Only a day after Peterborough city council had voted to defer an update on the project to renovate and expand the city’s police stations that included a $25.4 million increase to the project budget, councillors reversed course and voted to approve the update following an unexpected move into closed session.

Meeting as general committee on Tuesday evening (September 2), council had considered a report from the city’s finance and corporate support services commissioner Richard Freymond that described four changes to the approved budget that would result in the $25.4 million budget increase, including an additional 15,000 square feet of space at a cost of $7.125 million, a new parking garage beside the Water Street police station at a cost of $2.4 million, energy and building efficiency measures at a cost of $4.375 million, and an additional $11.5 million to cover the $15.5 million purchase cost of the Lansdowne Street West property.

After police chief Stuart Betts and Eric Riddell, partner and architect at Shoalts and Zaback Architects, made a presentation to council and answered questions, councillor Alex Bierk put forward a motion to defer the report back to city staff for details on what costs are related to mandatory versus discretionary requirements.

“Before we commit taxpayers to this astronomical budget increase, we need clarity,” Bierk said during the meeting. “We need to know exactly which project elements are required by law and which are discretionary choices, and we need to make sure the police project stands on its own, with its own budget and cap, not to be tied up with other city ambitions for the site.”

After some debate, council 6-5 in favour of Bierk’s motion, with he and councillors Joy Lachica, Matt Crowley, Keith Riel, Dave Haacke, and Andrew Beamer voting in favour and Mayor Jeff Leal and councillors Lesley Parnell, Kevin Duguay, Gary Baldwin, and Don Vassiliadis voting against.

Bierk’s motion was up for final approval at the regular city council meeting on Wednesday night (September 3), following four hours of delegations and discussion on a zoning by-law amendment for a 17-storey building in East City.

When the motion was about to be considered after 10 p.m., Bierk called the question just as councillor Baldwin put forward a motion to move the discussion into closed session, referring to an unspecified matter of solicitor-client privilege and related communications. If calling the question was approved, council would have immediately voted on Bierk’s motion prior to moving into closed session.

Council voted 4-7 against calling the question, with councillors Bierk, Lachica, Beamer, and Riel voting in favour and Mayor Leal and councillors Crowley, Vassiliadis, Haacke, Parnell, Duguay, and Baldwin voting against.

Baldwin then was able to proceed with his motion to move into closed session, where the discussion is not available to the public, with council voting unanimously in support of the motion.

Around half an hour later, councillors Bierk, Lachica, and Riel left the closed session.

When council reconvened in chambers, debate resumed on councillor Bierk’s motion followed by a vote. The motion lost 5-6, with councillor Haacke switching his vote from Tuesday night’s general committee meeting when he had supported Bierk’s motion.

Councillors then voted 7-4 to approve the original main motion, with councillor Crowley — who had voted twice in favour of Bierk’s motion — joining Haacke to support the main motion. Councillors Bierk, Lachica, Riel, and Beamer voted against the motion.

On Thursday (September 4), councillor Bierk provided kawarthaNOW with a statement as to why he left the closed session after around 30 minutes, along with Riel. Lachica had already left the closed session around 10 minutes after it started.

“We got railroaded last night in our attempt to defer the police renovations budget,” Bierk said. “Council was pulled into an unplanned closed session, and when the discussion shifted from solicitor-client privileged advice to discussing my motion, I left.”

“I believe those conversations and other elements of what happened — which I am not at liberty to discuss — were completely out of order and should have taken place as part of the public debate.”

The approval of the main motion means city council is approving the $25.4 million increase to the project budget, for a total estimated budget of $91.9 million — an increase of over 38 per cent from the originally approved budget of $66.4 million.

This story has been updated to clarify that councillors Bierk and Riel left the closed session around 20 minutes after Lachica had already left.

In a marathon meeting that lasted almost six hours on Wednesday night (September 3), Peterborough city council voted to approve a zoning by-law amendment to allow a 17-storey high-rise to be built in downtown East City.

Four hours of the meeting were spent on the zoning by-law amendment, with council hearing from 10 public delegations about the amendment before debating and voting. Prior to the meeting, a protest was held outside of city hall and the public gallery and overflow room were filled with people opposed to the proposed development.

