A Legacy for Future Generations

The Long-Term Vision and Plan for the Parliamentary Precinct

Appendices

Governance Structure
Capital Project Approval/Contracting Processes
Background Chronology
Current Distribution of Space
Current Vocation of Assets

Governance Structure

A number of organizations share planning and decision-making authority with respect to accommodations in the Parliamentary Precinct.

The House of Commons

The House of Commons is a constitutionally independent body which forms part of the legislative arm of the federal government. Accommodation issues are managed through a committee and staff structure supporting the Speaker of the House. The main parties include:

The Speaker

• Position of highest authority in the House and represents the Commons in all its powers, proceedings, and dignity
• Has the more visible role as spokesperson of the House and presiding officer in the Chamber
• Also has extensive responsibilities relating to the administration of the House of Commons, as set out in the Parliament of Canada Act and the Board of Internal Economy By-laws.
• Link between the Board of Internal Economy and the House Administration
• Assisted in carrying out these responsibilities by the staff from the Speaker's Office, a Deputy Speaker, who also chairs the Committees of the Whole, a Deputy Chair, and an Assistant Deputy Chair of Committees of the Whole

Board of Internal Economy

• Acts upon all financial and administrative matters respecting Members of the House of Commons, the House of Commons itself, its premises, its services and its staff, pursuant to the provisions of the Parliament of Canada Act. The Act also empowers the Board to make by-laws governing the use by Members of the House of Commons of funds, goods, services and premises made available to them for the carrying out of parliamentary functions
• The Board is made up of 11 Members representing the government party and the four recognized parties in opposition
• The Speaker chairs the Board, and the Clerk of the House is the Secretary
• The Board sometimes receives recommendations emanating from the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs. Under the Standing Orders, this Standing Committee is responsible to the House for the review of and reporting on the effectiveness, management and operations of the House, as well as the provision of services and facilities to Members

Executive Committee

• Speaker is also Chair of the Executive Committee, made up of the Deputy Speaker, the Clerk, the Sergeant-at-Arms and the Deputy Clerk, and is responsible for management policy and major decision-making involving general administrative practices, security and financial and personnel administration of the House

The Clerk

• Reports to the Speaker, and acts as the chief executive officer of the House
• Serves as secretary to the Board of Internal Economy
• Advises and supports the Speaker and the House on all procedural and administrative matters
• Oversees and guides three Service Heads in the administration of corporate, operational and procedural activities

The Senate

The Senate is a constitutionally independent body which forms part of the legislative arm of Parliament. Accommodation is one of the areas managed through a committee and staff structure. The main parties are:

Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration

• Responsibility for accommodation matters rests ultimately with the full Senate. The Committee is usually delegated to examine and recommend action on accommodation matters.

The Government Whip

• The Whip is responsible for the assignment of space to Senators.

Clerk of the Senate and Clerk of the Parliaments

• The Clerk is the senior staff position in the Senate and is responsible for advising the Speaker on the rules of the Senate. He is also responsible for the administrative support to the Senate, including accommodation.

Director of Services

• The Director provides professional advice and support to Senators and Senate administration on all matters related to accommodation.

Library of Parliament

The Library is headed by the Parliamentary Librarian, assisted by the Associate Parliamentary Librarian. The Parliamentary Librarian reports to the Speakers of the Senate and the House of Commons, who jointly exercise ultimate direction and control of the Library. A Standing Joint Committee on the Library assists the Speakers in discharging these responsibilities

The Minister of PWGSC

The Minister of Public Works and Government Services is the official custodian of the buildings and land incorporated in the Parliamentary Precinct and is charged with the responsibility for their care and upkeep as well as their structural integrity and appearance.

Federal Heritage Buildings Review Office (FHBRO)

FHBRO, which reports to the Minister of Canadian Heritage through Parks Canada, assists departments in the implementation of the Treasury Board policy on Federal Heritage Buildings, which applies to all federal buildings 40 or more years old, and for which interventions (defined as alteration, demolition or disposal) are planned. FHBRO's responsibilities encompass the following activities:

• All buildings are evaluated and a heritage designation (either Classified or Recognized) is applied if warranted. Statements of heritage character are also prepared
• For Classified buildings, custodial departments submit concept proposals and detailed design proposals, as necessary, for interventions to FHBRO, which reviews the proposals and makes recommendations to the custodial department
• For Recognized buildings, FHBRO reviews proposals for demolition or disposal only. Custodial departments are responsible for conducting reviews for all other interventions, using the same review standards and criteria as FHBRO

Within the Parliamentary Precinct, and its associated buildings, FHBRO has determined that:

• The Centre Block, Library, East Block, West Block, Confederation Building, the grounds of Parliament Hill and the Bank of Nova Scotia are Classified
• The Justice Building, Wellington Building and Victoria Building are Recognized
• La Promenade is not a heritage building

National Capital Commission

The NCC has several roles with respect to the Precinct.

