The federal government plans to dispose of these 10 buildings in the Ottawa-Gatineau area

L'Esplanade Laurier east and west towers in downtown Ottawa (Google)

The federal government is disposing of 10 buildings in the national capital region, including L'Esplanade Laurier in downtown Ottawa, as it looks to reduce its office footprint and shifts to a hybrid work model.

Public Service and Procurement Canada says it is developing a long-term real estate portfolio plan to "optimize" its office space, lower operating costs and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

This week, the department released a 'Disposal List' of buildings it plans to unload through a sale or transfer in the coming years, saying they could be used for affordable housing and redesigned community or commercial space.

The buildings include the L'Esplanade Laurier east and west towers in downtown Ottawa, the Brooke Claxton Building near Tunney's Pasture and the 1500 Bronson Building and Annex, the former CBC building.

The government says its shift to a hybrid work model will allow it to relocate employees in the buildings into modern accommodations.

"Disposal is a key function of effective asset life-cycle management. Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) continuously assesses its portfolio for functionality, condition, environmental impact, use and financial performance, and identifies properties that may no longer be needed," Public Services and Procurement Canada said in a statement to CTV News Ottawa.

The government says disposal of buildings encompasses the last phase of the physical life cycle of real property within its portfolio and refers to the sale or transfer of an asset.  The process includes engaging Indigenous peoples and key stakeholders to discuss opportunities for the properties, and circulating the list of buildings identified for disposal.

"With hybrid work here to stay, 3 million square meters of government office space in the national capital region is being underused," Ottawa Centre MP Yasir Naqvi said on Twitter.

"This provides an excellent opportunity to convert them into affordable homes and redesign for community & commercial use."

Here is the list of buildings at the various stages of the disposal process in the national capital region:

• Jackson Building (122 Bank Street)
• Rideau Falls Lab (1 John Street)
• Sir Charles Tupper Building (2720 Riverside Drive)
• Graham Spry Building (250 Lanark)
• L'Esplanade Laurier – East Tower (140 O’Connor)
• L'Esplanade Laurier – West Tower (300 Laurier)
• L'Esplanade Laurier – Commercial (171-181 Bank)
• Brooke Claxton Building and Annex (70 Columbine)
• Asticou Centre (241 Cité des Jeunes)
• 1500 Bronson Building and Annex (1500 Bronson)

The Sir Charles Tupper Building and the Brooke Claxton Building in Ottawa and the Asticou Centre in Gatineau are recognized Federal Heritage Buildings.

In October, an assistant deputy minister for Public Services and Procurement Canada told the Ottawa Real Estate Forum that the government was speeding up plans to reduce millions of square feet of downtown office space, the Real Estate News Exchange reported.

Over 50 per cent of the federal government's office portfolio is within the national capital region.