‘Obstacles’ force $35M increase in Queens Quay revitalization budget

TORONTO – The revitalization of Queens Quay is roughly $35 million over budget, according to Waterfront Toronto.

The project is on schedule to be completed by June 2015, but the organization says a “series of unforeseeable obstacles and issues” that couldn’t be assessed prior to construction led to the cost increase.

The challenges, according to a press release on the Waterfront Toronto website, led to a 38.3 per cent increase of the project’s budget from $93.2 million in 2011 to $128.9 million.  The Waterfront Toronto board was made aware of the increased costs in February but didn’t release the numbers publically until Thursday.

Deputy Mayor Denzil Minnan-Wong asked why they didn’t say anything sooner.

“I suspect that the board knew but that they decided not to release that information to the public,” he told reporters at city hall. “The question that you have to ask yourself is why they did not tell the public when they knew that happened?”

Waterfront Toronto posted an explanation on their website saying it would have been inappropriate to disclose the numbers until contracts had been settled.

Construction crews found the problems when they began digging underground. Some of the unexpected challenges include unidentified pipes, abandoned dock walls, unconnected sewer pipes, manholes, sinkholes, and failed water mains.

Waterfront Toronto said the final price shouldn’t change significantly from $128.9 million but could.