Police HQ inquiry final report will be released next week: Kinew

The final report of the public inquiry into the Winnipeg Police Service headquarters will be released next week, days before voters elect a mayor and city council, Premier Wab Kinew announced Thursday.

Kinew told CJOB the report, which he received and began reviewing Tuesday, found the city overpaid by $43.3 million on the project, with misconduct such as fabricated invoices and misappropriated funds “proven” to account for at least part of that amount.

“When you see this report, you’re definitely going to agree this was a total catastrophe,” Kinew told the radio station Thursday, noting he thinks residents deserve to read the document before the Oct. 28 election.

The report’s findings relate to activities between 2010 and 2013, he added. Kinew did not identify any person or entity named in the report.

He did not speak to reporters after question period at the legislature, despite requests from the Free Press and at least one other media outlet for him to discuss the document’s contents and release date.

Kinew’s press secretary told the Free Press late in the afternoon that a statement would not be issued on behalf of the premier. Kinew’s comments from the morning radio interview “stand,” the press secretary said.

The premier told CJOB the province will accept the report’s recommendations.

The $2.3-million public inquiry took place over 27.5 hearing dates between February and May.

Mayoral candidate Kevin Klein last week publicly called on Kinew to make the report public before the election. He also wrote to the province to request that the document be shared promptly and prior to the vote.

“My thanks go out to Premier Wab Kinew for understanding the importance of democracy and transparency.”

“My thanks go out to Premier Wab Kinew for understanding the importance of democracy and transparency,” Klein told reporters Thursday.

The city has been plagued by problems related to the WPS headquarters, a former Canada Post office building and warehouse at Smith Street and Graham Avenue, for more than a decade.

An initial estimate put the cost at $135 million. The price climbed to $214 million, including flood damage and security upgrades. The building was completed in 2016.

An external audit found the project was severely mismanaged. A lengthy RCMP investigation into fraud and forgery allegations did not result in any criminal charges.

The main contractor, Caspian Projects, paid a $28-million settlement for fraud and construction deficiency lawsuits this year.

The city received a $1.15-million payment from former chief administrative officer Phil Sheegl, due to a court ruling that he accepted a $327,000 bribe from Caspian. Sheegl denied accepting a bribe before and during the inquiry.

The two legal challenges were originally part of one lawsuit that was later split up.

Klein, a city councillor from 2018 to 2022, and a former provincial Tory cabinet minister, said he hopes the inquiry report identifies whether processes at city hall were “wrong,” or if they have since changed or improved.

Incumbent mayoral candidate Scott Gillingham said Thursday he welcomes the release of the report.

“I was one of the earliest councillors at the time to call for a police headquarters inquiry.”

“I imagine that perhaps one of the other contenders here in the mayoral race may want to try to assign it to me, whatever happens, but let’s remember this police headquarters matter happened before I was ever elected to council,” he said.

“I was one of the earliest councillors at the time to call for a police headquarters inquiry.”

The city conducted several audits and implemented recommendations, said Gillingham, who was the councillor for St. James from 2014 until he was elected mayor in 2022.

— With files from Joyanne Pursaga

chris.kitching@winnipegfreepress.com