Budgetary concerns halt Fort St. John Public Works Shop upgrade

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. – Tender submissions for phase one of upgrades to a project to upgrade the Public Works Shop were all rejected by the City of Fort St. John council for coming in over the project’s budget. 

During the July 22nd council meeting, staff submitted a report requesting that funds allocated for the project be carried into next year’s capital budget. 

In the 2024 Capital Budget, the Public Works Shop Addition Phase One project was allocated $1.2 million, which included upgrades to the electrical services, two additional bays, an overhead crane, and ventilation. 

Phase one of the project included expanding the height and length of the east side of the workspace within the shop, adding additional bays, the overhead crane, and a backup power unit. 

Phase two, initially scheduled for 2025, included an expansion to the west side of the building and increased equipment storage.

Once the submission tender was closed, staff reviewed the submissions and found that all exceeded the project’s allocated budget. 

The three lowest submissions within the report were all approximately $3.8 million for the work on the first phase. 

In the report, staff explained they would explore other options for the shop’s intended improvements. 

The council approved the rejection of the submissions and allocated the $1.2 million to the 2025 Capital Budget.