Wednesday night’s meeting followed a five-hour public meeting during general committee last Monday night (August 25) that included a presentation from city staff and 16 public delegations — that meeting lasted so long that the remainder of the general committee agenda was shifted to a special meeting on Tuesday evening (September 2).

At last Monday’s public meeting, general committee voted 7-4 to approve the zoning by-law amendment, with Mayor Jeff Leal and councillors Kevin Duguay, Lesley Parnell, Matt Crowley, Don Vassiliadis, Andrew Beamer, and Dave Haacke voting in favour, and councillors Keith Riel, Gary Baldwin, Joy Lachica, and Alex Bierk voting against. Items endorsed by general committee are considered for final approval at the next regular council meeting, which was held on Wednesday night.

After hearing from three delegations on different matters (developer Murray Davenport on updated city-wide development charges, lawyer Ann Farquharson on the police stations renovations and expansion project, and resident Rob Hailman on the proposed multi-use sport and event centre), council heard from 10 delegations about the zoning by-law amendment that would allow Toronto developer TVM Group to proceed with site planning for a 17-storey high-rise on the property adjacent to Mark Street United Church.

Several of the delegations at Wednesday night’s meeting had also appeared during the public meeting last Monday night. That includes the first delegation, TVM Group CEO Amit Sofer, who said that the proposed $90-million build would have a positive financial impact on the city, including by providing more tax revenue, more jobs, more housing, and more parking.

“I can’t make everyone happy,” Sofer said, referring to the opposition to the development by East City residents. He said he represented people on the other side — those who need housing.

After confirming that Sofer does not live in Peterborough, councillor Bierk questioned him on his claim that he represents people who need housing, asking him if he had letters of support, and how the project would reduce rents. Sofer replied that his claim is based on the lack of housing and his development experience shows that increasing supply reduces demand.

“How will a 17-storey building blend in rather than stand out as an anomaly?” Bierk asked.

Sofer referred to his response at the public meeting, comparing the 17-storey building to the original 10-storey proposal presented at an open house in June 2024, and noting that the 17-storey version reduces the height of the podium and that, while the tower will stand out, it will be set back from the streetscape.

Councillor Riel asked Sofer why the proposed development increased from 10 to 17 storeys, and why he believes a 17-storey building will not have a negative impact on East City.

Sofer said the height increase was in response to concerns expressed by residents at the open house about the 10-storey proposal, including the lack of parking, height of the podium, setbacks, and the distance from the Mark Street United Church.

“I think it will have a positive impact,” Sofer said, with Mayor Leal interrupting to remind people in the public gallery about proper decorum.

“Change is a difficult thing for everybody to accept,” Sofer said, adding that the development would bring “more people, more vibrancy, more parking, and more shops” to East City.

Councillor Baldwin asked Sofer if he had other properties he is planning to build in East City and, after Sofer confirmed he does, asked if they would be similar to the 17-storey building.

“They … it is not,” Sofer replied.

The next delegation was Darryl Bennett, representing the board of trustees of Mark Street United Church, who spoke in support of the development. He said that the proposal is consistent with the city’s official plan and that TVM Group has done everything requested by city staff when it comes to the proposal.

“The proposal meets all the requirements,” he said, adding “You can’t change your policies on the fly.”

In response to a question from councillor Lachica about whether the church board and membership and the United Church of Canada were consulted about the change from 10 to 17 storeys, Bennett said that a “multi-storey building” was presented, but not a specific height.

The next delegation was Desmond Vandenburg, a resident whose home is located on a lot that was severed by Mark Street United Church in 2019 with the assistance of Kevin Duguay in his capacity as a professional planner prior to his election to council in 2022.

Vandenburg attempted several times to bring up the issue of a perceived conflict of interest with councillor Duguay voting on an item pertaining to a former client, with Mayor Leal interrupting him several times before telling him he was in “dangerous waters” as Vandenburg continued to try to finish his sentence.

After the mayor allowed him to raise a point of personal privilege, Duguay — who was visibly angry — said that he was retained “82 months ago,” was only involved in the severance of land from the church for residential houses, that there was no indication of future development at the time, and that he has no affiliation with the development.

When Vandenburg attempted to share a quote from Duguay in 2019, Leal interrupted him again, saying there is no conflict of interest and to continue but to stick to the land use.

“I won’t,” Vandenburg said. “This is ridiculous.”

