Ottawa Co-location

Ottawa Co-location Event Photos

The consolidation and co-location of 11 provincial ministries in the City of Ottawa has served to highlight the pride and passion within the Ontario Public Service and create a stronger provincial identity in the nation’s capital. An opening celebration was held on April 4, 2008 at the government’s new home at Preston Square, under the theme “Together We Serve Better”. The event was planned and attended by the participating ministries, the Ontario Realty Corporation (ORC) and other development partners.

The Ottawa Co-location project brings together, in one building, approximately 500 government employees who were previously scattered across the Ottawa area. Built to a LEED Silver standard, the new, shared accommodations are modern, efficient and support the concepts of a healthy workplace and environment, energy efficiency and fiscal responsibility.

The ORC identified this unique opportunity to consider a co-location and oversaw an open and competitive lease search that ended with Sakto Corporation as the successful proponent. Collaboration was paramount to ensure each ministry’s space and business requirements were met as well as accommodating the appropriate amount of shared space within the building to support the co-location.

The co-location provides the opportunity for more sharing of knowledge, which will further improve the high level of service provided to the people of Ontario.

Maureen Crabtree, an employee with the Ministry of the Attorney General, took part in the opening celebration and is excited to be in the new building.

“I love the diversity, the networking possibilities that we’re all going to experience,” said Crabtree.

Her ministry works closely with the Ministry of Community and Social Services, which was previously blocks away. It’s but one example of a situation that lends itself to a more harmonized provincial workforce.

Distinguished speakers at the opening celebration included the Hon. Jim Watson, MPP for Ottawa West-Nepean, the Hon. Madeleine Meilleur, MPP for Ottawa-Vanier, Carol Layton, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Public Infrastructure Renewal and Greg Dadd, COO of the Ontario Realty Corporation.

The new provincial offices are fully accessible and will reduce energy consumption through the use of energy-efficient lighting, motion sensors and the sharing of common spaces such as boardrooms, mail rooms and reception areas. There is bicycle parking available and on-site shower facilities to maximize the potential for energy saving modes of transportation. Ottawa’s public transit system, OC Transpo, stops at the front door.

Government employees occupy the second, third and fourth floors, while the ground floor features retail outlets and restaurants. The Preston Square project located in the heart of “Little Italy” was made possible through the expiry of 100,000 square feet of leased space across Ottawa and was recognized with a Special Jury Award at the 2007 Ottawa Urban Design Awards