Winnipeg Police Service headquarters at 245 Smith Street. (GOOGLE STREET VIEW)
The Manitoba government has announced a public inquiry into the controversial construction project of the Winnipeg Police Service headquarters.
Veteran lawyer Garth Smorang has been appointed as the commissioner of the inquiry, which the province announced on Tuesday.
“Taxpayer dollars need to be spent transparently and Manitobans deserve to know the truth,” said Justice Minister Matt Wiebe.
“An inquiry into the police headquarters project will help restore public trust and confidence, and its recommendations will ensure best practices are used to prevent similar mistakes from being repeated.”
Smorang, who has nearly 40 years of experience as a litigator, will lead the investigation into the project’s delays, cost overruns, and overall management. The inquiry will assess the City of Winnipeg’s policies on project approvals, conflict-of-interest rules, and accountability measures for elected officials and senior staff.
The $2 million inquiry is set to conclude by January 1, 2027, with a final report outlining findings and recommendations.
The WPS headquarters project has been a point of controversy since the city purchased the former Canada Post building on Smith Street in 2009. Originally budgeted at $135 million, the project was completed two years late and exceeded costs by $79 million.
The City of Winnipeg filed a lawsuit against several people, including its former chief administrative officer, Phil Sheegl, who was found by a judge in civil court to have accepted a $327,000 bribe from a contractor.
Sheegl argued the money was for an unrelated real estate deal in Arizona. He appealed the ruling and lost. The Court of Appeal said Sheegl was engaged in 14 different derelictions of duty that amounted to disgraceful and unethical behaviour by a public servant.
An RCMP investigation involved many people over roughly five years.
In the end, Crown attorneys decided to not lay charges, citing an unlikelihood of conviction. The Manitoba New Democrats, while in Opposition, obtained an RCMP briefing note that showed Mounties recommended charges of financial crimes with an estimated value of more than $33 million.
Watch Tuesday’s news conference:
— With files from The Canadian Press
