The City is undertaking the development of a new RCMP detachment at the property at the corner of McBride and 3rd Avenue East, formerly the Jehovah's Witness Kingdom Hall, currently addressed 125 3^rd Avenue E (outlined in red on the map, right). The City’s current police detachment no longer meets their needs and requirements, and so the City is obligated to provide a new one to be in compliance with RCMP standards and our Policing Agreement. To finance this, the City has been authorized to take out a loan through an alternative approval process to cover the estimated costs of $25 million. These costs will include engineering, design, construction, furnishing, and commissioning, with an aim to develop a building that is energy efficient and will serve the community for generations to come. The site has now been cleared, designs are in the process of finalization, and the project is expected to start construction in the end of 2022/early 2023. Completion of the build is planned for early 2025.

RCMP Detachment Zoning Bylaw Amendment

As part of developing this detachment, the City must obtain all the proper zoning and permits. The property for the new detachment was previously zoned for C5: Marine Commercial which does not permit institutional buildings like a police detachment. Therefore, the municipality applied to City Council to rezone the properties to P1: Public Facilities Zone, which does permit institutional buildings, to allow the RCMP building to be developed. This rezoning process was completed in December. A Public Hearing was waived as the proposed use was considered in alignment with the City's existing Official Community Plan.

Additionally, in December the contract for construction was awarded to Coast Tsimshian Northern Contractors Alliance Limited Partnership. With all rezoning, financing and permitting now complete, construction on this project will now be ongoing.

Additional Information about the RCMP Project

• Assent of the electors for the loan bylaw was achieved through the Alternative Approval Process in June, and Council adopted the Borrowing Bylaw at the June 27th Council Meeting..
• The $25 million loan is planned to be repaid over a 30 year period, and is estimated to increase taxes potentially by approximately 2% the year following the dispersal of funds. The tax increase will only be necessary IF all funds are required to complete the project.
• The City has been setting aside additional tax revenues since 2019 to reduce the future impact of loan repayment for this project. If this step had not been taken, the project could have potentially increased taxes by 7%.
• As previously mentioned, the existing RCMP station is no longer compliant to meet their needs, and the City is obligated to provide adequate accommodation as part of our municipal policing agreement.
• The detachment project is intended to take GHG emissions into account in construction, and will be an asset to serve the community for decades to come. Occupancy is anticipated to occur in early 2025.