Burnaby's new RCMP detachment could cost $42 million more than anticipated, according to estimates presented to city council this week.
The total sum earmarked for the Norland Avenue project in the city's current five-year financial plan is $160 million, but a staff report put to council Monday recommended approving a budget of just under $202 million.
Staff have been working "over the last few months" with the integrated project delivery team picked to build the new detachment, according to the report, and have concluded the increased budget "provides good value to the city."
The report outlined multiple factors that have driven up the cost of the project, including drastic fluctuations in construction material costs, BC Building Code changes, upgraded RCMP standards (including transitioning to electric vehicles) and the city’s "aggressive" environmental targets.
The proposed three-storey project would cost $1,476 per square foot, according to the report, compared to $1,883/sq.ft. (plus or minus 20 per cent) for an unnamed 2023 B.C. detachment project of similar size and scope used for comparison.
The team on the Burnaby project considered several site and building layouts at 4244, 4086, 4066 and 4038 Norland Avenue to balance project costs and decide how much city-owned land to use, the report said.
They narrowed down the options to only using the eastern portion of 4244 Norland Ave. to minimize the land usage.
The proposed facility includes a small number of underground parking spaces to meet RCMP minimum requirements but would save costs with shared parking in existing lots at 4276 Norland Ave. and 4327 Ledger Ave.
The team rejected the idea of two levels of underground parking as too expensive.
Council didn't discuss the report Monday.
As soon as it came up as an agenda item, Mayor Mike Hurley referred it to the Nov. 6 council meeting.
Follow Cornelia Naylor on Twitter @CorNaylor
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