City balks at cop-shop FOI request

Posted: 1:00 AM CST Wednesday, Mar. 5, 2014

The City of Winnipeg has refused requests to release early estimates of the cost required to build its new police headquarters, a project that's now $73 million over initial budget estimates.

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The City of Winnipeg has refused requests to release early estimates of the cost required to build its new police headquarters, a project that's now $73 million over initial budget estimates.

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This article was published 05/03/2014 (4264 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The City of Winnipeg has refused requests to release early estimates of the cost required to build its new police headquarters, a project that’s now $73 million over initial budget estimates.

On Feb. 3, the Free Press filed freedom-of-information requests for cost-benefit analyses and comparisons of the recladding of the existing Public Safety Building and the renovation of the former Canada Post Building into new police headquarters.

The cost of the PSB recladding was pegged at $21 million before the project was placed on hold. The police headquarters project, which included the purchase of the Canada Post Building, was originally pegged at $136 million but has ballooned to $210 million.

MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS files
The Southwest corner of the newly renovated PSB building sits at Smith Street and St. Mary Avenue, formerly the Canada Post offices and now the Headquarters for the Winnipeg Police Service. — MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS files The Southwest corner of the newly renovated PSB building sits at Smith Street and St. Mary Avenue, formerly the Canada Post offices and now the Headquarters for the Winnipeg Police Service.

On March 3, the city denied requests to see analyses and comparisons of the projects under the “advice to government” provision of freedom-of-information legislation.

The Free Press intends to complain to the provincial ombudsman.