Tashi Farmilo
LJI Reporter

A world-class Cultural Heritage Science (CHS) facility will be built in Gatineau, dedicated to
safeguarding Canada’s most treasured artifacts and stories.

The 18,000 square metre building will rise at 51, Boul. Sacré-Coeur, behind the historic National
Printing Bureau. It will bring together about 170 experts from Parks Canada, the Canadian
Conservation Institute and the Canadian Heritage Information Network. Inside, purpose-built
labs, workshops and advanced technology will support everything from field investigations and
scientific analysis to hands-on conservation.

The CHS will care for iconic pieces of Canadian history, including relics from the Franklin
expedition, Maurice “Rocket” Richard’s famed hockey sweater, works by Anishinaabe artist
Norval Morrisseau and a test rocket from the Avro Arrow program.

Partnerships with Indigenous Peoples are central to the project. Planning has been shaped
through dialogue with the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation and supported by the Algonquin
Anishinabeg Nation Tribal Council. Indigenous knowledge will be woven into conservation
practices, and the facility will include culturally safe spaces for ceremony and reflection. The
government says these partnerships will also help create long-term economic opportunities for
Indigenous communities.

The CHS is part of the federal Laboratories Canada strategy, a $3.7 billion initiative to
modernize science infrastructure through collaborative science hubs. Procurement for the
project is already under way, with a request for proposals expected in fall 2025 and the final
design-build contract to be awarded by fall 2026. Construction will follow soon after.

“This bold investment will give our experts the tools to protect, celebrate and share our heritage
for generations to come,” said Hull–Aylmer MP Greg Fergus. “A strong nation knows where it
comes from. That’s why we’re building our future by honouring our past.”

Photo: Gatineau will be home to a state-of-the-art Cultural Heritage Science facility at 51, Boul.
Sacré-Coeur that will preserve Canada’s most valuable artifacts, advance conservation
research, and strengthen partnerships with Indigenous communities. (TF) Photo: Tashi Farmilo