Ottawa’s Parliament buildings have stood as an internationally recognized landmark for decades, their hallowed halls echoing with Canada’s storied history and reverberating with the sound of the iconic Peace Tower.

Staying true to that history, while ensuring the building’s structural integrity, is a challenge that has been rewarding for EllisDon as we work towards restoring and rebuilding Parliament’s Centre Block with our partner, PCL Construction.

“It’s exciting—these buildings are historical landmarks and stand as a testament to our country’s history and a showcase of construction excellence,” said Max Mantha, Chief Operating Officer & Executive Vice President, Eastern Construction, EllisDon. “The opportunity to work alongside PCL to bring modern engineering and construction into this project gives Centre Block the opportunity to stand for another century and hopefully longer.”

The project is multi-faceted, marrying the revered old architecture and design, with modern needs, engineering techniques and building codes. This is highlighted by the creation of a new basement structure slated to hold the new Parliament Welcome Centre. Creating and building a basement beneath Centre Block highlights both the complexity of the project, and the expertise required.

“From a construction standpoint, the basement is one of the most unique phases of the project,” said Mike Armstrong, Vice President & Ottawa Area Manager, EllisDon. “We’re building a basement where there's never been a basement and when you’re working with the foundations of the building as it stands, it’s a delicate process. Additionally, the entire project is representation of our ability to tackle complex projects with our expertise in the field.”

EllisDon and our partner, PCL Construction, will be relying on an intricate, carefully planned operation that will create a temporary foundation supporting the building, while

the old foundation is repaired, and the subterranean labyrinth is built to support the ongoing use and maintenance of Centre Block and the Parliament Buildings as a whole.

EllisDon is excited to continue our work in the rebuilding phase and share additional milestones in the coming years.

Thanks to Public Services and Procurement Canada/Services publics et Approvisionnement Canada for use of their photos