Breaking New Ground—Stories from Defence Construction Breaking_new_ground | Page 98

Partnering adds strength
In 1993–94, the Corporation hired an environmental
DCC has always sought to adopt the best practices
engineer to design and co-ordinate the cleanup
of the construction industry in order to improve the
program at CFB Goose Bay and to provide specialized
project delivery process. Borrowing from the success of
environmental expertise as well as manage the resulting
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Associated
contracts. The same year, a $1 million contract for
General Contractors of America, DCC and DND jointly
environmental cleanup at St. Margarets in New Brunswick
adopted project partnering for major projects. Here’s
was completed, while large cleanups were underway at
how the 1993–94 Annual Report described partnering
CF installations in Ottawa, Petawawa, Toronto and North
in the Atlantic Region:
Bay. The following year saw soil remediation work at
CFB Valcartier, lead removal from the soil at Longue
“ ‘Partnering charters’ were signed for two large projects
Pointe Garrison in Montreal, and ordnance cleanup at
in Halifax; these were the Main Base Supply Building
the St. Maurice Firing Range in Quebec.
and the Base Headquarters Building. Partnering
charters are agreements which call for all parties to
In 1994, the Auditor General reported large expenditures
the contract to recognize each others’ individual goals
on environmental cleanup by the government the previous
and priorities. It is expected that partnering will
year, with huge efforts required in future years. DND, as
greatly reduce the potential for confrontation in the
the largest federal landowner, held a significant share of
construction process.”
that financial liability based on contamination from
hydrocarbons, heavy metals, unexploded explosive
Between the initial trials and the spring of 1997, 50
ordnance in training areas and a variety of other
chemical contaminants resulting from operations and
projects had been partnered, including the replacement
research over the years. Environmental cleanup quickly
of Jetty NB at the Halifax Dockyard—the first project
became an area of great demand for DCC support.
to use the technique in the design phase. The Annual
Report that year described its success:
“ The users, designers (PWGSC), DND project managers
and DCC took advantage of this cooperative approach to
build relationships and to solve problems during the
88
BREAKING NEW GROUND
DEFENCE CONSTRUCTION CANADA