The House of Commons is set to undergo a significant redesign when it moves back to Centre Block, with government ministers and opposition critics gaining desks as a new perk for their frontbench roles. A mock-up of the proposed seating arrangement is currently on display in the Parliamentary precinct for Members of Parliament to review before the design is finalized.
Proposed Layout Changes
Under the new proposal, the century-old setup of rows of two-person desks assigned to specific MPs will be replaced. When Centre Block reopens after its decade-long renovations, expected around 2032, the first two rows on each side of the aisle will feature desks for frontbenchers. Backbenchers in the following four rows will sit on benches accommodating up to seven people.
Instead of individual desks, backbenchers will have tray tables that pull out from the back of the seat in front of them, similar to economy seats on airplanes. A bar along the top of the bench will hold a movable lectern for speeches.
Capacity and Feedback
The goal is to allow up to 400 MPs to sit in the same space that originally held 245 when Centre Block was last rebuilt in 1919. Currently, there are 343 MPs. Officials caution that the layout is not final but is nearing completion, and feedback is being sought from MPs.
Key questions being posed to MPs include whether benches should have fixed seating or cinema-style flip seats, whether they are willing to accept shallower desks with less storage space in the front rows, and whether arm rests can be removed to use space more efficiently. Another potential historic first is unassigned seating beyond the first two rows.
Heritage and Impact
These decisions, while seemingly trivial in a $5-billion reconstruction project, are consequential as the House of Commons is being designed to last another 100 years. They will also impact heritage items such as MPs' chairs, desks, and the century-old tables at the centre of the chamber.
The redesign addresses long-standing MP complaints, such as difficulty standing up straight when voting due to limited space. Many MPs who viewed the new setup expressed strong opinions, with some favoring flip seats for easier standing but lamenting the loss of personal desks and storage. Others questioned how to navigate past MPs seated at the end of a bench when the only available seats are in the middle of a row, a challenge House of Commons staff are still addressing.
