Saturday, June 22, 2019

Is the Government of Canada planning to sell off more federal buildings?

Is that why public servants are being offered "alternative work hubs"?According to a June 3, 2019 Ottawa Citizen newspaper article:
     "The pilot project, called GCcoworking, is being spearheaded by Public Services and Procurement Canada and seeks to provide federal government employees with flexible workplaces separate from their regular offices or their homes." (From: "Federal government opens 2 of 5 alternative work hubs for public servants." by Kayla Douglas, Ottawa Citizen, June 3, 2019.)
 (Note: The Department of Public Works and Government Services is now known as Public Services and Procurement Canada.)

On September 15, 2006 PWGSC Minister Michael Fortier conducted a study of 35 Crown-owned buildings. This is what happened to the portfolio:
Sir John Carling Building, Headquarters of Agriculture and Agri-food Canada - Carling Avenue Ottawa - Demolished.

Fairmont RCMP Complex, 657-37th Avenue West, Vancouver British Columbia - sold.

National Film Board Headquarters, 3155 Cote-de-Liesse, Montreal. Named the Norman McLaren Building to honour a producer and artist who won an American Academy Award. The complex is now vacant and will likely be demolished.

Harry Hays Building, 220 - 4th Avenue SE, Calgary, Alberta - sold to Larco Investments.

Canada Place, 9700 Jasper Avenue NW, Edmonton, Alberta. Sold to Larco Investments.

Skyline Towers 1 to V11, 1400 Merivale Road, Ottawa - sold to Larco Investments.

Sinclair Centre, 757 Hastings Street West, Vancouver, British Columbia - named the Sinclair Centre to honour James Sinclair, father-in-law of former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. The former Canada Post Dominion Building was almost sold to Larco Investments.

Thomas D'Arcy McGee Building, 90 Sparks Street, Ottawa - sold to Larco Investments.

Revenue Canada Agency, 305 Rene-Levesque Boulevard West, Montreal - sold to Larco Investments.

RCMP Headquarters, 4225 Dorchester Blvd., Westmount Quebec. - sold to Larco Investments.

Taxation Data Centre, 875 Heron Road, Ottawa - the entire Confederation Heights government complex (256.99 acres) will be the focus of a massive residential and commercial redevelopment, spearheaded by the National Capital Commission and Public Services and Procurement Canada, see the document "Confederation Heights - Queen's University".
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Minister Fortier said: "The average age of the office space portfolio is approximately 44 years and several key properties have reached their life expectancy."

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Crown assets that will probably be privatized in the future, they were part of a list of 35 buildings that were being reviewed:

John G. Diefenbaker Building, 111 Sussex Drive, Ottawa.
Her Royal Highness Princess Margaret attends the official opening of  the former Ottawa City Hall, 111 Sussex Drive. (1958)  (Photo from City of Ottawa Archives.)



National Library and Archives, 395 Wellington Street, Ottawa - the building will be "surplus" when a new structure is built on LeBreton Flats.

Sir William Logan Building, 580 Booth Street, Ottawa - is part of the former Department of Energy, Mines and Resources campus. A majority of the site is the focus of a major condominium/ Ottawa Community Housing and commercial development.

Tunney's Pasture Complex, Ottawa - is being converted into a high density condominium and commercial district. I believe that the Brooke Claxton Health Canada landmark will eventually be demolished, Health Canada employees are part of a pilot project to use alternative work hubs.

Place du Portage, Phases 1 and 11 - 50 rue Victoria, Gatineau Quebec.

Winnipeg Tax Centre, 66 Stapon Road, Winnipeg Manitoba.

Lester B. Pearson Building, 125 Sussex Drive, Ottawa.

Place du Portage complex, 11 Laurier Avenue, Gatineau Quebec.

Major General George R. Pearkes Building, 101 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa.

Nicholson Building, RCMP Headquarters and Trailers - 1200 Vanier Parkway, Ottawa.

RCMP Headquarters, 1200 Vanier Parkway, Ottawa, during the year 1983.

A 1985 report prepared by the Hon. Erik Nielsen, a Deputy Prime Minister of Canada. Eighteen Agriculture Canada experimental farms are gone, and Fisheries and Oceans Canada abandoned their entire portfolio of lighthouses, 1,000.

 Parks Canada may sell off $8 Billion dollars worth of infrastructure in our National Parks, that includes highways, roads, nature trails, bridges and culverts. The Rideau Canal is a National Historic Site of Canada and UNESCO World Heritage Site---will the  lockstations and locks be privatized?
 They are classified as "infrastructure" and Parks Canada is their custodian. They are located at Hog's Back; Smiths Falls; Poonamallee; Kingston Mills; Merrickville; Burritt's Rapids; Newboro; Jones Falls; Chaffey's Locks; Black Rapids; Nicholson;



















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