The Chatham-Kent Community Hub will once again be a major topic of discussion at tonight’s council meeting.
Council will vote on awarding the tender to Fortis Construction Group Inc. to renovate the former Sears building in downtown Chatham.
The Tecumseh-based contractor submitted a bid of $39,280,323, which comes in under budget and includes an HST rebate.
Mayor Darrin Canniff told CKXS News that the tender coming in under budget solidifies the choice.
“This is the cheapest alternative; we can either fix up the other ones or do this,” said Canniff.
“It’s cheaper to start with, and we get a new museum and a new library basically for free. It makes financial sense, business sense to do it, and so many other reasons.”
Councilors will also vote on extending the contract of the project manager for an additional two years at a cost of approximately $320,000, to be funded through the Building Lifecycle Reserve.
Another key vote will involve debenture financing of up to $16.7 million to help fund the project. The 20-year loan would be repaid through the existing Facility Replacement operating budget, meaning no tax increase is required.
Canniff believes misinformation in the community has led some to have misconceptions about the project, including that it would cause an increase in taxes.
“It’s not true,” said Canniff. “It’s a lot of misinformation, so that’s what we deal with, not just on this project, but right across the spectrum, is misinformation. People going on Facebook and all of a sudden that’s the right answer.”
Funding for the new Community Hub will also come from the sale of surplus municipal properties, including 315 King Street West and 120 Queen Street, as well as using other existing municipal reserves.
Also on the agenda tonight is a motion from Councilor Alysson Storey calling for greater transparency around the project’s costs.
The Ward 6 councilor is asking administration to provide a detailed breakdown of all costs associated with renovating the former Sears building, including long-term operating and lifecycle costs.
Administration is not recommending a new report, noting that detailed financial information has already been presented in reports to council in October 2024, May 2025, and again tonight.
The 90-day bid window for Fortis Construction Group Inc. closes November 28, and, if the contract is approved, administration hopes to begin renovations in December with the project expected to be completed in February 2028.