Feds warned about Iqaluit RCMP building, says company
Almiq Contracting says it advised Ottawa of swampy land problems
CBC News
Posted: Jan 17, 2013 6:24 PM CST
Last Updated: Jan 17, 2013 7:53 PM CST
Related
Related Stories
Two companies involved in building the Iqaluit RCMP's new $18-million detachment building, which is now sinking into the ground, are speaking out.
The land the detachment is built on is wet and swampy, and that is a big part of why the structure is now having problems.
Mounties are dealing with cracks in the walls and some washrooms that are not working. There has also been some separation between some floors and walls.
The company that built the new Iqaluit RCMP detachment says it warned the federal government about the risks of building on the swampy land. (Daniel MacIsaac/CBC)The company that built the detachment, Almiq Contracting, says it advised the federal government of problems with the foundation and the drainage on the wet ground before construction started.
"We asked the question when we weren't sure and they confirmed, 'Go ahead, it's OK,'" said Pascal Nadeau, who speaks for the company.
Arctic Foundations of Canada, which installed the technology used to keep the permafrost frozen, says there was more water in the area than it expected.
"That puts extra stress on the system. [It] creates more heat load than the system was designed for," said Bill Watt, the company's vice-president and one of its founders.
Watt said the gravel pad that was supposed to act as a barrier wasn't suitable for the swampy conditions, so the spring melt seeped into the permafrost, causing the building to shift.
Some repairs have been made to the building, but the RCMP and the federal government are still looking for other solutions.
Share Tools
Latest North News Headlines
- 2 climbers rescued off Yukon mountain after 5 days
- Two climbers were rescued off Mount Eaton this weekend in Kluane National Park in Yukon. more »
- 'Suicide contagion' spreads after schoolmate death
- Youth who had a schoolmate die by suicide are more likely to consider or attempting it, according to a large Canadian study into "suicide contagion." more »
- Yukon couple hold record for longest marriage in country
- A couple in Ross River, Yukon, who have been married since 1932, are believed to hold the record for the longest marriage in Canada, according to Worldwide Marriage Encounter Canada. more »
- New team hired at Hay River counselling centre
- A new team has taken over at Hay River Community Counselling, which saw four of its employees leave last year after being asked to take demotions. more »
Must Watch
Top News Headlines
- Senate to debate expense audits amid greater scrutiny
- The expenses scandal is dominating the first Senate session since the audits on senators Mike Duffy, Mac Harb and Patrick Brazeau were released and it was revealed Duffy's questionable expenses were repaid by a personal cheque from the prime minister's chief of staff. Follow our live blog. more »
- Search for deadly Oklahoma tornado survivors nears end
- The search for survivors and bodies following the most powerful type of tornado in an Oklahoma City suburb that levelled a school and killed at least nine children on Monday is almost over. more »
- Deadly Oklahoma tornado confirmed as most powerful type
- Emergency workers neared the end of their search Tuesday afternoon for survivors in Moore, Okla., following a deadly tornado that weather officials said was now classified among the most powerful type of twister. more »
- Only 1 set of human remains found at Millard farm, police say
- Hamilton police have confirmed that they are dealing with only a single set of human remains at the Waterloo region farm of Dellen Millard. more »
- Rob Ford faces more calls to address crack allegations
- Toronto Mayor Rob Ford went back to work after a holiday weekend, but he kept his mouth shut about an alleged video that two published reports say shows him smoking what appears to be a crack pipe. more »
- 2 climbers rescued off Yukon mountain after 5 days
- Yellowknife rental units still pricey, despite more vacancy
- Northerners struggle with new temporary foreign worker rules
- Nunavut spending less on students than Yukon, N.W.T.
- Bell Mobility to appeal ruling in 911 lawsuit
- Long-awaited mental health centre opens in Iqaluit
- Nunavut MLAs say public housing units not fairly distributed
- Yukon not protecting group home workers, says former employee
- Rankin Inlet, Nunavut, digs out from record snowfall