After Vandenburg attempted to respond to a question from councillor Lachica, who was also interrupted by Leal when she tried to ask her question, the mayor interrupted and said “You are in dangerous waters,” further interrupting Vandenburg and telling him he can go the integrity commissioner if he is not satisfied.

The next delegation was resident Sharon Davison, who raised several concerns with the 17-storey development, including its impact on age-friendly neighbourhoods. In response to a question from councillor Riel, she outlined her concern with increased traffic on Hunter Street East, noting that people will begin using side streets in residential areas.

The next delegation was Kent Randall of EcoVue Consulting Services Inc., the planner for TVM Group. He noted that the urban design guidelines are not statutory, but are “just suggestions.”

“A lot of buildings in the future will not be able to follow them,” he said.

Randall fielded a number of questions from councillors, including from Lachica about whether holding a second open house on the 17-storey proposal would have been good planning process for building “public trust” (Randall agreed it would have been, but that there would have been opposition regardless of the height of the building), from Bierk as to whether the development would be an economic driver for the neighbourhood and would boost property values (Randall said he couldn’t comment), and from Riel on how a 17-storey building is compatible with the neighbourhood (Randall said Sofer had addressed that question, and added that the 17-storey proposal addresses issues with the original 10-storey proposal).

Several councillors asked Randall whether TVM Group could go back to the original 10-storey proposal. He said it hadn’t been discussed but going back to the original design would be problematic because it wasn’t supported by city staff and a new design would have to be created.

The next delegation was Chris Magwood of Endeavour Centre, who said this was not a pro-development versus anti-development issue but an issue of compatible development. After listing six ways the 17-storey building breaks compatibility, he said approving the building in East City would mean “Any proposal will be deemed compatible.”

In response to a question from councillor Bierk, Magwood noted that the unit count of the building increased by 25 per cent when it changed from 10 to 17 storeys, and that the lack of units was not a concern expressed by the community. He said the design could have addressed community concerns without increasing the number of units. In response to a question from councillor Lachica, he said he had showed the building rendering to “friends in the business,” none of whom thought it was compatible.

“If this is compatible, the field is wide open,” Magwood said.

The next delegation was resident Peter Dawson, whose home would be located adjacent to the parking garage. He said “exhaust fumes wafting into my front year” would not enhance his property value. He added that someone associated with the project told him “Just wait until you see what’s coming for Hunter Street.”

Former Peterborough mayor Paul Ayotte, a resident of Rogers Street in East City, said he was “shocked” by city staff’s approval of the zoning by-law amendment. He raised concerns about people who had moved to East City because it is a residential neighbourhood and that addition of more than 200 residents is not a minor matter.

Displaying a rendering of the proposed 17-storey building, Ayotte said “I’m going to be very blunt here.”

“When I look at this rendering … it appears to me that the proponents of this development and seven members of this council are giving my community the finger, because that’s exactly what that reminds me of,” he said.

“You don’t build a community like we have in Ashburnham by wrecking neighbourhoods, and this is what you’re doing,” Ayotte added. “Don’t make this mistake part of your legacy.”

The next delegation was Oriana Rendon, a tenant in a property owned and operated by TVM Group, who raised a number of issues about lack of maintenance of the building and her apartment. She noted that her requests for maintenance have been ignored, but she received a response 40 minutes after the list of delegates was made available.

The final delegation was Gavin Muir, a Northcrest resident who raised concerns about the precedent approving the 17-storey building will set for the entire city.

“This is Peterborough’s Rubicon,” Muir said, a reference symbolizing a point of no return.

He noted that a lot of discussion among project proponents about the official plan’s description of compatibility has focused on the lack of sameness, but they have not addressed the description’s reference to enhancing character without undue impacts.

He also pointed out that city council has previously voted against a city staff recommendation, referring to the Peterborough Action for Tiny Homes (PATH) temporary zoning application on Lansdowne Street East which is now before the Ontario Land Tribunal. “This is a much more critical decision,” he said.

Muir spoke about transparency and the integrity of the process, saying “It needs to be fair. It needs to look fair.”

In response to a question from councillor Riel, Muir said that NIMBY (“Not In My Back Yard”) criticisms have been levelled against those opposed to the 17-storey building, but that some of those supporting the building have the opinion “I’m okay because it’s not in my back yard,” which is going to change.

