Ottawa Lands $768 Million Federal Contract to Build New National Laboratory Campus

The federal government has awarded a $768.6 million contract to build a new laboratory campus on the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s grounds in Ottawa, a project it says will also count toward Canada’s NATO defence investment commitments.
PCL Construction Canada was awarded the contract to build the project, known as the Regulatory and Security Science Main campus, on Fallowfield Road in the city’s south end. The federal government says the new facility will feature modern laboratories, advanced technologies and digital systems supporting scientific research, and is expected to contribute roughly $900 million toward Canada’s NATO related security and resilience spending over the next decade.
Ottawa South MP David McGuinty said the investment reinforces the city’s role as a hub for science, public service and national resilience. When complete, the campus will bring together about 275 scientists and researchers from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, the Canada Border Services Agency, Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada under one roof, consolidating work currently spread across multiple aging facilities.
The government says the capabilities housed at the new campus will help strengthen Canada’s food supply chain, enhance emergency preparedness and secure the country’s borders while keeping trade and travel moving. The project comes as Ottawa continues to position itself within federal efforts to modernize scientific infrastructure tied to public health, food safety and border security.
No construction timeline was released alongside the announcement, though officials said further details on the project’s schedule are expected as the contract moves into its design and build phases.