Canada: New federal building in Shawinigan boasts modern, eco-efficient design

Shawinigan: Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) will replace the federal building in Shawinigan with a new, more modern, sustainable building.

Today, on behalf of the Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of Public Services and Procurement, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, and the Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of National Revenue, unveiled the new building’s architectural design.

As announced in February 2019, the new building will replace the existing one, inaugurated in 1979, and will provide employees with a modern workplace that fully meets the government’s new sustainable development requirements. The building will accommodate approximately 1,600 Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) employees, 425 Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) employees, and 4 Shared Services Canada employees.

Striving for LEED-Gold certification, the new 4-storey building will be carbon neutral and include modern building technology. It will provide spaces that meet future technology and sustainable development needs and requirements, while reducing the number of workspaces, as the building will be designed as an activity-based workplace to optimize office space.

Construction will begin in fall 2021 and should be completed in 2024. After that, the existing building will be demolished and a parking lot will be built.

PSPC awarded a contract for approximately $12 million (taxes included) to Gagnon, Letellier, Cyr, Ricard, Mathieu et Associés, Architectes, Coarchitecture Inc. for architecture and engineering services.

PSPC will award the construction management contract for $136 million (taxes included) to Pomerleau Inc. for constructing the building, deconstructing the existing building and constructing a parking lot. The contract will be awarded in the coming days.