The City of Ottawa is advancing plans for a new West Deployment Facility for the Ottawa Paramedic Service, with the finance and corporate services committee endorsing a public-private partnership delivery model. The project will use a design-build-finance-maintain structure and is now moving toward final council approval.
Planned for 4061 Strandherd Drive, the facility represents a significant investment in emergency services infrastructure, with an estimated capital value of approximately $185.6 million. If approved as scheduled, financial close is expected by June 1, 2027, followed by the start of construction on July 1, 2027. Substantial completion is targeted for September 2030, allowing operations to begin shortly afterward.
Projects of this scale require careful coordination across design, engineering, construction, and long-term facility management, particularly when the building must support critical public safety operations around the clock.
The current paramedic headquarters on Don Reid Drive was built in 2005 for approximately 330 staff and 80 vehicles. Since then, the service has expanded to more than 900 staff and a fleet of roughly 160 vehicles, placing substantial strain on the existing facility.
Ottawa Construction News reports that the new West Deployment Facility will function as a second hub within the service’s hub-and-spoke deployment model. From a construction and planning perspective, this means designing a facility that can support large-scale vehicle operations, rapid response logistics, and continuous maintenance activities while maintaining safe working conditions for staff.
The design program for the facility reflects the specialized operational needs of paramedic services. Plans call for indoor, climate-controlled vehicle storage to protect emergency vehicles from extreme temperatures and to allow crews to prepare equipment efficiently.
Level III disinfection and decontamination areas will be incorporated into the layout, requiring specialized finishes, drainage systems, and mechanical ventilation to meet health and safety standards. Medical supply storage areas, briefing rooms, and a mechanic bay for light vehicle repairs are also included in the functional program.
High-efficiency HVAC systems will be installed to maintain air quality and environmental control across operational spaces, while the building will be designed to meet post-disaster seismic standards. Designing to these standards requires structural reinforcement, detailed engineering analysis, and careful material selection to ensure resilience during extreme events.
City staff recommended the design-build-finance-maintain delivery model after completing a comprehensive value-for-money analysis. Compared with a traditional design-bid-build approach, the DBFM structure is projected to deliver potential savings of approximately 22.6 percent, representing an estimated $52.1 million in net present value.
Under this model, a private-sector consortium will be responsible for design, construction, financing, and long-term maintenance, while the city makes fixed payments over a 30-year term. This approach consolidates responsibility under a single contract, helping reduce coordination challenges and shifting significant project risks to the delivery partner.
From a construction standpoint, DBFM projects often allow earlier collaboration between designers, engineers, and builders. This can improve constructability, reduce change orders, and streamline scheduling, particularly for complex institutional buildings.
The financing model also enables the city to maximize provincial funding through the Land Ambulance Service Grant, which reimburses 50 percent of eligible costs. Under the DBFM framework, certain financing-related expenses can qualify for reimbursement, improving the overall financial viability of the project.
To support early planning and design development, the city has already approved $4 million in capital funding for pre-construction activities. These activities include defining design requirements, conducting engineering studies, and preparing procurement documents.
Industry engagement has been strong. A market sounding process conducted by Ernst & Young included participation from several major construction firms, including PCL, EllisDon, Bird Construction, Aecon, and Chandos Construction. Feedback indicated that approximately six months would be required for teams to form consortia and prepare competitive proposals.
Facilities designed for emergency services present unique construction challenges. Large apparatus bays require long-span structural systems, durable concrete flooring, and overhead door installations capable of withstanding frequent use. Mechanical and electrical systems must provide redundancy to ensure uninterrupted operations.
Site development will also involve extensive civil work, including stormwater management, utility connections, paved access routes, and parking areas designed for heavy emergency vehicles. Landscaping and site grading must be carefully planned to maintain visibility, drainage, and safe circulation patterns.
Given the facility’s role in emergency response, building systems must be designed for reliability and rapid maintenance access. Backup power systems, communications infrastructure, and secure storage areas are typically integrated into projects of this nature.
A project of this complexity requires a wide range of skilled trades and technical specialists, including:
The West Deployment Facility represents more than a new building. It reflects the growing complexity of emergency response infrastructure and the need for facilities designed to support modern operational demands.
As Ottawa moves toward procurement and eventual construction, the project highlights how thoughtful design, coordinated delivery models, and experienced construction teams come together to deliver specialized infrastructure that communities rely on every day.
For contractors and construction professionals, projects like this demonstrate the importance of early collaboration, detailed planning, and precise execution in delivering high-performance institutional facilities that must operate reliably for decades.