(551 kb)
(551 kb)
Canada's Parliament Buildings on Parliament Hill are showing their age. Built between 1865 and 1927, these neo-Gothic monuments have endured more than a century of harsh Canadian climate, small earthquakes, water seepage and pollution from air and rain.
In 1992, the government launched a 10-year $483 million project to halt the deterioration, make the structures safe and upgrade the building systems. The repair budget of the familiar Nepean sandstone Peace Tower and the Centre Block south façade, both seriously damaged by polluted rainwater, was $30 million alone. This part of the restoration, which included installing a new copper roof, was eventually finished in 1997, but the Centre Block's other sides are still undergoing repair and the interior faces major renovation and conservation.
The restoration project on the Hill continues with the preservation of the 125-year-old landmark Library of Parliament, located behind the Centre Block, and upgrading of the West Block, which is the oldest of the Parliament buildings.