Timeline delayed for new Moncton regional RCMP detachment

The timeline for a new detachment for the Codiac RCMP in Moncton has been delayed.

A timeline presented last year estimated construction on the new building would begin in September and the building would be occupied by September 2020.

That's not going to happen, said Ross MacKay, aCodiacRegional Policing Authority board member who sits on the building committee,after an update on the project was given Thursday nightat a policing authority meeting.

"There's just no way that we can do the work that we need to do to be sure we're doing the right thing and building the right building," MacKay said."We don't want to blunder ahead and just build something, so that timeline won't work anymore."

MacKay saidthe building committee has had three meetings with the contracted consulting firm of Deloitte LLP.

He saidDeloitte conducted a Canada-wide scan of similar projects, which looked at things like required building size, construction cost estimates, financing and ownership models.

MacKay saidthe building committee has now "selected the preferred options" to recommend to the three councils of Moncton, Riverview and Dieppe. Those options will be presented at a private meeting on June 13.

New timeline unclear

The last estimate for the cost of the new building was $46 million.

But MacKay saidany estimates were "ballpark" figures given to councils to help them budget for the project.

"You don't have a design yet, how can you cost it?" MacKay said. "It's only a matter of an algorithmthat says for this many peoplethese are the square metres per person that the criteria called for."

As for a new timeline, MacKay saidthat's still unclear.

He said it will take between 18 and 24 months to build a new detachment. But it's not certain when construction will begin.

"It's not up to me to make an announcement, but it will take what it takes to do it right and we're determined to do it right. It's better to take the time than hurry ahead and get it wrong," he said.

If council makes a decision on June 13, MacKay saidthe information will be passed along to the Codiac Regional Policing Authority at its meeting the following day.

Three companies have been approved by city council to bid on the project:Bird Construction/Terra Trust, Ellis Don Corporation and the Ashford Group.

A location for the new detachment hasn't been chosen.