“It’s coming to other neighbourhoods,” Muir said. “This is going to change everything … It starts here, but it doesn’t end here.”

After a break, council returned to debate the item, with councillor Riel putting forward a motion to limit the height of the building to 10 storeys.

“It’s coming to your ward,” Riel said to his colleagues. “If you think this is going to be a welcome addition to the community, you’re crazy.”

He added that compatibility is “out the window” if council approves the zoning by-law amendment.

“If you approve this, there’s going to a wall of 17-storey buildings from Mark Street to Driscoll Terrace.”

After further debate and some questions of city staff on the application process, councillors voted on Riel’s motion. The motion lost 5-6, with councillors Riel, Bierk, Lachica, Baldwin, and Crowley voting in favour and Mayor Leal and councillors Duguay, Beamer, Parnell, Vassiliadis, and Haacke voting against.

After some question about the wording of Riel’s motion after the vote, councillor Parnell “put the question” on the main motion, a procedural tactic to end further debate, which passed 6-5, with Beamer, Riel, Bierk, Lachica, and Baldwin voting against it.

The vote on the main motion passed 7-4, with the same split as the previous vote at general committee. Leal, Duguay, Parnell, Crowley, Vassiliadis, Beamer, and Haacke voted in favour and Riel, Baldwin, Lachica, and Bierk voted against.

With the zoning by-law amendment approved, TVM Group can now proceed with site planning, a process that can take 60 days or longer. While a start date for construction would be determined, Sofer said at the August 25 public meeting that the building would take from 18 to 24 months to complete.

Editor’s note: This is an edited version of an article published in the Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough’s Summer 2025 newsletter and appears here with permission.

On Wednesday evenings throughout the 2024-2025 school year, a group of teens gathered at GreenUP’s space in downtown Peterborough. Around tables strewn with broken electronics, bits of upcycled jewellery, and sewing projects, they tackled big ideas: fast fashion, single-use plastics, and the carbon cost of convenience.

They were taking part in the Youth Climate Action Leadership Series — a program led by GreenUP and supported through a grant from the Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough. The initiative invited female-identifying, two-spirit, and gender-diverse youth aged 13 to 18 to co-create and lead hands-on workshops on climate action.

“Many schools no longer run climate action programs, and the youth want to have a point of connection,” says Melissa Morris, GreenUP’s education program coordinator. “Through this and past programs, GreenUP has worked to create a safe and inclusive space for young people to gather.”

At a time when many young people are portrayed as anxious and powerless in the face of the climate emergency, these teens are building their power from the ground up through skill-sharing, conversation, and hard questions.

“A lot of people are super scared and (the climate emergency is) such a big topic,” said Lee, a Grade 9 student. “I wanted to join in to learn more about what I could do and then hopefully have more conversations about it with my friends.”

In the first of six sessions, participants identified workshop themes they wished to embark on including slow stitching, sustainable gift-giving, a repair café, and eco-architecture. Those who completed four of the six sessions received a certificate of recognition, but the real reward was learning how to lead through collaboration.

The youth were given real decision-making power, including how to allocate actual funds to projects that mattered to them. When presented with the opportunity to invest a $5,000 grant, they chose to build gardens at the YES Shelter for Youth and Families.

“I did a bunch of research on the YES Shelter for a school project, and I thought they need this more than some others who are more fortunate,” says Morgan, a Grade 12 student who joined the group through an environmental science class.

“We all agreed that it would be a really good idea to put the money here so the residents can have the food and the nice flowers that will be grown in these gardens.”

This wasn’t about providing charity — it was about building solidarity. They wanted to do something local, tangible, and lasting that signalled to the residents that the community cares about them.

“It was very clear that everyone wanted to use the funding on this project,” says Lee. “It’s closer to home. We can imagine ourselves in the situation the residents find themselves in.”

Kathleen Wild, volunteer and donation coordinator at the YES Shelter, says she has seen how the improved space has made a difference to residents and visitors.

“When I started here, it was the tail end of COVID and the yard was very shabby … it was something that I really wanted to improve upon,” she says. “I’m startled at how beautiful the gardens are and how much engagement there is with the community.”

Kathleen recalled one moment that highlighted the impact of the transformation.

