Public Safety Building Construction Project

Improving public safety for our community

In 2019, residents were asked about how best to spend a portion of the McLoughlin Amenity Funds, resulting in a new public safety building (PSB) being put forward as one of the priorities. The previous fire hall and police building was dated, cramped and unable to meet current post-disaster standards. It was nearing the end of its useful life and Council wanted to address the issue proactively.

The new building will include an updated fire hall, emergency operations centre, CRD offices and some programmable space. The building will also be purpose-built post disaster adding crucial capacity for emergency response and recovery planning to serve the community for the next 50 years.

The updated fire hall will have a dedicated decontamination area, high-angle training tower and classroom space, along with a four-bay fire apparatus apron.

The emergency operations center (EOC) will be purpose-build rather than the current EOC located in the council chambers. The EOC will be used for training and, in an emergency, is the central command and control facility responsible for carrying out the principles of emergency or disaster management.  During a long term incident (flood, fire, tsunami, earthquake, biological or nuclear incident, extreme weather events and so on), it is not practical to have the EOC in the council chambers, as governance of the township must still go on.

MEDIA: $48M public safety building to rise in Esquimalt

The total budget estimate for the project is $48 million. The budget includes numerous costs associated with the work besides the final building cost, including demolition and abatement of the old public safety building; renovating the interim police facilities; and building the temporary fire hall. Roughly one-third of the costs of the project address needs other than construction.

Construction began May 27, 2024. The public safety building is targeted for completion in fall 2026.

Phase II activities