Government of Canada marks significant milestone in Atlantic Science Enterprise Centre

World-class science facility will be first Laboratories Canada project in Atlantic Canada

MONCTON, NB, Nov. 29, 2024 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada, through the Laboratories Canada strategy, is committed to providing federal scientists and researchers with state-of-the-art, sustainable and collaborative facilities to support the transformative changes facing science today and into the future. 

Today, on behalf of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Public Services and Procurement, the Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, and the Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, Minister of Veterans Affairs, and Associate Minister of National Defence, visited the site of the future Atlantic Science Enterprise Centre (ASEC) in Moncton to mark the launch of the next stage in the construction of the science facility.

Together with project leaders, the ministers unveiled the latest design renderings for the expanded facility, which is being built on the site of the existing Gulf Fisheries Centre. The design maintains the heritage facade of the original building. It was completed through sessions and engagements with local Indigenous community members and representatives from the Congregation of the Sisters of Notre-Dame du Sacré-Coeur, founders of the former College Notre Dame d'Acadie.

Site preparation began in 2023, and today's visit marks the official start of construction on the science wing. Occupancy for the science wing is anticipated in 2028 and the full $600-million ASEC facility is expected to be operational by 2032. Local economic benefits are significant, with total construction costs expected to exceed $300 million (before taxes) and upwards of 200 workers on-site during peak periods.

As part of Laboratories Canada's vision for collaborative, functional science infrastructure, ASEC will bring together federal scientists from 5 science-based departments and agencies working to protect and sustain Atlantic freshwater and coastal ecosystems. The centre will be equipped with modern laboratory spaces and technology tailored to scientists' needs, as well as offices and workspaces for over 700 employees.

Quotes

"The Atlantic Science Enterprise Centre represents a significant investment in Atlantic Canada's science infrastructure. By building modern, sustainable facilities that bring together various departments and agencies under one roof, federal scientists are being provided with the tools they need for a strong, collaborative future for Canadian innovation."

The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos
Minister of Public Services and Procurement and Quebec Lieutenant

"I am thrilled to see the Atlantic Science Enterprise Centre take shape. This Centre demonstrates our government's commitment to continuous scientific excellence and innovation and will foster connections between people and information. As such, the future Centre will focus on working to protect and sustain Atlantic freshwater and coastal ecosystems and will strive to engage scientific and academic communities, Indigenous peoples, the fishing industry and the public."

The Honourable Diane Lebouthillier
Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard

"The next phase in the construction of the Atlantic Science Enterprise Centre is here, marking a significant moment for our community. Today's announcement underscores how this expansion will not only advance cutting-edge Canadian research in Atlantic Canada, but also create meaningful employment opportunities, all while ensuring the long-term health and sustainability of our region's ecosystems."

The Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor
Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, Minister of Veterans Affairs, and Associate Minister of National Defence

"Canada has a long and proud history in cutting-edge scientific research. We have some of the brightest minds in the world working here, and now, with the Atlantic Science Enterprise Centre, they will be able to conduct research on Atlantic freshwater and coastal ecosystems with the Atlantic Ocean in their backyard. I am thrilled at the opportunities that this new facility will drive to protect and sustain Atlantic freshwater and coastal systems for generations to come."

The Honourable Dominic Leblanc
Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs

Quick facts

• Laboratories Canada is a long-term strategy that delivers on the vision to strengthen federal science in Canada. The strategy includes the development of science hubs across the country. These hubs will bring together science-based departments and agencies to advance research in science priority areas in modern, sustainable and accessible laboratories and collaborative spaces enabled by modern digital information technology.
• Budget 2018 launched this strategy with an initial investment of $2.8 billion, and Budget 2024 invested a further $900 million, making the total investment to date $3.7 billion, all to support federal scientists in the important work they do for Canada.
• ASEC will house scientists and technical staff from Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Environment and Climate Change Canada, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and the National Research Council of Canada. The Canadian Space Agency will also be a virtual partner.
• The final design includes heritage commemoration of the site via the rehabilitation of different building components and design ideas, most notably a portion of the front masonry façade and interior design of the galleria on the main level.
• The design also incorporates key elements of the Wabanaki Clan System to provide a model for collaboration throughout the new building.
• A 14-metre-long North Atlantic right whale skeleton, one of ASEC's most significant scientific artifacts, will be prominently featured in the atrium. This endangered species represents the importance of the research and protection work taking place within the facility.

Associated links

• Laboratories Canada
• Canada's Long Term Vision and Plan: Laboratories Canada
• Atlantic Science Enterprise Centre
• News release: Government of Canada awards contracts for design and construction of Atlantic Science Enterprise Centre, providing opportunities for Indigenous businesses
• News release: Ground breaking ceremony marks start of construction at the Atlantic Science Enterprise Centre

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SOURCE Public Services and Procurement Canada

Contacts: Mathis Denis, Press Secretary and Senior Communications Advisor, Office of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, 343-573-1846, [email protected]; Media Relations, Public Services and Procurement Canada, 819-420-5501, [email protected]