“A single father with three kids said to me, ‘I may have to live in a shelter with my family, but this makes it feel like I’m not living in a bad place.’ That was just so heartwarming to hear.”

For those overwhelmed by the climate crisis, Grade 11 student Lucia says, “You absolutely can do something about it. Just doing little things like planting more trees, flowers, and other plants can really help. Even going out into nature and enjoying a walk … can help with your perspective on the matter.”

These youth are doing more than gaining practical skills, they’re quietly repairing something harder to measure: the frayed threads between generations, between community and climate, between the future they’re inheriting, and the world they’re determined to create.

“(People) always say that the youth is the future, and here we are, trying to do good and help others,” Morgan summarizes. “We just need help with it. That’s all we really need. Just more money and support so we can keep doing this.”

Support GreenUP’s work with the next generation of climate leaders. Thanks to a matching campaign through the Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough, donations to the endowment — the GreenUP Fund — will be matched dollar-for-dollar until December 31, up to $5,000. Learn more at greenup.on.ca/donate-now.

Charlie Angus — musician, author, activist, and former longtime NDP MP — is bringing his ‘Meidas Canada Resistance Tour’ to The Venue in downtown Peterborough from 6:30 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, October 15, with partial proceeds from the event supporting the YES Shelter for Youth and Families.

According to a media release from organizers, the one-night-only event is an evening of “inspired storytelling and political insight from one of Canada’s most uncompromising advocates for democracy, social justice, and grassroots action.”

Before he retired from politics in 2025, the 62-year-old Angus was the NDP MP for the riding of Timmins-James Bay for 21 years, serving as the NDP critic for ethics, the federal economic development agency for northern Ontario, Indigenous youth, and income inequality and affordability, as well as the deputy critic for labour.

Over his decades in politics, Angus has become known nationally for his grassroots activism and his powerful voice for working people, Indigenous rights, social justice, and democratic renewal. Since retiring from politics, he has continued his activism and now has more than 526,000 followers on his various social media platforms.

On Labour Day, he launched his Meidas Canada Network, described as “a small and independent team dedicated to creating a global conversation about resistance in the age of gangster fascism and disinformation. We will shine a light on the MAGA and MAPLE MAGA assault on democracy. But we will also celebrate Canada — the resistance, the resilience, and the people who are holding the line in the fight for democracy and decency.”

Along with his activism, Angus is also the frontman of the legendary Canadian band Grievous Angels — which performed at the Peterborough Folk Festival in August — and author of several acclaimed books, including Cobalt: Cradle of the Demon Metals, Birth of a Mining Superpower.

VIDEO: “Meidas Canada Takes The Fight Global”

Billed as a non-partisan event, Angus’s October 15th appearance at The Venue has been organized by Justin Sutton and Danielle Turpin with broad community support and will be hosted by Peterborough’s Kate Story, an award-winning novelist, playwright, actor, director, and one of the key artists behind The Theatre on King.

“Like so many, I’m alarmed by the rise of authoritarianism and the idea that we should want a strongman to solve the complex problems we face with simple, often cruel answers,” Sutton says in the media release. “We need to come together, stop demonizing each other, and build the decent, caring society most of us want.”

“Charlie is a powerful voice for that, and I’m thrilled he’s joining us in Peterborough. So many of our friends and neighbours are already working together for positive change; Danielle and I hope this night will strengthen that momentum and give us all a positive boost.”

The event is sponsored in part by the Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough, the Home Care Workers Cooperative, and the Peterborough and District Labour Council, with kawarthaNOW as the official media sponsor.

Tickets are available now at eventbrite.ca/e/1628950046439, priced on a sliding scale at $15, $25, and $40 (plus fee), with proceeds from ticket sales (after expenses) to be donated to YES Shelter for Youth and Families, a non-profit charitable organization that supports young people and families in Peterborough with safe shelter, education, and the wraparound care they need to build brighter futures.

“Tiered ticket prices reflect our desire to maximize our collective contribution to YES while ensuring an affordable entry point,” reads the release.

Peterborough’s Take Cover Books will also be at the event with copies of Angus’s books available for purchase.

“This non-partisan night is an invitation, and a challenge, to step out of our silos, listen generously, and work side by side to strengthen democracy and community in Peterborough and beyond,” the release states.

kawarthaNOW is proud to be the official media sponsor of Charlie Angus’s Peterborough appearance.

