Feds invest $37 million in net-zero administration and visitor centre at Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area
The Government of Canada has committed more than $37 million in funding to build an Administration and Visitor Centre at the Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area.
The project will serve as Parks Canada's primary operations base to ensure the ecologically sustainable use and cultural heritage of the national marine conservation area. The centre is anticipated to open to the public in 2026.
The project will be the first Parks Canada administered building to be built to Passive House Plus certification and net-zero carbon standards and will demonstrate innovation and leadership in sustainable building practices.
The building has been designed with a 100-year service life, and will be constructed using sustainable practices such as superior thermal storage due to its super-insulated envelope, optimized site orientation, sustainable material selection, and on-site geothermal and photovoltaic energy generation. By harnessing renewable energy sources, the Administration and Visitor Centre will meet its own energy needs while also reducing long-term energy costs and being less susceptible to the rising costs of fossil fuels.
"Our government is committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050, as well as investing in the greening of our operations to support Canada's transition to a cleaner economy,” said Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault. “As the first-ever Passive House Plus certified, net-zero carbon building administered by Parks Canada, the new Administration and Visitor Centre for Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area is an excellent example of this commitment."
The construction contract has been awarded to Thunder Bay’s Finn Way General Contractor Inc. The contract includes initiatives that will promote employment opportunities and use of suppliers and contractors within local Indigenous communities.
This project is the most significant federal investment at a Parks Canada administered place in Northern Ontario.
The federal funding received for this project comes in part from the $557 million announced by the Government of Canada in late 2022 earmarked for Parks Canada priority projects to focus on climate resiliency, public safety, built heritage, and improved visitor experiences.
Once fully established, Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area will be part of a nation-wide system of protected areas managed by Parks Canada, and will be approximately 10,000 square kilometres in size, occupying almost 13% of the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface area.