Harper Government Announces Signing of Lease to Consolidate Operations of Eastern Quebec Tax Services Office in Quebec

Government of Canada/Public Works — November 5, 2012

QUEBEC CITY, QUEBEC--(Marketwire - Nov. 5, 2012) - Today, on behalf of the Honourable Rona Ambrose, Minister of Public Works and Government Services and Minister for the Status of Women, the Honourable Christian Paradis, Minister of Industry and Minister of State (Agriculture), announced the signing of a lease to consolidate the operations of the Canada Revenue Agency's Eastern Quebec Tax Services Office (Québec site) in a new, environmentally friendly federal government building in Québec.

"I am pleased to announce that following an open and transparent procurement process, local joint venture Pomerleau inc. and Investissements immobiliers Kevlar inc. will build a new federal government building in Quebec City," said Minister Ambrose. "Our Government is proud to continue stimulating the Canadian economy with the construction of a second federal building in Québec."

"This is the second federal building of modern design to be built in the D'Estimauville sector since 2009, and I am pleased to see our Government continuing to help revitalize this part of the city," said Minister Paradis.

Between now and March 2015, some 500 employees will be relocated to a 11,025-m² building that will be built on the northeast corner of D'Estimauville Avenue and Sainte-Anne Boulevard, next to the federal building at 1550 D'Estimauville Avenue.

This consolidation of offices, which are currently located in four different areas of the city, will improve the organization's operational efficiency by consolidating certain common requirements and facilitating collaboration among employees. The space requirements will be approximately 15 per cent lower than the total for the four current locations, resulting in lower accommodation costs.

The new building will be constructed in accordance with LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certification standards to ensure that its environmental footprint is reduced during and after construction. This will decrease the building's energy (electricity, water, heating) consumption and, hence, the associated operating costs.

The selected proposal-a 20-year emphyteutic lease-provides the best value for taxpayers. When the lease expires, Public Works and Government Services Canada will automatically own the four-storey building free and clear.

An independent fairness monitor was mandated to ensure the integrity of the entire process. The fairness monitor's report indicated the following: "In our professional opinion, the procurement process we observed was conducted in accordance with the relevant documentation and in a fair, open and transparent manner."

Furthermore, in accordance with the integrity measures adopted by PWGSC on July 11, 2012, the department verified information about the companies to which the contract was awarded. Both the joint venture and its directors met the applicable integrity criteria.

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Contact Information

Amber Irwin
Office of the Honourable Rona Ambrose
819-997-5421

Media Relations
Public Works and Government Services Canada
514-496-3588