Peterborough city council has voted to defer an update on the project to renovate and expand the city’s police stations that proposes a $25.4 million increase to the project budget, for a total estimated budget of $91.9 million — an increase of over 38 per cent from the original budget of $66.4 million.

Meeting as general committee on Tuesday evening (September 2), council considered a report from the city’s finance and corporate support services commissioner Richard Freymond that described the reasons for the budget increase.

In 2023, city council approved the purchase of a 13.3-acre property at 1421 Lansdowne Street West that was home to the former Johnson & Johnson medical products facility, with a portion of the 106,000-square-foot building to support police services, including additional spaces for training (combative, exercise, classrooms, and firearms), file and equipment storage, meeting and project rooms, IT infrastructure, interview rooms, enlarged lab and property area, additional staff spaces, specialty vehicle storage, and more.

The city purchased the property from Calvary Pentecostal Church for $15.5 million, with the church continuing to use a portion of the building for up to five years.

Council also approved keeping police operations at the existing station at 500 Water Street, maintaining a police presence in downtown Peterborough and resulting in a two-site solution to accommodate policing needs.

In March 2024, council approved appointing Shoalts and Zaback Architects for the design and contract administration of the renovation and expansion project. In February 2025, council approved the city’s 2025 budget, which included $66.4 million for the renovation and expansion of both Lansdowne Street West and Water Street facilities. In April 2025, the city issued an open competition for construction management services and awarded the contract to Matheson Constructors Limited.

Freymond’s report described four changes to the approved budget that would result in the $25.4 million budget increase, summarized below.

• An additional 15,000 square feet of space at a cost of $7.125 million, to accommodate “right-sized” detention cells at Water Street and additional training space at Lansdowne Street West as required by the Ontario building code, policing standards, and requirements of the Community Safety and Policing Act that came into effect in June.
• A new parking garage beside the Water Street police station at a cost of $2.4 million, to address parking deficiencies identified by a traffic consultant for public, staff, and fleet vehicles.
• Energy and building efficiency measures at a cost of $4.375 million to help meet the city’s greenhouse gas reduction targets.
• An additional $11.5 million to cover the $15.5 million purchase cost of the Lansdowne Street West property, as only $4 million was allocated in the original project budget for the purchase. As the city would use just under half of the building and the city would have several acres on the surrounding site, $5,386,600 would be apportioned for future civic administration and $5,060,200 for future development uses.

At Tuesday’s general committee meeting, police chief Stuart Betts and Eric Riddell, partner and architect at Shoalts and Zaback Architects, made a presentation to council on the renovation and expansion project.

Betts described the need for upgrades to meet “critical requirements” including the Community Safety and Policing Act, the Ontario building code, and health and safety, while Riddell presented some renderings of the proposed renovations and expansion at the Water Street and Lansdowne Street facilities.

After the presentation, councillors asked a series of questions about the project and the substantial increase in the budget.

Councillor Alex Bierk asked how much of the additional 15,000 square feet of space is related to legislated versus discretionary needs, whether other options were considered, and why the increased space requirements were not identified when council approved the purchase of the building.

Betts replied that the space increase is “100 per cent required” for detention centres at Water Street, with Riddell noting that the basement at Water Street is not suitable for detention centres. City staff said that the increased space requirements are a result of changes to the Community Safety and Policing Act and the Ontario building code since the original space requirements were identified.

Councillor Matt Crowley asked whether, to reduce the project costs, “best practices” could be addressed in a second phase of the project.

“This isn’t the Cadillac option we’re giving you,” Betts said. “Things have gotten more expensive … the dollars and figures that were allocated at that time, in 2019, were already insufficient to provide the size of police building that was required.”

After Crowley said the “40 per cent cost overrun is very substantial” and “very concerning,” Betts replied “This isn’t an overrun yet because we’re still right-sizing the budget — I would say that you can’t afford not to do this,” adding that the existing Water Street facility is “deficient in every single way.”

“We are 26 years overdue getting up to our adequacy and effectiveness,” Betts said.

Councillor Kevin Duguay asked whether the proposed parking structure could be “consolidated” to include other uses, and whether there was a potential for upper-level residential development.

