The federal government has awarded a multimillion-dollar construction services contract to PCL Construction to build a science hub on Fallowfield Road.
On Monday, the government announced that PCL was awarded a $768.6-million contract to build the Regulatory and Security Science Main (RSS Main) project, which began in 2024 and is expected to be complete by 2031.
The project will be delivered in multiple components, the news release said, allowing the campus to expand as science needs evolve. The current phase of the project is valued at approximately $1 billion and represents about half of the total planned construction scope, according to the release.
“As part of Canada’s commitments under NATO’s defence investment framework, the RSS Main project will contribute to defence and security-related investment goals by strengthening Canada’s national security, resilience and emergency preparedness capabilities through modern science infrastructure,” the news release said.
“This significant investment will also support Canadian workers and businesses, advancing the Government of Canada’s Buy Canadian objectives through the use of Canadian expertise and, where possible, Canadian-sourced materials.”
The project is expected to contribute about $900 million toward Canada’s NATO-related security and resilience spending over the next 10 years.
The project, in collaboration with Public Services and Procurement Canada, will see six federal buildings replaced by multi-purpose buildings on the existing Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s Ottawa laboratory site at 3851 Fallowfield Rd. near Greenbank Road in Nepean.
The project will accommodate approximately 275 employees from 25 science programs from the CFIA, the Canada Border Services Agency, Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada.
The RSS Main campus will feature “laboratories, advanced technologies and digital systems that support science and research. These capabilities will help strengthen Canada’s food supply, enhance emergency preparedness and secure our borders while keeping trade and travel moving to support the economy.”
The federal government is working with the Anishinàbe Algonquin Nation and other Indigenous partners to incorporate Indigenous perspectives into the planning and design of the project.
