Demolition of Institutional Buildings at the Asticou Centre

The National Capital Commission (NCC) is acquiring an 8.9-hectare parcel of land located adjacent to Gatineau Park at 241 Boulevard de la Cité-des-Jeunes in Gatineau (the "Asticou Centre"). The NCC proposes to undertake the demolition of nine (9) existing institutional buildings located on this parcel of land for the purpose of eventually re-naturalizing the site.

 

This project supports several NCC policies and long-term land management objectives, particularly those related to the stewardship of federal lands, the protection and restoration of natural environments. This project advances NCC's broader goals for sustainable land use, landscape restoration, and the responsible planning of federal real property in the National Capital Region.

 

The proposed project would take place on National Capital Commission (NCC) lands and approval under the Federal Land Use, Design and Transaction Approval (FLUDTA) process is required for the demolition of the existing buildings.

 

The scope of work will include but may not be limited to the following:  

  • abatement of hazardous construction substances;
  • removing the buildings;
  • removing subsurface structures;
  • backfilling the building footprints.

 

The buildings that are scheduled for removal are Blocks 100, 200, 300, 400, 600, 700, 800, 900, and 1000. These buildings are single storey structures with one (1) basement level. Block 500 and associated existing parking lots will be retained.

 

All buildings have undergone detailed hazardous materials surveys. Hazardous construction materials will be removed and disposed of in accordance with provincial and federal requirements prior to building demolition. Subsurface structures, including foundations, basement slabs, underground utilities, and other buried infrastructure will also be removed. Soil quality has been assessed and determined to be non-hazardous.

 

Heritage mitigation obligations associated with the project included detailed photographic documentation and a virtual tour of the buildings, and these were accepted by the Federal Heritage Buildings Review Office (FHBRO).

 

The 8.9-hectare parcel of the Asticou Centre being acquired by the NCC is located immediately east of Gatineau Park's wooded lands. The overall Asticou Centre site contains or is adjacent to several ecological features, including a permanent fish-bearing water course, intermittent watercourses and associated wetlands. These hydrological features are outside the planned demolition work area, but measures will be implemented to prevent possible impacts from erosion and sediment.

 

There are species of conservation interest in the general area such as wood thrush, bats, snapping and painted turtles. Measures to exclude these species from the demolition work area and buildings will be implemented prior to nesting seasons. An inspection by a qualified biologist will be completed after the installation of the exclusion measures but prior to the start of the work. Work will be required to stop in zones where species are identified pending instructions and recommendations from a qualified biologist.

 

The work will rely on standard construction equipment, including excavators, loaders, haul trucks, and compaction equipment. The demolition is expected to begin in mid- to late 2026 with completion in Spring 2028. Best management practices will be applied for noise, dust, sediment control, and site security. No tree removals are anticipated, and a 90 percent waste diversion target will be pursued through material recycling and recovery.

 

Once cleared and long-term restoration is completed, the site will contribute to improved ecological connectivity with Gatineau Park. The parking lot (P-8) used by the public to access Gatineau Park is expected to remain accessible throughout this work.

More

Latest update

April 1, 2026 – The National Capital Commission intends to make a determination regarding whether the carrying out of the project is likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects. To help inform this determination, the National Capital Commission is inviting public comments until May 4, 2026.

Participate

Key documents

Key documents
Document number Document title File Date
1 Demolition of Institutional Buildings at the Asticou Centre – Public Comments Invited - April 1, 2026

Contacts

Civil Engineering and Environment, Design and Construction
National Capital Commission
202–40 Elgin Street
Ottawa, Ontario K1P 1C7
Telephone: 613-239-5000 or 1-800-465-1867
Email: Civil-Enviro@ncc-ccn.ca


Disclaimer

This map is for illustrative purposes. The markers represent the approximate locations based on available data. More than one marker may be identified for a given assessment.

  • Location

    • Gatineau (Quebec)

  • Nature of Activity

    • Other, not otherwise specified

  • Assessment Status

    In progress

  • Start Date

    2026-04-01

  • Proponent

    National Capital Commission

  • Authorities

    • National Capital Commission

  • Assessment Type

    Project on federal lands

  • Reference Number

    90336

Nearby assessments

...within 200 kilometres
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