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1998 December Report of the Auditor General of Canada

December 1998 Report—Chapter 29

Exhibit 29.5—Case Study—Cafeteria in the 1910 Wing of the East Block

During project planning, officials of the House of Commons and the Senate took part in consultations with officials of Public Works.

Construction of the cafeteria commenced in December 1995.

At its meeting of 11 June 1996, the Board of Internal Economy of the House of Commons questioned the inclusion of a cafeteria because it was closing other cafeterias on the Hill and indicated its intention to raise the issue with both the Minister and the Senate.

In November 1996, the Senate informed Public Works that the original requirement for a cafeteria had changed, and that the space was to be reallocated as a committee room.

In May 1997, a consultant engaged by Public Works reported that the existing cafeteria could be transformed into a limited-use conference room but the space allocation did not meet committee room requirements.

According to Public Works officials, except for the deletion of minor cooking equipment, it was determined that it would not be cost-effective to implement the Senate's request to reallocate the space from a cafeteria to a committee room. Therefore, despite the requests from the Senate, Public Works proceeded with the original project.

The cafeteria was completed in July 1997 at an estimated construction cost of $612,000. It is being used for purposes other than intended.