Public Board of Directors Meeting

The Board of Directors has approved the Sustainable Development Strategy Annual Report 2022–2023.

As of March 31, 2023, the NCC has made progress on 35 out of 36 actions and on 72 out of 76 indicators in its Strategy.

Some of the highlights include:

• The finalization of the new Capital Design Guidelines, which showcase our commitment to building a Capital that is resilient to climate change;
• A 61% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from fiscal year 2005–2006 to 2021–2022;
• The development of a climate adaptation plan to be completed by March 2024;
• The development of a net-zero real property portfolio plan as part of the Climate Mitigation Plan;
• The adoption of a new NCC green procurement policy; and
• Financial contributions to ensure the conservation in perpetuity of two properties:
• A 23-hectare property located in the Larrimac ecological corridor of Gatineau Park;
• An 18-hectare property located in the Breckenridge ecological corridor of Gatineau Park.

As a designated entity under the Federal Sustainable Development Act, the NCC is finalizing its Sustainable Development Strategy for 2023–2027.

The Board of Directors has approved the final draft of the Sustainable Development Strategy 2023–2027. The document will be presented to Parliament and published in November 2023.

The strategy commits to integrating sustainable development into all aspects of NCC business lines. This will help create a culture of sustainability, as directed by the Board in October 2021.

Implementing this strategy shows leadership in making the National Capital Region sustainable and resilient to climate change. The NCC is working toward net-zero and climate resilient operations by 2050.

The Board of Directors approved today the Algonquin name Kichi Zībī Mīkan (kitchi zee-bee MEE-khan) to replace the Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway. The name Kichi Zībī Mīkan means “Great River Road,” and was chosen based of an Indigenous naming and engagement exercise.

The new name references the Algonquin name for the river, Kichi Zībī, and the original name for the parkway, the Ottawa River Parkway. The new name highlights the importance of the Ottawa River as a great and abundant river that has provided for peoples’ needs for generations, just as it does today.

In spring 2023, the NCC concluded Algonquin engagement activities, which included storytelling and workshops with community members. Public engagement activities to gather stories about the parkway also took place online and through an in-person public open house and dialogue session. These stories may also inform a future interpretation plan on the area, including the parkway and the riverfront park.

This decision aligns with the new NCC Toponymy Policy, specifically the principles of integrity, inclusiveness and relevance.

How the NCC names its properties

The Board of Directors has approved the final Schematic Design and Design Guidelines for the Sussex Heritage Courtyards project.

The NCC created the Sussex Heritage Courtyards as part of its “Mile of History” project. Today, these public spaces continue to offer a unique urban experience in Canada’s Capital.

There are opportunities for improvement within the courtyard spaces. The courtyards need work to address safety concerns and make sure they remain vibrant and attractive to existing and future tenants.

The documents included in this submission will guide the design development to rehabilitate each courtyard once funding becomes available.

The Board of Directors has approved the 100% Schematic Design for the main hospital building and central utility plant. Schematic design advances the general layout and concepts of the master site plan. The approved schematic design will undergo design development and be represented to the Board of Directors before advancing to construction.

The new campus will be a sustainable, world-class healthcare facility. It is set to be one of the largest and most advanced in Canada when it opens in 2028.

The facility will provide emergency, acute care, inpatient, surgical and rehabilitation services. It will also house outpatient, education and research facilities. The estimated capital cost for this ambitious project is approximately $3 billion.

In October 2021, the Board approved the Phase 1 Master Site Plan and amendment to the Capital Urban Lands Plan. This allowed the project to move forward and the hospital to be built at the Central Experimental Farm site.

In 2022, the Board approved Phase 2, which includes the schematic design of the parking garage and roof park as well as various site mobilization projects.

The Board of Directors has approved the Landscape Schematic Design for Parliament Hill, excluding the surface parking. This is the first phase of the design process.

The major landscape zones included within the project boundary are:

• the Wellington Street Edge,
• the Parliamentary Forecourt, and
• the Perimeter Plateau.

The Schematic Design for the overall Centre Block Rehabilitation Program and below-grade Parliament Welcome Centre was approved by the Board of Directors in October 2022.

The Centre Block Rehabilitation Program is a heritage restoration initiative led by Public Services and Procurement Canada.

The Board of Directors approved the 2SLGBTQI+ National Monument Final Developed Design.

The initial design is inspired by a thunderhead cloud, which symbolizes the strength, activism and hope of 2SLGBTQI+ communities. It considers the nearby monuments, their proximity and visual relationship to the site.

Some key design modifications include pathway reconfiguration around the monument. These changes will increase visibility, offer safer circulation to and around the monument and improve the integration of the monument into the overall site.

The NCC is the approval authority and custodian of the monument.