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Plenty of competition over bids to build Winnipeg fire halls

Nov. 21, 2013, Winnipeg – The developer awarded the contract to build four Winnipeg fire halls says lots of facts surrounding the deal haven't come to light yet.

Shindico CEO Sandy Shindleman says his company was not shown any favouritism.

An audit released last month said the contract to build the fire halls was split into four that were awarded to Shindico on – quote – a "non-competitive basis."

The report also said the project went $3 million over budget and involved a land swap that saw a new station built on property owned by Shindico and not the city.

Shindleman says the project wasn't over budget, there wasn't a land swap and there were seven or eight bidders for the contract.

The audit also said the fire hall project was mismanaged, lacked appropriate oversight and didn't follow city policies.

The cost of the four fire halls in the Sage Creek, River Heights, Charleswood and St. James neighbourhoods now sits at $18 million.

Phil Sheegl resigned as Winnipeg's chief administrative officer days before the release of the fire hall audit. He was a key player involved in their construction.

Former fire chief Reid Douglas was let go.
 
City council has passed a motion to have outside lawyers look at the audit.