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/ Canadian Government Executive
// November 2016
Nestor
Arellano
Partnering the
Ezio DimilloWay
R
ehabilitating the West Block in
considered the most complex
restoration project ever under-
taken in Canada, let alone on
Parliament Hill. Part of the work being
done on the Victorian High Gothic struc-
ture, built in 1865, is to enable it to accom-
modate the House of Commons. It will
move into a new space inside the West
Block’s quandrangle; overhead will be a
new glass roof. (The chamber’s original
home, the Centre Block, is deteriorating
quickly and is in urgent need of all sorts
of modernizations that are expected to
begin in 2018.)
Bringing the West Block to the 21st
century has been a massive undertaking
and a race against time. With a budget
estimated now at $863M, it has entailed
reinforcing the building’s structural in-
tegrity, replacing roofs and stonework,
installing energy-efficient LED lighting,
Strategy
introducing new mechanical and power
systems, removing asbestos and introduc-
ing new safety systems. The moderniza-
tion includes adding 115,000 square feet
of new permanent building space (largely
below ground) to the building’s existing
176,300 square feet of floor area. The work
is mostly being done by PCL Construction,
a deeply experienced, Calgary-based firm.
Apart from the engineering, architectur-
al and construction expertise, the success
of the project depends heavily on build-
ing “uncommon relationships.” At least
that’s what Ezio Dimillo, director general
for project management and delivery of
the Parliamentary Precinct Branch at the
Public Services and Procurement Canada
(formerly known as Public Works and Gov-
ernment Services Canada), believes.
Dimillo is responsible for ensuring that
Public Services and Procurement’s multi-
billion dollar Long Term Vision Plan
(LTVP) for rehabilitating and modernizing
the West Block and a collection other heri-
tage buildings such as the Sir John A Mac-
donald Building, the Wellington Build-
ing and the East Block, all come together
without a hitch. His accomplishment in
bringing people together has earned him
the Association of Professional Executives
of the Public Service of Canada’s (APEX)
Partnership Award for 2016. In conferring
the award, APEX took note of his “manage-
ment excellence and collaboration and his
ability to build strong relationships which
led to the success of various projects in the
Parliamentary Precinct.”
The LTVP
The Long Term Vision Plan was developed
back in 2001 as a 25-year program to up-
grade aging buildings in Ottawa. The plan
was updated in 2007 with the focus of im-
plementing a series of five-year rehabilita-
tion projects. Dimillo has been involved
in the LTVP since 2005 and the project he
currently overseas runs from 2013 to 2017.
Essentially, the rehabilitation projects
focus on ensuring that 160-year old build-
ings like the West Block meet the 21st cen-
tury needs of its occupants while preserv-
ing the buildings’ original character. “My
responsibility is to fundamentally make
sure the project is on time and on budget,”
Dimillo explains. “This involves a lot of
planning and not managing a very large
team from my own department but also
collaborating with various teams from oth-
er departments, trades and professions.”
Coordination and
consultation
Dimillo credits his “highly-professional”
team but also recognizes talented and ca-
The structure that will
support the glass roof
that will cover the
courtyar.
Artist’s rendering of the
redesigned West Block
building and courtyard
infill roof.
Artist’s rendering of
interim House of
Commons Chamber
with glass ceiling.