Project Summary C-137: West Shore RCMP building expansion

Additional Information

Population projections were needed to help determine future space requirements and are assumed as follows in Table 1.

Table 1

Police to population ratios were also needed to help determine future space requirements. The ratios assumed in Table 2 are estimates. Each community will likely determine their police to population ratios annually as part of their financial planning processes.

Table 2

The RCMP then provided space requirement estimates based on future RCMP FTE counts.

Table 3

We then benchmarked future space requirements against a comparable (Kelowna) and current West Shore facilities on a per capita and per FTE basis.

Table 4

The feasibility study ultimately recommended a building size of 92,417 ft² together with 2.5 acres of parking to support our policing functions 20 years hence. In the near term, portions of an expanded facility would be leased to other agencies (likely policing related) until such time that occupancy is needed for Communities policing purposes.

A further recommendation was returned to remain at, and redevelop, the existing location on Atkins Avenue, as it was deemed to be more economical than relocating and building new. Additionally, it was noted to be the preferred site over alternative options due to its central location and ease of access to major transportation routes.

Table 5: Estimated Capital Costs

*Includes $6m in seismic upgrades for the 1999 facility (approximately 26,000 ft²) together with approximately 66,000 ft² in new construction.

Table 6: Estimated Municipal Contributions

Next Steps

The Joint Steering Committee (3 CAOs) has recommended to pursue a Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) procurement approach, which will enable the Communities to come to a proposed budget while meeting project requirements in the most efficient manner.

With approval of the recommended budget of $1,200,000, the Communities will proceed with procuring an IPD Advisor and IPD team to develop a Validation Report in mid-2023. A Validation Report reflects the IPD Team’s commitment to achieve the target cost, budget, appropriate level of design, contingency, risk, schedule and other details to ensure owner requirements will be met. One community (likely Langford) will act is fiscal agent for the Communities through this process.

This work will enable the collective Communities stakeholder group to make a decision on whether to proceed with the proposed project.

Project Financing

Long-term borrowing will be required for Colwood’s contribution to this project, and we may determine to begin the borrowing process parallel with the Validation stage of procurement. Long-term borrowing is secured through a loan authorization bylaw, which requires approval of the electors, and the Inspector of Municipalities. Steps in the borrowing process are as follows:

1. Loan authorization bylaw drafted, and council or board gives it three readings
2. Municipal council or electoral area director provide consent (if applicable)
3. Provincial review and statutory approval by the Inspector of Municipalities (6-8 weeks)
4. Approval of the electors (if applicable, 8-11 weeks)
5. Adoption of the bylaw by the council or board
6. Challenge period (1 month)
7. Provincial review and certificate of approval by the Inspector of Municipalities (2-4 weeks)
8. Municipal council passes security issuing resolution and agreement (municipal borrowing only)
9. Regional district drafts security issuing bylaw and board gives it three readings and adoption
10. Challenge period for security issuing bylaw (10 days)
11. Provincial review of the security issuing bylaw and certificate of approval by the Inspector of Municipalities (2-4 weeks)
12. Security issuing by the Municipal Finance Authority

Debt Servicing

Should the project proceed as currently envisioned, View Royal will need to build into our annual budgets the costs of principal and interest repayment over time and determine a borrowing period for the loan. The capacity and capability of the building is being scaled for the 20-year horizon, however the building itself should provide useful life over a 50-year time scale.

20-year debt amortization schedule (includes required 1% debt reserve fund contribution):

20 Year Term Estimated Annual Debt Payments: 1,049,369 Principal: 12,929,300 Interest Rate: 4.67% Capitalization Rate: 3.75% S/F Factor: 0.034462097