RCMP investigation of Winnipeg police HQ remains active
The RCMP investigation into Winnipeg's police headquarters remains active as the two-year anniversary of the criminal probe approaches.
Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman said the Mounties recently contacted the city to request additional information pertaining to their investigation of the $214-million police-HQ project, which was completed this summer after three years of delays, $79 million worth of cost overruns and two external audits.
"There was information recently requested that's been provided," Bowman said Friday at city hall, adding the RCMP contacted Winnipeg chief administrator Doug McNeil.
City of Winnipeg communications director Felicia Wiltshire could not divulge the nature of the communication.
"We can confirm that we are continuing to work cooperatively with the RCMP during their ongoing investigation," Wiltshire said in an email statement. "Mr. McNeil has recently been in contact with them."
The Mounties launched a criminal investigation into Winnipeg's police headquarters on Dec. 17, 2014, when officers executed a search warrant at McGillivray Boulevard headquarters of Caspian Construction, the primary contractor on the city project.
Court documents later revealed RCMP were looking into fraud and forgery allegations pertaining to the construction. The RCMP also raided the police headquarters itself in June 2015.
Information used by the Mounties to obtain their initial search warrant also revealed former Winnipeg mayor Sam Katz received thousands of dollars in personal cheques from Caspian Construction.
The RCMP are still working on the investigation, said Robert Cyrenne, communications director for D Division.
"This is still an ongoing investigation," he said Friday via email.
