Dozens of local companies will be able to tap into the federal government’s Ottawa-based district energy system when it is modernized by 2025 in an effort to boost efficiency, save money and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
“One of the goals that we have in the program is to make this a community asset,” said Don Grant, strategic advisor of engagement of the government’s energy services acquisition program.
That program is at the heart of a plan to transition Public Services and Procurement Canada’s properties to 100-per-cent clean power. It also includes updating five central heating and cooling plants at Confederation Heights, Tunney’s Pasture, the Cliff plant at 1 Fleet St., the National Research Council at 98 Sussex Dr., and the Canadian Government Printing Bureau at 45 Sacré-Coeur Blvd. in Gatineau.
“We currently have an antiquated, inefficient energy system that heats and cools more than 80 public and privately owned buildings in the National Capital Region, including the Parliament Buildings,” Environment and Climate Change Minister Catherine McKenna said during a July 17 announcement at the Confederation Heights plant at 501 Heron Rd.
Some of the plants date back more than 100 years to 1916, while many others were built in the 1950s. They have come to the end of their life cycle and have become a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, McKenna said, flanked by Ottawa-Vanier MP Mona Fortier and Treasury Board President Scott Brison.
The overhaul will cost $2.1 billion over five years. More than half of that will go to the plant modernization.
An explosion at the Cliff plant in 2009 that caused the death of a worker did not spur the creation of the energy services acquisition program, confirmed Nicolas Boucher, department spokesperson.
Following the boiler blast, Public Works and Procurement Canada was fined $300,000 for health and safety violations, including staff training failures.
“The initiative was initiated prior to the explosion at the Cliff Plant,” Boucher said in an email. “The current infrastructure uses outdated steam technology that is increasingly costly to operate and maintain, and many components within the plants are well past their expected life spans.”
“The explosion is one of many factors that were considered in business plans from 2009 onward,” added department spokesperson Jean-François Létourneau.
“One of the goals that we have in the program is to make this a community asset,” said Don Grant, strategic advisor of engagement of the government’s energy services acquisition program.
That program is at the heart of a plan to transition Public Services and Procurement Canada’s properties to 100-per-cent clean power. It also includes updating five central heating and cooling plants at Confederation Heights, Tunney’s Pasture, the Cliff plant at 1 Fleet St., the National Research Council at 98 Sussex Dr., and the Canadian Government Printing Bureau at 45 Sacré-Coeur Blvd. in Gatineau.
“We currently have an antiquated, inefficient energy system that heats and cools more than 80 public and privately owned buildings in the National Capital Region, including the Parliament Buildings,” Environment and Climate Change Minister Catherine McKenna said during a July 17 announcement at the Confederation Heights plant at 501 Heron Rd.
Some of the plants date back more than 100 years to 1916, while many others were built in the 1950s. They have come to the end of their life cycle and have become a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, McKenna said, flanked by Ottawa-Vanier MP Mona Fortier and Treasury Board President Scott Brison.
The overhaul will cost $2.1 billion over five years. More than half of that will go to the plant modernization.
An explosion at the Cliff plant in 2009 that caused the death of a worker did not spur the creation of the energy services acquisition program, confirmed Nicolas Boucher, department spokesperson.
Following the boiler blast, Public Works and Procurement Canada was fined $300,000 for health and safety violations, including staff training failures.
“The initiative was initiated prior to the explosion at the Cliff Plant,” Boucher said in an email. “The current infrastructure uses outdated steam technology that is increasingly costly to operate and maintain, and many components within the plants are well past their expected life spans.”
“The explosion is one of many factors that were considered in business plans from 2009 onward,” added department spokesperson Jean-François Létourneau.
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