Winnipeg police headquarters, 245 Smith Street (GOOGLE STREET VIEW)
The City of Winnipeg is taking a contractor and several individuals to court over the construction of the new Winnipeg police headquarters building downtown.
The city filed a statement of claim Monday, alleging Caspian Projects Inc. and others operated a “scheme” to bilk the city out of millions of dollars associated with the project.
Other defendants listed include Armik Babakhanians, Triple D Consulting Services, and Phil Sheegl, the city’s former chief administrative officer, among others.
“Since taking office, I have worked diligently with my council colleagues and our public service to hold people accountable and protect the interests of Winnipeg taxpayers,” said Mayor Brian Bowman. “Today’s legal actions represent another step toward ensuring individuals are held to account.”
Bowman previously called on the province to launch a public inquiry into the matter following the end of a five-year RCMP investigation that concluded no criminal charges were warranted.
The police service moved into its new $214 million building in the summer of 2016, three years after it was scheduled to open. The project was also tens of millions of dollars over budget.
The allegations laid out in the lawsuit haven’t been tested in court.
Read the statement of claim below or click here.
