By John Devine
Special to Ontario Construction News
The construction of nine new Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) detachments across the province is proceeding, with related economic benefits including hundreds of direct and indirect jobs.
“Ontario is working to improve community safety and better support modern policing operations by updating Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) facilities across the province. Nine new detachments will be constructed, replacing buildings at the end of their useful lifespan,” according to Infrastructure Ontario.
The new detachments are planned for:
• Huron County Detachment, 325 Albert Street, Clinton
• Mississauga, 2735 Argentia Road, Mississauga
• Hawkesbury Detachment, 1425 Cameron Street, Hawkesbury
• Manitoulin Island Detachment, 54 Boozeneck Road, Little Current
• Marathon Detachment, 101 Peninsula Road, Marathon
• Parry Sound Detachment, 1 North Road, Parry Sound
• Fort Frances Detachment, 901 Colonization Road West, Fort Frances
• Moosonee Detachment, 16 Butcher Road, Moosonee
• Orillia Detachment, 1 University Avenue
The more than $182 million project dates back to July 14, 2017, when a Request for Proposals was issued. Construction began Nov. 30, 2018. Bird Capital Limited Partnership won the contract. Construction is expected to be completed by late 2020.
“State-of-the art facilities that respond to the increasing demands of modern police operations are an important part of keeping communities safe,” Michael Tibollo, Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services, is quoted saying.
The facilities being replaced at 40 to 60 years old, and the new detachments will be between 17,000 an 35,000 square feet in size. Features will include
- CCTV systems for monitoring cells
- New accessibility standards in the public area
- Holding cells for adult males and females, and young offenders
- Modern building infrastructure to meet changing technology needs.
The building of the nine detachments will also present community and environmental benefits, the government says.
“The OPP and the communities it serves will benefit from enhanced community safety with the construction of nine new facilities. The new detachments will be designed and built to meet the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver standard, which recognizes buildings with reduced environmental impacts.”
It’s anticipated the new detachments will address health and safety issues, and will also deal with inefficiencies related to old designs and outdated technology.
“This project allows for the continued renewal of our aging detachments under one major infrastructure project,” OPP Commissioner Vince Hawkes is quoted saying. “This bundled approach to renewing our aging facilities will ensure the OPP continues to provide modern, efficient municipal and provincial policing services to local communities across the province.”
Quick facts from the province on the project:
- The project is part of an ongoing commitment to replace aging OPP detachments across Ontario under one major infrastructure project
- Renewing multiple detachments under one major infrastructure project drives design and build efficiencies such as standardizing the design for common building components and securing bulk pricing of construction materials
- The project is being delivered under Infrastructure Ontario’s Alternative Financing and Procurement (AFP) model, a modern project delivery method which transfers risks associated with design, construction and financing of the project to the private sector
- Taxpayers are guaranteed a fixed price for the nine detachments.