Winnipeg police HQ costs go up yet again

Winnipeg Police chief Devon Clunis says another $1.7 million in expensesare likely needed for the new police headquarters.

"Yes, it is an additional cost. These must be rectified before we canmove into the building," Clunis told reporters Friday, following a meeting of the police board.

• Millions needed to upgrade office tower attached to Winnipeg's new police HQ

The cash is required for improved infrastructure in the parkade,ventilation in evidence rooms, new overhead doors and several otheritems.

The extra expenses don't appear in a summary of the project submittedto the city's finance committee on Thursday.

Clunis told reporters the service had known of the shortcomingsfor some time and thought they had been included inregular reports tocity hall.

"I am certain it would be in the reportit should be in the report," he said.

The city's 2015 capital budget does include a line for $1.7 millionfor the police headquarters.

The city's finance committee chair Marty Morantz says a separate budget was created for the new police headquarter costsand added to the city's overall capital spending for 2015. The cash comes from the existing police capital budget, Morantz told CBC News.

The headquarters project is currently $75 million over budget and hasbeen the focus of a scathing audit and an investigation by the RCMP.

According to Coun. Brian Mayes, city council was aware there would be additional costs for the police headquarters.

Mayes said he recalled a briefing where councillors were told about deficiencies in the building that needed more funds.

The city's 2015 capital budget includes an expense line for $1.7 million for the project, but the extra costs were not reported to the city's finance committee and were not reflected in the overall costs for the project.

Councilor Morantzsays reports tothe finance committee only include projects over $10 million. Because the additional expenses were itemized in a new budget and it came under that ceiling, it wasn't reported to the committee.