Winnipeg transit garage project $105M over budget: report

A major infrastructure project in Winnipeg is $105 million over budget, and portions of it may be pushed down the road, which could impact service.

A new report to the public works committee says the planned north transit garage is now estimated to cost $305 million. The budgeted price tag is $200 million.

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It says several factors have caused the cost to increase including a delay in federal funding, the pandemic, a requirement for zero-emission buses, new energy codes, and soil remediation.

The report recommends spending only $80 million and delaying some aspects of the project.

The 40,000-square-metre garage was set to house 246, 40-foot buses.

But the deferrals, if approved by council, would cut storage space, only allowing 207 buses, and reducing maintenance bays by 8, from 20 to 12.

This would also include deferring the purchase of 60-foot articulating buses because of a lack of space, which the report says could “adversely” impact ridership and service as the buses are part of the new transit network plan.

The report also recommends the city speak with the other levels of government to increase their share of the project costs.