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Community Safety Building

Construction of a new Community Safety Building (CSB) was a key objective for Mayor & Council and Town staff. At the completion of this vital project, the citizens of Sidney can feel comforted by having an exceptional post-disaster facility that will withstand a significant seismic event and ensure that emergency services can be provided throughout the community no matter what the outcome.

The Sidney Fire Department and BC Ambulance are operational out of the new Community Safety Building.

Budget Update:

An article in the April 2018 edition of Town Talk provided an update on the budget and tax impacts of the CSB project, and confirmed that the lease with BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) for the co-location of an ambulance station at the CSB was finalized.

Now that we have a firm agreement for the sale of the fire hall site and adjacent parking lot, a final budget update has been provided for the June 25, 2018 Council meeting. Please see the full report here.

The South Island region’s unprecedented construction market conditions, and additions to the scope of the BC Ambulance component, have driven up the projected cost of the building to just over $16 million. The good news is that this same market has allowed the Town to maximize its return on the sale of the fire hall and parking lot properties. This confirms that we will remain on the lower end of the borrowing range for the project; the estimated borrowing for the Town’s portion of the project has always been in the range of $5M to $8M. The latest update projects an amount of $5.7 million.

The table below shows how the project is being funded:

CSB Funding Table June 19 2018

Projected Impact on the Average Household:

Based on the Town portion of borrowing indicated above ($5.7 million) the cost impact of the project on the average household is just under $40 per year, or about $3.28 per month. And with growth in the tax base, including on the old fire hall site, this investment in the safety and protection of the community is going to be spread across a larger number of properties.

Please refer to the following staff reports and other resources for older information on the financing of the CSB project: