Feds and province won't kick in for new forensics building: police
A $24.5 million forensics Hamilton police centre won't have the support of upper levels of government
The federal and provincial governments are not willing to kick in millions of dollars to build a new police forensics building in downtown Hamilton, Deputy Chief Ken Weatherill told city councillors on Monday.
And what has been circulated as a $15.6 million price tag only covers the construction costs of the building. Police expect another $9 million or so will be needed for "ancillary costs" associated, Weatherill said.
"We're looking in the neighbourhood of $24.5 million," Weatherill said.
The revelations came as part of a heated discussion about the destination of a surplus recorded in the police budget in 2015.
'I'm a little bit shocked'
"I'm a little bit shocked that that information wasn't forwarded to us, given the size and scope of this project, that we are under the potential, or the pretty good likelihood, that the upper levels of government are not interested in this program anymore," Green said.
The service has said the building has been sorely needed for several years. It's proposed to include three forensics labs — one for evidence from victims, one for the accused and one for the crime scene.
Senior officers have warned that evidence is at risk of being contaminated if the service doesn't get a new building.
'What once was a cap of $5 million'
The city has pledged to cough up $5 million for the building as part of a three-way partnership. The surplus adds to that $5 million. But with the province and the feds all but out, the request for city funding could get a lot bigger.
"What it's sounding like to me … is that what once was a cap of $5 million of city of Hamilton money hypothetically might end up being 100 per cent local municipal tax dollars in some way, fashion or form," said Coun. Tom Jackson.
He said if it came to that, he would need to hear justification to be able to pass on to its constituents that it was "money well spent".
'It's a big responsibility we have every year'
The discussion with councillors happened Monday because Green asked his colleagues to request that the police board put the service's $3.7 million surplus in its "tax stabilization" account — meant to help offset future budget increases— instead of mostly in a special fund for capital projects like the new building.
Ferguson, who also chairs the Police Services Board, said it was redundant to request the board to move the money back out of the capital projects reserve and put it in the "tax stabilization" account.
"You can try to send us a message, but the board's already made their decision," he said.
'Nobody's more disappointed than I am'
"So I'm more frustrated than anybody, but it's a reality we're facing."
Many of the details and possible financing contingency plans for the building will be discussed at the July meeting of the Hamilton Police Services Board.
'Approving that line in our budget'
Ferguson said even without the motion, city councillors would already have to be briefed and formally asked for any money to build the project, just not before the board receives its briefing.
Councillors Whitehead, Ferguson and Maria Pearson voted against Green's motion, which passed, 9-to-3.
Pending more information to come, Coun. Aidan Johnson said he was glad for the conversation. The council's primary power with the police board is in approving or rejecting its budget, he said.
"It's a big responsibility we have every year in clearing, approving that line in our budget," Johnson said.
"To me, the more information we have, the more discussion we have, in the months that lead up to our annual budget debate, the better."