1. As the planning authority for federal lands in the National Capital region, the NCC prepares and approves land use and urban design plans for the Capital, including the Parliamentary Precinct Area, in co-operation with custodian departments. The planning framework is the Parliamentary Precinct Area Long Range Development Plan, jointly prepared by PWGSC and the NCC, which was tabled in the House of Commons in 1988, and approved by the NCC in 1993.
2. Under the National Capital Act of 1988, any proposal "to erect, alter, extend or demolish a building or other work ... or to change the use of public lands" within the Precinct or Parliament Hill requires both Federal Land Use Approval and Federal Design Approval by NCC. The Federal Land Use Approval process ensures that all projects are in conformity with the Federal Land Use Plan or with master, sector or area plans approved by the Commission. The review also includes consideration of a project's compliance with the policy on Federal Heritage Buildings and with the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act.
3. The NCC National Programming Branch develops and stages Capital programs, and directs and manages public activities and external visitor services within the Precinct. These include:
   
   • Canada Day, Sound and Light and Christmas Light programs and visitor walking tours
   • Management and operation of external visitor services on Parliament Hill and of the Infotent (in conjunction with the Library of Parliament Guide Program). Parliament Hill receives approximately one and a half million visitors per year. This figure is expected to grow to two and a half million by 2010.
   • Planning visitor services, facilities and installation (including visitor and interpretive signage)
   • NCC representation on the Parliamentary Commemorations Committee and monitoring of the Capital Commemorations Plan (1988)
4. The NCC is responsible for grounds management and maintenance for both Parliament Hill and the Parliamentary Precinct. These responsibilities primarily apply to the surface of the Hill and include:
   • life-cycle management of the green assets;
   • snow and ice removal from roads and sidewalks; cleaning, flushing and repair patching of asphalt surfaces; recreational path maintenance; seasonal and site clean ups and litter removal;
   • professional landscape, architectural and technical design services related ground management activities and to temporary use of open spaces in the Precinct;
   • urban wildlife management and the provision and installation of floral displays; and
   • installation and support works for Capital events and programs.

The NCC's physical infrastructure on Parliament Hill includes the Infotent, Sound and Light equipment, cabling, sprinklers, etc.

Parliamentary Buildings Advisory Council (PBAC)

On the recommendation of the Auditor General, a Parliamentary Buildings Advisory Council and several working-level committees, have also been established. PBAC's role is to review client and stakeholder submissions and to provide advice and guidance on accommodation issues and priorities for the Parliamentary Precinct. The Council includes representatives from the Senate, the House of Commons, the Library of Parliament, the National Capital Commission, the Canadian Conservation Institute and private sector associations.

Capital Project Approval/Contracting Processes

Financial Authorities

Pursuant to the Financial Administration Act, funding requirements identified by PWGSC in its custodial role are subject to government approval. This includes funding required to respond to new user requirements defined by the Board of Internal Economy for the House of Commons and the Committee of Internal Economy for the Senate.

The government requires that all capital projects adhere to standard practices and be approved by the appropriate authority. The Minister has authority to approve capital projects up to $20 million. Projects that exceed this limit must receive government approval.

Projects are controlled by means of two separate approvals. Preliminary project approval is the authority to spend a limited portion of project funds. This spending authority is limited to the amount necessary to develop substantive estimates which are sufficiently precise to allow the appropriate officials to give effective project approval. Effective project approval is the authority to proceed with the physical execution of the project, based on reliable and up-to-date estimates.

Project work which requires Public Works and Government Services Canada to enter into a contract with a supplier must respect the Government's procurement principles and authorities.

Contracting must be conducted in a manner that will stand the test of public scrutiny, encourage competition and reflect fairness in the spending of public funds. Competition is encouraged through open processes that afford suppliers equal access to Government procurement opportunities.

The Minister has the authority to approve construction contracts up to $20 million. Contracts that exceed this limit must receive government approval. Contracting that is part of a project must also respect the defined and approved limits of the project.

Within PWGSC, responsibility for ensuring the Government's contracting principles are applied and that the appropriate approvals have been obtained is assigned to procurement specialists who are independent of the project manager.

Contracting Construction-Related Products and Services

Goods and Services

PWGSC advertises most opportunities worth $25,000 or more on MERX^tm, the electronic tendering service and in the Government Business Opportunities (GBO) publication (now listing only requirements subject to international trade agreements). Increasingly, however, opportunities valued at less than $25,000 are also advertised on MERX.

Architectural and Engineering Consulting Services

PWGSC advertises most architectural and engineering consulting services worth $72,600 or more on the electronic tendering service MERX and in the Government Business Opportunities (GBO) publication (now listing only requirements subject to international trade agreements).

Construction and Maintenance Services

PWGSC advertises most construction and maintenance services valued at $60,000 or above on MERX and in the GBO (requirements subject to international trade agreements only).

PWGSC Bid Methods

PWGSC uses several methods to solicit bids:

Request for Quotation (RFQ)

PWGSC normally sends out RFQs when a requisition is received for goods and services valued at less than $25,000. The bid documents are kept simple so that the contract can be awarded quickly.

