A major federal science infrastructure project in Ottawa has entered a new phase after the Government of Canada awarded PCL Construction Canada Inc. a $768.6 million construction services contract.
The contract covers the Regulatory and Security Science Main (RSS Main) project and marks a major step forward for a campus that is expected to bring together scientific expertise from several federal agencies.
The project is being developed at the existing Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) Ottawa Laboratory site, where Public Services and Procurement Canada is delivering six modern science facilities.
Following earlier site preparation and enabling work, the project is now moving into full construction.
Six facilities designed around collaboration
Once completed, the facilities will form the RSS Main campus, creating a shared scientific environment for researchers and scientists from the CFIA, Canada Border Services Agency, Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada.
The campus will include modern laboratories, advanced technologies and digital systems designed to support scientific research and regulatory activities.
The project is being delivered in several components rather than as a single fixed development.
That approach is intended to give the campus greater flexibility, allowing it to expand and adapt as scientific requirements change over time.
The current phase is valued at approximately $1 billion and represents about 50% of the total planned RSS Main scope.
Construction already underway
Although the latest contract represents the transition into full construction, work on the wider project actually began in 2024.
The construction programme is expected to continue until 2031.
The development is being delivered through Laboratories Canada, a federal initiative with a total value of $3.8 billion aimed at modernising Canada’s science infrastructure.
The RSS Main project is using Laboratories Canada’s Repeatable Laboratory Design Framework, a standardised approach intended to improve the way federal laboratory facilities are planned and delivered.
The project is also targeting high standards for sustainability, accessibility and energy performance, including LEED and Fitwel certification.
Indigenous perspectives included in the project
The federal government is also working with the Anishinàbe Algonquin Nation and other Indigenous partners during the planning and design of RSS Main.
The objective is to incorporate Indigenous perspectives into the development of the campus as the project progresses.
For Ottawa, the investment represents more than another major construction project. The new facilities are intended to provide federal scientists with updated laboratories and technology while creating a shared environment for agencies responsible for food safety, border security, health and public health.
With the $768.6 million PCL contract now awarded, the RSS Main campus is moving into one of the most substantial phases of its development, with construction scheduled to continue for the next five years before completion in 2031.
