THUNDER BAY — The demolition of Victoriaville Centre will have to wait another month.
The complexity of the project led officials to give contractors an extension to get their final bids in, Aaron Ward, manager of engineering, told Newswatch on Thursday. However, the Victoriaville revitalization project's projected end date has not changed, he said.
Demolition had been slated to begin in April, but should now happen in late May.
“The tender was set to close on March 27 and a two-week extension was issued as of Tuesday to now close on April 10th. This will allow the city to work through the tariff situation and also allow the contractors who are bidding on the project more time to coordinate all the various aspects of the project,” said Ward.
Ward noted that the project is unique.
Traditionally, the city would award contracts for bits and pieces including building renovation work, demolition work, and building a new road and the associated plazas.
However, this contract will be awarded to one main contractor who will subcontract the work to various trades.
That means the contractors bidding on the project “needed some time to coordinate the various trades” to come up with the contractor's final total, said Ward.
The other reason for the extension was uncertainty around the trade war between the United States and Canada.
When asked what the impact on the project might be Ward said, “that's what we're working through exactly is how the tariffs are affecting this project.”
“Given the current trade agreements that are in place, contractors can order their materials and supplies from wherever they feel they can get the best price. Whether it’s Canada or the U.S. or abroad, the contractors now with these tariffs in place may want to source their materials from elsewhere,” said Ward.
“Of course, our global economy is all intertwined so although the windows may be manufactured in Canada, the product to make them may come from the U.S., so it still affects the overall price.
“So, we just want to give everybody time to work through how to manage this ever-changing tariff situation moving ahead.”
Ward said the extension doesn't affect the overall timeline of the project. The city is still looking to have Victoria Ave and all the storefront businesses open to the public by October 2026.
Ward noted that once the demolition of the mall begins, members of the public will still be able to access businesses such as Thrive Fitness, Victoriaville Physiotherapy Centre, and Sweet Cherry Spa.
“We assure that people who come to those businesses know how to get there. For a few of them, they will have other points of access since their main access is in the mall. They'll be provided with a new access off of Justice Avenue, for example, or through the Chapple's building,” said Ward.
