Conceptual design image of the north entrance of the Administration and Visitor Centre.
Credit: Parks Canada (CNW Group/Parks Canada)
The Government of Canada has announced over $37 million in funding to construct an administration and visitor centre for the Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area in Nipigon, Ont.; it will be Parks Canada’s first Passive House Plus, net-zero carbon build.
The building has been designed, and will be constructed, using a super-insulated envelope, optimized site orientation, sustainable material selection, and on-site geothermal and photovoltaic energy generation.
It will be a net-zero energy building with a goal of net-positive energy production that would allow for surplus energy to be used for charging of fleet and public electric vehicles (EVs).
The construction contract has been awarded to Finn Way General Contractor Inc., based in Thunder Bay.
“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 Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, in a media release.
The centre is anticipated to open to the public in 2026.