Ottawa advances $404.9-million construction phase for transport-safety lab

The federal government has exercised a construction-management option worth about $404.9 million with Bird Construction for a new transportation-safety research facility in Ottawa.

Main construction began in fall 2026 at the National Research Council’s Montréal Road campus, with completion expected in 2031. The planned complex will bring together about 260 employees from the NRC and Transportation Safety Board.

The facility is intended to support research and investigations involving aviation, marine, rail, road and pipeline transportation. The October 30 announcement advances the construction phase; the laboratory is not yet operational.

Source: Public Services and Procurement Canada news release (October 30, 2026).

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