Despite distance, challenges of deployment and an international pandemic, the Defence Construction Canada team has successfully completed the construction of one of its largest buildings coordinated by the organization overseas.
In October 2020, construction was completed on the new Multi-National Headquarters building in Riga, Latvia – a 2,000 m2 building that will serve as home to Task Force Latvia Headquarters, providing command and control for Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) personnel deployed with the Enhanced Forward Presence Battle Group.
"Our Client-Partners are very happy with it – the quality of work has been excellent," said Michael Langsford, DCC Regional Service Line Leader, Project and Program Management Services.
While the size of the building isn't exceptional for DCC's well-honed skills – delivering it overseas was. It required years of preparatory work building the capacity in Latvia and working with contractors there to prepare them for CAF/DCC expectations.
It also required a host of construction coordinators. Because of the deployment required, ten DCC members from regions across Canada were each deployed for three months, largely one after another, to oversee the work on the ground.
"Everyone that has deployed has done an excellent job for us – both in managing the contracts and being the 'face' of DCC," said Langsford.
The unique circumstances also required extraordinary support from DCC members in Canada – and during the COVID-19 lockdown that restricted travel to Latvia, additional support from CAF members already overseas.
"The amount of effort and collaboration with our Client-Partner that has gone into getting this work completed and the number of people who have contributed is the real highlight here," said Langsford.