Using the analogy of a Christmas wish list, councillor Keith Riel asked Betts whether he would prefer a renovated Water Street facility or a new Lansdowne Street West facility — “one or the other.”

“It’s not an either-or,” Betts said. “The option for a one-site solution ended when we did not purchase the $900,000 church at St. Paul’s across from the police station. That was our option; it did not pass at that time. That decision has resulted in this action.”

“Water Street does not have a sufficient footprint to allow to go up or out, other than what we’re talking about here for the detention cells. To try to renovate 1421 (Lansdowne Street West) takes us out of the downtown core — another key element this council has told to me, and the community has told to me, (is) we want our police in the downtown.”

With Riel repeated his question, Betts replied “Your question is irrelevant because it isn’t an either-or” and then, after Riel repeated the question again, “My answer is that it’s an irrelevant question that has no answer.”

After councillor Joy Lachica asked if the Water Street station would be used only for detention rather than police operations, Riddell said that all operations, investigation services, and detention would remain at the downtown location, with the Lansdowne Street West used for training and executive operations. After Lachica asked if Lansdowne Street could also be used for detention, Riddell replied that doing so would increase staff costs at both sites.

Saying that approving the budget increase “feels a little bit like (writing) a blank cheque,” Lachica suggested severing the land at Lansdowne Street West that is not being used and selling it to offset budget costs.

Councillor Lesley Parnell asked about potential revenue opportunities for the parking garage at Water Street and asked Betts whether it would be possible to have housing above the garage. Betts said there was nothing operationally would prevent that, and Riddell said “I would love to see it — I would prefer to see that than just a parking structure.”

Parnell also asked whether the training centre at Lansdowne Street West could be used to offer training to other police departments and possibly the fire department.

Betts replied the training centre will reduce costs as Peterborough police officers would not have to be sent elsewhere for training, but he has also had conversation with other police chiefs about making the training centre a hub for other police services, and also suggested the “biggest bang” would be if a firing range could be included.

Mayor Jeff Leal asked city staff what $66.4 million in 2019 dollars would be in 2025 dollars, and was told it would be $91.9 million because of three to four per cent cost escalation each year.

Councillor Lachica noted that, during the 2025 budget deliberations, the $66.4 million that was approved was not presented as being in 2019 dollars and that doing so now is a “poor argument.”

After questions to Betts and Riddell were completed, councillor Bierk put forward a motion to defer the report back to city staff, asking for details on what costs are related to mandatory versus discretionary requirements. His motion is shown below.

Be it resolved that Report FCSFPM25-028 be referred back to staff, and that Recommendations (b) and (c) not be approved at this time; and that staff report back with:

4. Written confirmation that no decision to relocate City Hall or Civic Administration functions to 1421 Lansdowne Street is included in this item, and that any such proposal will require a separate report, costing, public engagement, and Council decision.

“I have written on top of my speech, ‘No, no, no, no, no, enough is enough’ for this,” Bierk said. “This is one of the largest capital asks in our city’s history and it’s being presented in a way that mixes provincially mandated police requirements with optional space, duplication, and multiple possible future city uses without clear and detailed justification.”

“Before we commit taxpayers to this astronomical budget increase, we need clarity. We need to know exactly which project elements are required by law and which are discretionary choices, and we need to make sure the police project stands on its own, with its own budget and cap, not to be tied up with other city ambitions for the site.”

During a debate on Bierk’s motion, councillor Gary Baldwin spoke against deferring the report.

“I have every confidence that our consultants are going to come back and be as judicious as they possibly can, and be as frugal as they possibly can,” Baldwin said, adding that policing is “an expensive business.”

Mayor Jeff Leal referred to a 100,000-square-foot police facility in Sarnia that was originally costed at $81 million and is now $91 million.

“These estimates that we’ve been presented tonight are in the ballpark for what we want to do, and I think it’s time,” Leal said, adding that it’s “our obligation to make sure that that we give (police) the resources necessary to carry out their job each and every day.”

After additional debate, council voted on Bierk’s motion, which carried 6-5, with councillors Lachica, Bierk, Crowley, Riel, Dave Haacke, and Andrew Beamer voting in favour and Mayor Leal and councillors Parnell, Duguay, Baldwin, and Don Vassiliadis voting against.

Items endorsed by general committee will be considered for final approval at the regular council meeting on Wednesday (September 3).