“The Justice Building is a large and prominent landmark on Wellington Street where it stands immediately west of Parliament Hill in Ottawa. The building was built in 1935-38 to designs by Burritt and Horwood under the supervision of T.W. Fuller, Chief Architect, Department of Public Works. Public Works and Government Services Canada is the custodian.

“The building is closely associated with the development of early 20th century Ottawa and with the evolution of the Wellington Street corridor into a federal government precinct. Designed to provide living and working accommodation for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Justice Building continues to house important federal government departments. Its siting and style were determined by a succession of federally commissioned planning studies initiated between 1904 and 1938 with the goal of developing Wellington Street into a grand avenue lined with monumental governmental buildings and transforming Ottawa into a worthy national capital.

“The Justice Building is a very good example of the Chateau style which was commonly employed in early 20th century railway hotels and stations across Canada and which found a champion in Prime Minister Mackenzie King. The style influenced the design of a number of government and commercial buildings on Wellington Street including the adjacent Confederation Building, and is expressed here in the steep roof with its dormers and turrets, and in the well-executed carved detailing.

“The Justice Building is a prominent landmark on Wellington Street, forming part of a government streetscape that displays a unity of scale, massing, materials and general design.”

Information derived from the Canadian Register of Historic Places.

Credits and Sources:

Information derived from the Canadian Register of Historic Place