Invitation to Tender (ITT)

PWGSC sends out ITTs to bidders when the opportunity is worth $25,000 or more and has fairly straightforward requirements, such as a request for off-the-shelf goods. The lowest-priced responsive bid, (the lowest bid that complies with all the mandatory requirements specified in the ITT document) will be awarded the contract.

Request for Proposal (RFP)

A Request for Proposal, while generally used for requirements of $25,000 or more, is often employed for requirements where the selection of a supplier cannot be made solely on the basis of the lowest price. A RFP is used to procure the most cost-effective solution based upon evaluation criteria identified in the RFP.

Background Chronology

The work currently underway is rooted in a long history of reports and advisories concerning repairs and renovations to buildings in the Parliamentary Precinct. The following chronology traces milestones in a 20-year history of review and urgent recommendations.

1976

Abbott Commission Report - The Abbott Commission comprised current and former parliamentarians from all parties in the Senate and House of Commons. It was established by Order-in-Council in 1974 to examine parliamentary accommodation, and advise on the amount and type of accommodation required to ensure the effective operation of Parliament into the future. The Commission found that, although Canadian parliamentary facilities generally compared favourably to those in other jurisdictions, there was an immediate shortfall of space, and that a significant proportion of existing space was unsuitable. Specific problem areas identified were:

• legislative space requirements (including committee rooms);
• parliamentarians' office facilities;
• Library of Parliament and Information Service;
• inter-building circulation and communication;
• visitor reception and tourism;
• media facilities;
• political party support facilities;
• support services;
• security; and
• parking.

1985

Report of the Special Committee on Reform of the House of Commons (McGrath Report) - This Committee reported that, for many years, the House had been faced with a shortage of suitable office accommodation for Members and staff, and unanimously recommended that the House of Commons be given custody of the Justice Building to help alleviate accommodation problems. The Committee also found that Parliament had failed to provide both the funds and the authority to maintain and improve its own precincts, and proposed that, to address this inadequacy, the Parliamentary Precinct be placed under the authority of a new officer, the Intendent of Parliament, who would be responsible for both Houses.

Department of Public Works - The Department received a consultant's report on the condition of the Centre Block in 1985. This report identified serious problems related to fire safety, health, electrical systems, mechanical systems, and a requirement to address basic structural elements such as the repointing and repairing of exterior masonry. While flagging obvious needs, the consultant was not in a position to estimate the full scope of the work required.

1987

The Parliamentary Precinct Area: Urban Design Guidelines and Demonstration Plan for Long Range Development (du Toit, Allsopp, Hillier) -This report, jointly sponsored by the National Capital Commission and the former Public Works Canada, included recommendations which provided a preliminary basis for an accommodation plan in the Parliamentary Precinct Area. It also provided both urban design guidelines and a demonstration plan for long range development.

1988

National Capital Region Investment Strategy - This was a strategy approved by the government to address capital investment in five areas: the Parliamentary Precinct, accommodation for the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, the National Archives and the Federal Court, and laboratory repairs. With respect to the Parliamentary Precinct, the strategy proposed $230 million for redevelopment.

1991

Creation of Parliamentary Precinct Directorate (PPD) - In response to concerns that there was no focal point for integrated services, an important step forward was the creation of a Public Works Canada Parliamentary Precinct Dedicated Unit (PPD) in September 1991. Its mandate was to simplify and coordinate the accommodation requirements of the Senate, House of Commons, and Library of Parliament - providing a single service delivery window for accommodation planning, capital projects, and operations and maintenance.

1992

Auditor General's Report - The Auditor General found that "most of the necessary repairs and renovations identified in the 1970s and 80s have not been undertaken."

The Auditor General also examined the roles and responsibilities of various users within the Parliamentary Precinct. The report noted that Public Works had established the Parliamentary Precinct Directorate in 1991 and commented that, although staff of the Senate and House of Commons welcomed this development, it was too early to assess its effect.

1992

Long Term Capital Plan (LTCP) - The government gave approval-in-principle for the twelve highest priority projects in the Long Term Capital Plan. The Plan noted that there was no recent, approved comprehensive accommodation plan for the Parliamentary Precinct, but suggested that, in order to allow construction to proceed without delay, the Abbott Commission Report be used as a guideline until a new accommodation plan was approved.

Many, if not all, of the issues raised in the 1976 Abbott Commission Report remained unresolved in 1992. The $407 million allocated to approved projects in the Parliamentary Precinct since then has been largely targeted at projects essential for health and safety reasons, or to ensure the continued operations of Parliament.

Current Distribution of Space

The functions of Parliament are currently accommodated in various buildings within the precinct, including lands north and south of Wellington Street, as well as leased space in buildings south of Sparks Street. In addition, certain parliamentary support functions are accommodated outside the central area of the city.

Current Vocation of Assets

The following table summarizes the current use of parliamentary accommodations space in both crown-owned buildings and leased facilities.