Gatineau 2 Project

Background

  • The Gatineau 2 Project will be delivered through a Public-Private Partnership (P3). The Project scope includes:
    • design and construction of a new purpose built preservation facility (Gatineau 2);
    • optimization of specific vaults in the existing Preservation Centre;
    • financing, operation and maintenance of the two facilities over a 30 year service period.
  • January 31, 2019—LAC announced Plenary Properties Gatineau (PPG) as the preferred proponent to become the private partner.
  • April 26, 2019—Contract awarded. Construction to begin in August 2019, with the completion of the new facility expected in May 2022.
  • June 18, 2019—Press conference for the signature of the project agreement with the PPG and the unvealing of the new preservation facility’s design. Event was published in many mainstream national media outlets.
  • August 2019—A groundbreaking ceremony took place to officially launch the construction phase.
  • The project is the largest upcoming public building construction project in Canada.
  • The new building will be the world’s largest archival facility equipped with an Automated Storage and Retrieval System (ASRS).
  • The new facility will be the first government facility constructed to meet the net-zero carbon requirements of the Greening Government Strategy.

Considerations

  • On April 1, 2020, PPG will take over the operation and maintenance of the existing Preservation Centre.
  • This will be the first time that LAC operates within a P3 framework.
  • A Ministerial Order was issued on August 22, 2018, by Environment and Climate Change Canada under the Species at Risk Act to protect the Western Chorus Frog, which has established habitat on the Gatineau Campus. Upon the implementation of the project agreement, it will be PPG’s responsibility to ensure that all requirements under the Species at Risk Act (SARA) have been respected.

Key messages

  • The Gatineau 2 Project will provide an improved preservation environment for Canada’s documentary heritage for present and future generations. The new facility will increase storage capacity and further consolidate LAC’s archival collections at its Gatineau campus.
  • The P3 procurement model provides increased operational efficiencies and the best value for money.
  • While providing essential spaces for the storage of Canada’s analog documentary heritage, LAC will continue to digitize its collection and be an innovator in digital preservation.
  • LAC’s collection will remain accessible to clients throughout the construction and the moves, with some predetermined disruption periods that will temporarily affect service standards. Clients will be made aware of these disruption periods well in advance.
  • Construction of the new facility will create direct and indirect non-government jobs in the National Capital Region over the duration of the project and have a positive impact on the local and regional economies. A December 2018 study by Deloitte estimated that the economic impact of the project in the province of Quebec would be equivalent to 1,300 full-time jobs during the design and construction of the project.

Additional information on costs, for use if pressed:

  • The Project will be implemented within LAC’s current budget and will not impact LAC’s programs.
  • Estimated cost ($330 million) includes project implementation and administration, construction of the new facility, optimization of vaults in the existing Preservation Centre, and financing.
  • Additional costs for maintenance and operation of the two preservation facilities over a period of 30 years. The total contract value will reach over $580 million (including taxes).
  • The P3 model also included a proposal design fee of $500,000 to each unsuccessful proponent, which was paid in full following signature of the project agreement.

SMEs:

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