Work on a new temporary home for the Supreme Court of Canada is already three years behind schedule due to a series of unforeseen problems.
Authorities said no timetable had yet been set for the start and completion of urgently needed work on the building housing the country’s highest court.
The modernization of the building was scheduled to take place from 2023 to 2028. During that time, the nine justices and their staff were to move across the street to the West Memorial Building.
Alas! This building, which itself needs renovation, will not be ready before 2026.
A budget of more than a billion dollars has been set for the renovation work of these two buildings located west of Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
The Supreme Court building has not undergone major renovations since it was built more than 80 years ago. Its modernization is currently in the planning stages, the Department of Public Services and Procurement said.
“We are currently working on updating the cost estimate and developing a detailed schedule of work. No date has yet been set for the start of work,” he said. “Because that schedule has not yet been determined, we cannot say when the Supreme Court will be able to return to its home.”
The West Memorial Building, part of the Second World War Memorial, was built in the 1950s. It has been vacant since 2007 due to its poor general condition, including the storage of hazardous materials.
The exterior walls of the seven-story building are clad in smooth Indiana limestone, Stanstead granite plinth and copper. A colonnade connects the building to the East Memorial Building across Lyon Street.
When the renovations are complete, the West Memorial Building will have a grand lobby with a large skylight. A winding staircase will lead to a courtroom in which nine angled arches — representing the number of justices on the Supreme Court — will allow natural light to flood in.
This building will also temporarily house the Federal Court.
Renovations were scheduled to begin in 2020, but were not yet complete last year due to delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and other complex requirements.
The building’s structure required new plans, including adding new beams to strengthen it to meet building codes, the ministry said. It also required removing materials deemed unsafe and replacing mechanical, electrical and life safety systems.
Although no timetable has yet been determined, officials expect the Supreme Court to move into its new home in the summer of 2026.
Stephanie Bachand, the Supreme Court’s senior legal adviser and chief of staff, says there are no concerns about staff safety. The building is stable and safe thanks to the cooperation of the Department of Public Services and Procurement, she said.