Confederation Building (Newfoundland and Labrador)

Confederation Building
Confederation Building
	Confederation Building East Block
Alternative names	French: Édifice de la Confédération
General information
Type	Legislative Assembly
Architectural style	Post-War Modern
Location	St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
Address	100 Prince Philip Drive
Town or city	St. John's
Country	Canada
Elevation	100 metres (330 ft)
Current tenants	Government of Newfoundland and Labrador
Construction started	1959
Completed	1960; 1991
Inaugurated	1960
Renovated	1982 & presently
Cost	$9,000,000; ($91.2 million in 2023 dollars)
Client	Government of Newfoundland and Labrador
Owner	Government of Newfoundland and Labrador
Landlord	Government of Newfoundland and Labrador
Height	64 metres (210 ft)
Dimensions
Other dimensions	198 metres (650 ft) wide; 64 metres (210 ft) tall (East Block)
Technical details
Floor count	11
Floor area	34,838 square metres (374,990 sq ft)
Lifts/elevators	9
References

The Confederation Building serves as the home of the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly. It is located on Confederation Hill overlooking Newfoundland and Labrador's capital city, St. John's. The brick- and concrete-clad building has 11 stories and is 64 metres (210 ft) tall. It was completed in 1960 at a cost of $9 million to replace the Colonial Building. A lantern is located at the top of the copper roof of the central tower and acts as a beacon when turned on at night.^{[citation needed]}

In 1982, construction began on the West Block extension, a modern 7-storey structure, which is a six-storey building, with a gross floor area of 34,838 square metres (374,990 sq ft). The original building is now considered the East Block of the Confederation Building.^[2] A third building on the legislature campus is the Service Building Annex a two-storey building housing a day care centre and garage for some provincial government vehicles.

Complex

The complex consists of two buildings that house most departments of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. It also contains the provincial legislature, and offices for elected members.

East Block

The original and tallest of the two buildings.

It is home to these provincial government departments, agencies, and offices:

Office of the Premier
Executive Council of Newfoundland and Labrador
Department of Finance
Department of Justice and Public Safety
House of Assembly
Office of the Official Opposition
Office of the Third Party
Government Members Office
Protocol Office
Cabinet Secretariat
Communications and Consultation Branch
Hansard Office
House of Assembly Broadcast Centre

West Block

Opened in 1985, this building is to the west of the East Block and contains most other provincial government departments, and various offices and agencies:

Department of Immigration, Skills and Labour
Department of Education
Department of Health and Community Services
Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation
Department of Environment and Climate Change
Department of Children, Seniors and Social Development
Department of Transportation and Infrastructure
Department of Municipal and Provincial Affairs
Digital Government and Service NL
Office of Public Engagement
Center for Learning and Development
Policy Innovation and Accountability Office
Office of Women and Gender Equality
Disability Policy Office

Off site

Remaining departments of the provincial government are located in other offices in St. John's:^[3]

81 Kenmount Road - Department of Children, Seniors and Social Development
Petten Building, Strawberry Marsh Road - Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture
Industry, Energy and Technology Building, 50 Elizabeth Avenue - Department of Industry, Energy and Technology
Howley Building, Higgins Line - Department of Industry, Energy and Technology, Department of Environment, Climate Change, and Municipalities
40 Higgins Line - Office of the Chief Information Officer
Sir Brian Dunfield Building, 50 Mundy Pond Road - Public Service Commission
Argyle Building, Portugal Cove Rd - Research and Development Corporation
25 Hallett Crescent - Fire and Emergency Services
2 Canada Drive - Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner

Statues and landmarks at the Legislature

A number of statues and landmarks are located near the building:

Statue of Gaspar Corte-Real - located southeast of the building^[4]^[5]^[6]
Statue of John Cabot - located at the foot of the steps at the East Block
Statue of Sir Wilfred Grenfell
An enamel-coated metal coat of arms of Newfoundland and Labrador donated by businessman Paul J. Hohnson in 2000 is surrounded by a Gothic Revival stone lookout located in front of the East Block
The flag of Canada, flag of Newfoundland and Labrador, and the British Union Jack fly in front of the building

References

^ 1688 to 1923: Geloso, Vincent, A Price Index for Canada, 1688 to 1850 (December 6, 2016). Afterwards, Canadian inflation numbers based on Statistics Canada tables 18-10-0005-01 (formerly CANSIM 326-0021) "Consumer Price Index, annual average, not seasonally adjusted". Statistics Canada. Retrieved 17 April 2021. and table 18-10-0004-13 "Consumer Price Index by product group, monthly, percentage change, not seasonally adjusted, Canada, provinces, Whitehorse, Yellowknife and Iqaluit". Statistics Canada. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
^ ^a ^b About Newfoundland and Labrador – Seat of Government – Confederation Building, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, 8 October 2015, retrieved 2 March 2016
^ "Departmental Executive Directory". Archived from the original on 20 June 2010. Retrieved 26 November 2010.
^ "Controversial statue of Portuguese Corte-Real in Canada is "colonialist narrative" and can be removed". Publico. 20 June 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
^ "Gaspar Corte-Real Statue - The Scope Archive". thescope.ca. 24 May 2007. Retrieved 20 April 2018.
^ James McLeod (25 August 2017). "N.L. indigenous leaders say Corte-Real statue is an insulting relic". www.thetelegram.com. Retrieved 20 April 2018.

47°35′00.27″N 52°43′25.71″W / 47.5834083°N 52.7238083°W / 47.5834083; -52.7238083

[inflation-CA-1] 1688 to 1923: Geloso, Vincent, A Price Index for Canada, 1688 to 1850 (December 6, 2016). Afterwards, Canadian inflation numbers based on Statistics Canada tables 18-10-0005-01 (formerly CANSIM 326-0021) "Consumer Price Index, annual average, not seasonally adjusted". Statistics Canada. Retrieved 17 April 2021. and table 18-10-0004-13 "Consumer Price Index by product group, monthly, percentage change, not seasonally adjusted, Canada, provinces, Whitehorse, Yellowknife and Iqaluit". Statistics Canada. Retrieved 8 May 2024.

[Confederation_Building-2] About Newfoundland and Labrador – Seat of Government – Confederation Building, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, 8 October 2015, retrieved 2 March 2016

[3] "Departmental Executive Directory". Archived from the original on 20 June 2010. Retrieved 26 November 2010.

[4] "Controversial statue of Portuguese Corte-Real in Canada is "colonialist narrative" and can be removed". Publico. 20 June 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2020.

[5] "Gaspar Corte-Real Statue - The Scope Archive". thescope.ca. 24 May 2007. Retrieved 20 April 2018.

[6] James McLeod (25 August 2017). "N.L. indigenous leaders say Corte-Real statue is an insulting relic". www.thetelegram.com. Retrieved 20 April 2018.

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