The federal government has announced plans to build two major laboratories in Ottawa’s east end worth a combined $1.5 billion.

The projects were announced on July 26 by Jenna Sudds, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development.

"These new facilities are a testament to Canada's dedication to scientific excellence and innovation,” said Sudds. “By investing in state-of-the-art infrastructure, we are not only enhancing our research capabilities but also driving economic growth and positioning Canada as a global leader in science and technology. This commitment ensures our scientists have the resources they need to make groundbreaking discoveries and address the challenges of tomorrow."

The contract for architectural and engineering services to design the first project, the $1-billion TerraCanada National Capital Area project, has already been awarded to AECOM Canada Architects Ltd., AECOM Canada Ltd. and AECOM Technical Services Inc., in a joint venture, for a value of $59.5 million.

The base contract for construction management services for the TerraCanada NCA facility has been awarded to EBC Inc. for $78.8 million.

Design work on the project is anticipated to start later this year, with site preparation and construction starting in 2026. At peak construction, up to 400 workers will be onsite each day. The facility will house approximately 450 employees and scientists from Natural Resources Canada and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.

The facility will support scientific advancements for sustainable land and resource development, as well as a low-carbon economy.

Meanwhile, a preliminary schematic design has been completed for the $500-million Transportation Safety and Technology Science project.

The project will relocate the laboratory and head office of the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB), and the facility will house over 260 employees and scientists from the TSB and NRC.

The architectural and engineering services contract for this project was awarded to A49 and B&H, in a joint venture, in 2022, with a preliminary schematic design completed. A request for proposals for the construction management services contract is expected to be published on CanadaBuys later in 2024. The final design is expected to be completed in 2025, with construction beginning then.

Research at the facility will assess and reduce transportation safety risks for Canadians.

“As the transportation sector continues to modernize and evolve, it is important that the Transportation Safety Board of Canada has access to a world-class facility to conduct the engineering and testing work that supports its investigations,” said TSB Chair Kathy Fox. “This new facility, which will also include our head office, will allow us to support critical work tied to our investigations and to collaborate with the National Research Council of Canada, with the goal of advancing transportation safety in Canada.”

The Transportation Safety and Technology Science hub will strengthen collaboration and resource-sharing between complementary federal science departments and agencies and academia to advance transportation safety technology and science in the aviation, marine, pipeline and railway sectors.

Meanwhile, the TerraCanada Science and Innovation hub will energize collaboration by establishing a multi-partner network with facilities in the NCA and other regions across the country, including the recently opened laboratories in Mississauga and Hamilton, Ontario.

Both facilities will be located on the main campus of the National Research Council of Canada on Montréal Road in Ottawa’s east end, and both will provide scientists with leading-edge, multi-purpose, sustainable and collaborative facilities to complement existing government science laboratories and capabilities.

The projects are being funded under the $3.7-billion federal Laboratories Canada program, a long-term strategy that was created to strengthen federal science in Canada.

The strategy includes the development of science hubs across the country, which aims to bring together science-based departments and agencies to advance research in science priority areas in modern, sustainable and accessible laboratories and collaborative spaces enabled by modern digital information technology.