Reconstruction of the Grande Allée Armoury in Québec

The Grande Allée Armoury in Québec, home to the oldest French-Canadian regiment still in existence, was damaged by fire in April 2008. One of the Government of Canada's first actions was to clean up the site and undertake the initial work to preserve the remaining structure. In the meantime, the Voltigeurs have been moved to a new site for a 10-year period.

In 2009 and 2010, Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) carried out a series of activities to come up with a plan for the future of the Armoury: public consultations, a feasibility and profitability analysis, a variety of historical, archaeological and environmental analyses, and studies and post-disaster structural evaluations.

PWGSC then carried out a program for the allocation of functional and technical space, additional consultations with Québec organizations and major rehabilitation work to clean up the interior of the building in order to preserve and maintain it and to ensure the safety of workers on the reconstruction worksite. This involved an assessment of the masonry, in-depth cleaning, the structural reinforcement of the building and the installation of semi-permanent heating and ventilation systems. A call for tenders launched in October 2010 resulted in a contract being awarded to the architectural consortium Arcop, D.F.S. Inc., architecture & design, Saint-Gelais Montminy et associés to prepare the architectural designs and sketches for reconstruction of the Armoury.

Federal government environmental and architectural heritage experts have conducted surveys and drawn up plans and specifications for the work associated with components to be preserved or restored. Some of the components have been sorted and stored on site, outside the buildings.

The reconstruction of the Grande Allée Armoury represents an investment of approximately $104M under Canada's Economic Action Plan, notably $93M expected for the reconstruction and $11.3M invested towards consultations, the development of a plan for the future of the Armoury, a feasibility and cost-effectiveness analysis, the development of the concepts, as well as work towards the rehabilitation and preparation of the site.

In November 2012, the federal government presented the successful design for reconstruction of the Armoury. PWGSC will be the prime contractor for the reconstruction, rehabilitation and restoration.

About the Armoury

In April 2008, the Grande Allée Armoury in Québec was damaged by fire. Despite the damage it sustained, the building retains some of its architectural integrity and most of the features that make it an exceptional example of the Château style.

Built in 1887 and expanded in 1913, the Armoury has always been a prominent feature of the Quebec City landscape. It was designed by Quebec architect Eugène-Étienne Taché who is known for his designs for the Quebec National Assembly building and the former Quebec City courthouse.

Its influence on a number of subsequent major Canadian buildings' style led to the Armoury being designated a "national historic site of Canada" on the recommendation of the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada, which also includes the parade ground (Place Georges-V) located between the building and Grande Allée to the north. The building was also "Classified" on the recommendation of the Federal Heritage Building Review Office, meaning that it obtained the highest heritage designation that can be granted to a federal building by the Minister of the Environment.

The Armoury is owned by the federal government, more specifically by the Department of National Defence (DND). It is a landmark in the memory of Canadians, valued for its associations with the Voltigeurs - the oldest French-Canadian regiment still in existence - and the Royal Rifles of Canada.