was restored and modernized to meet the needs of Parliamentarians.
For Howard and the broader Tiree team, “saving and restoring heritage aspects of Parliament for generations to come,” is one of the most unforgettable parts of this work.
The rehabilitation of West Block involved replacing the building’s electrical, mechanical, and life-safety systems, a complete exterior restoration, abatement of hazardous materials, seismic and structural upgrades, and modernization of the building’s IT and multimedia capabilities.
In addition, the West Block project included a new Visitor Welcome Centre, connecting Centre Block to West Block. This modern, 4-level underground complex serves as the main visitor entrance to West Block and has been fitted with new security screening equipment to ensure the safety of those visiting and working within the Parliamentary Precinct. Excavation began in 2015, and the Centre welcomed its first visitors in 2019.
This $130 million addition is part one of a two-part plan to improve the tourism experience in the Parliamentary Precinct—the second phase of which will include the Parliament Welcome Centre, as part of the Centre Block project, expanding the Visitor Centre to the east.
Almost half of West Block’s 140,000 stones had to be removed, numbered, and reinstalled.
After seven years of coordinated effort between the government and project delivery teams, 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 new House of Commons Chamber is the first of its kind—a glass-roofed structure built in West Block’s courtyard, giving the building 50% more usable space.
The result is a greener, more accessible, and barrier-free building that brings Canada’s democracy closer to Canadians.
West Block remains a testament to PSPC’s long-standing trust in Tiree, and to our commitment to stewarding nationally significant projects.
The success of West Block, and later East Block, was supported by several other large-scale projects undertaken by PSPC and Tiree. While these projects are presented in the order in which they were delivered, each played a critical role in enabling the eventual decanting of Centre Block and its rehabilitation.
Known as “The Wellington Building,” this $425 million renovation took place from 2010 to 2016. Originally built in 1927 for the Metropolitan Insurance Company, and enlarged in 1959, the building was an ideal location for new office space for 70 Members of Parliament.
The building functions as a swing space for the House of Commons and other Parliamentary offices, enabling the eventual decanting of Centre Block.
The rehabilitation included both interior and exterior work, including a multi-level atrium, a resource library, ten committee rooms, and a new entrance lobby.
The project also added several sustainability measures including a green roof system to collect rainwater and reduce energy consumption, solar panels to pre-heat hot water, and a green wall of plants to dampen noise and clean the air, among others.
180 Wellington reused or recycled 97% of the non-contaminated waste at the site.
Our support for the delivery of 180 Wellington highlights our extensive experience partnering with PSPC on heritage restorations, with a particular focus on sustainable and accessible upgrades.
Renovated in tandem with other major updates, the Sir John A. Macdonald Building addressed critical space constraints across the Precinct with a $99.5 million renovation between 2012 to 2015.
The former Bank of Montreal building underwent an extensive rehabilitation, which added a multi-purpose room with translation and broadcasting capabilities to support Parliamentary functions, among other additions.
In addition, a two-story glass annex was constructed on the adjoining property, connecting the Sir John A. Macdonald Building to new reception, security screening, and service spaces, a large common area, and meeting rooms.
As a result, the Confederation Room was permanently relocated from West Block to the Sir John A. Macdonald Building for parliamentary business and ceremonial functions.
Our collaboration with PSPC on this project is further evidence of our expertise in sustainability, accessibility, heritage preservation, and stakeholder alignment and engagement.
Phase one of East Block was a $97.5 million undertaking from 2017 to 2022, which included restoring and repairing the exterior of the 1867 wing. Phase two, which is scheduled to start in 2025, will involve rehabilitating the remaining areas of the 1867 Wing and the entire 1910 Wing—linking East Block with the future Parliament Welcome Centre, along with other interior and exterior upgrades.
One of the most significant undertakings related to the rehabilitation of East Block was the Senate of Canada project.
A critical part of Centre Block’s rehabilitation was the relocation of the Senate from its Chamber in the east wing to a new building.
Originally, the plan was to relocate the Senate Chambers to East Block, but it was decided to repurpose Ottawa’s Union Station, which previously served as the Government Conference Centre, into a new space for the Senate.
The original train station was restored, offering modern spaces for Senate use. The building was officially renamed the Senate of Canada Building in 2018, with the Senate relocating the following year.
Our support of PSPC in this fit-up builds on our longstanding role in advancing adaptive reuse and heritage restoration on high-profile projects.
Once the Senate of Canada Building was complete, and Centre Block was unoccupied, the rehabilitation could begin.
Howard shares that “when we had completed the work, I remember doing a walkthrough with the architect, our client, and the public service and just admiring the work we had done—seeing how we saved a heritage building in the downtown core that could have been destined for the wrecking ball.”
The $5 billion Centre Block rehabilitation began in 2021 and is still ongoing. Except for the Library of Parliament, Centre Block had undergone no major renovations since it opened in 1920, making the current rehabilitation one of the most complex and significant in Canadian history.
Much of the building’s stonework, wood, plaster, frescos, stained glass, marble, and metalwork will be restored, as well as its mechanical, electrical, and fire safety systems. This project will also involve building a new Parliament Welcome Centre complex, as a complement to the new Visitor Welcome Centre.
The restoration and modernization of Centre Block is expected to take at least 10 years.
Once again, our work alongside PSPC helped improve sustainability, accessibility, and stakeholder engagement, while staying accountable to federal objectives and preserving Canadian heritage. We will continue to work with PSPC on Centre Block’s rehabilitation in the coming years.
For Howard, our continued work on the Parliamentary Precinct has been personally significant. “If you see the Peace Tower and the Canadian flag—no matter where you are in the world—if you’re a Canadian, you know exactly what it is and what it represents. For me, it’s a [privilege] to learn about the heritage and history of the Parliamentary Precinct, and how important it is to Canadians.”
“I [often] remind people that our day job is to run the projects, and our client’s day job is to run the country,” remarks Howard. “I’ve had a long career doing a lot of interesting work, but when I walk by the Parliamentary Precinct, I pinch myself and think, how did I end up here?”
Our work on the Parliamentary Precinct over the past two decades has helped make Parliament more accessible for all Canadians, strengthened sustainable practices, engaged both citizens and government officials, all while remaining accountable to the objectives of the LTVP.
These projects are more than an addition to our portfolio; they are part of our identity.