A 3-D architectural rendering of the West Memorial Building.Supplied
Canada’s top court will move to a new home this year that is expected to be its base of operations for at least a decade.
The Supreme Court of Canada is moving across Wellington Street in downtown Ottawa to a 1950s-era office complex that has been prepared for it over the past few years.
The move to the West Memorial Building is expected to take place in the summer.
Once the court has moved, the path will be clear for the renovation of the court complex, an Art Deco building designed by Ernest Cormier, who was also involved in the design of the United Nations headquarters in New York. Cases were first heard in the court complex in 1946.
The renovation of both the court complex and the West Memorial Building has a budget of more than $1-billion.
In a statement, court spokesperson Vanessa Racine said the renovation of the Supreme Court building will take at least 10 years.
A rendering of a courtroom in the West Memorial Building.Supplied
Supreme Court justices are required to retire at the age of 75, which means that Chief Justice Richard Wagner, who is 68, will not be returning to the renovated building.
Public Services and Procurement Canada defended the time needed to complete the upgrades.
“The Supreme Court of Canada rehabilitation is a highly complex heritage project aimed at fully modernizing an asset that has exceeded its life cycle,” spokesperson Michele LaRose said in a statement issued by the department.
She said the project is still in the planning phase, with a detailed timeline being developed.
“This is a significant undertaking, comparable to other major heritage rehabilitation projects managed by Public Services and Procurement Canada.”
A rendering of the West Memorial Building's grand hall.Supplied
In 2024, The Globe and Mail joined Jean-Yves Duclos, who was then the public services minister, for a tour of the Cormier court complex.
It revealed a leaky underground parking lot with exposed rebar and plastic positioned to protect vehicles from the water. In an area behind the library, plastic buckets were set out to collect drips.
Martin Lelièvre, a senior project director for Public Services who led the tour, itemized a list of issues along the way. At the time, he recalled that marble had become detached from the ceiling of the grand hall lobby.
Ms. Racine, the strategic communications director in the chambers of Chief Justice Wagner, said it will be business as usual despite the move.
“The relocation to the West Memorial Building will not cause any disruption to the court’s work,” she said.
A rendering of the West Memorial Building's gallery.Supplied
The renovated facilities will retain the red carpeting and judges’ bench in the courtroom, while including new elements such as skylights in the courtroom and a grand entrance hall to allow natural light into the space.
The West Memorial Building was built between 1954 and 1958 and has been vacant since 2008. It has been renovated to accommodate the court with upgrades to improve accessibility and make it more resistant to earthquakes. Its multimedia and security systems have also been upgraded while preserving its heritage characteristics.
Once the Supreme Court moves back to its original building, the West Memorial Building will accommodate federal government occupants.
The Centre Block of Parliament Hill is also undergoing a renovation expected to cost as much as $5-billion before it is completed in 2030 or 2031.