Canadian Design and Construction Report staff writer
The Manitoba government is launching a public inquiry into the Winnipeg Police Service headquarters construction project and has appointed veteran lawyer Garth Smorang as commissioner, Justice Minister Matt Wiebe announced Tuesday.
“Taxpayer dollars need to be spent transparently, and Manitobans deserve to know the truth,” Wiebe said. “An inquiry into the police headquarters project will help restore public trust and confidence, and its recommendations will ensure best practices are used to prevent similar mistakes from being repeated.”
Smorang, who has litigated a wide range of cases for private and public sector clients for nearly 40 years, is widely respected in the legal profession, Wiebe said. His experience includes litigating before administrative tribunals and the courts.
The inquiry will examine the circumstances surrounding the renovation of the police headquarters and determine what measures are needed to restore public confidence in the city’s ability to manage large, publicly funded construction projects, Wiebe said. It will also review the City of Winnipeg’s past and current policies for planning, approving and managing projects, as well as conflict-of-interest and disclosure obligations for elected officials and senior employees.
The commissioner will determine the timing and manner of the inquiry, including how evidence will be gathered. A final report with findings and recommendations is due by Jan. 1, 2027, Wiebe said. The province has allocated $2 million to fund the inquiry.
In 2009, the City of Winnipeg purchased the former Canada Post building on Smith Street for conversion into a new police headquarters. The project was completed two years behind schedule and $79 million over budget.
The City of Winnipeg filed a lawsuit against several people, including its former chief administrative officer, Phil Sheegl, who was found by a judge in civil court to have accepted a $327,000 bribe from a contractor.
Sheegl argued the money was for an unrelated real estate deal in Arizona. He appealed the ruling and lost. The Court of Appeal said Sheegl was engaged in 14 different derelictions of duty that amounted to disgraceful and unethical behaviour by a public servant.
An RCMP investigation involved many people over roughly five years.
“A great number of facts have already been established through the courts,” Smorang said at a press conference on Tuesday. “We know that favour was sought by Caspian. We know that an advantage was sought which was given through the CAO of the City of Winnipeg.
“We know that money was paid . . . and we know that the Chief Justice has found that to amount to the civil tort of bribery.”
The inquiry is expected to determine what happened and how it happened and to provide recommendations to prevent similar issues in future municipal projects, Smorang said.
