THUNDER BAY – The Ministry of the Attorney General and Infrastructure Ontario today announced that the request for proposals (RFP) stage has closed for building teams to submit bids to design, build, finance and maintain a new consolidated courthouse in Thunder Bay.
The future courthouse will consolidate Thunder Bay’s two existing courthouses: the courts of the Superior Court of Justice, which are located on Camelot Street, and the courts of the Ontario Court of Justice, which are on East Arthur Street. The new courthouse, to be located in downtown Thunder Bay, will improve access to justice in the city by consolidating the services of the existing courthouses within one modern facility, increasing the number of courtrooms
available, providing better public access and security, and improving health and safety standards.
Highlights of the Thunder Bay Consolidated Courthouse include:
• a commitment by the government to meet the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver standard, which focuses on energy efficiency, healthy indoor environments and reduced greenhouse gas emissions;
• a new multi-storey building with space to accommodate 15 courtrooms and four conference/settlement suites.
The construction project will provide a sizeable stimulus to the regional and Ontario economies by directly and indirectly creating and supporting thousands of jobs. Labour will largely be drawn from the Thunder Bay region.
Over the next several months, Infrastructure Ontario and the Ministry of the Attorney General will evaluate the bidders’ proposals based on criteria set out in the RFP. The successful bidder is expected to be announced in fall/winter 2010 when the evaluation process is complete. The cost of the winning bid will be announced publicly following financial close. A start date for construction will be determined after the successful bidder is confirmed.
“The new courthouse will be designed to meet the capacity needs and caseload requirements for our community over the next 30 years,” said Hon. Michael Gravelle, MPP for Thunder Bay – Superior North. “Once under construction, the project will help create jobs and spur economic development throughout the region.”
“This is a sign of the government’s commitment to our community,” said Bill Mauro, MPP for Thunder Bay-Atikokan. “By investing in infrastructure, the McGuinty government is helping to ensure that first class facilities and services are available to all Ontarians.”
The Ministry of the Attorney General and Infrastructure Ontario are working to develop the new courthouse, which will remain publicly owned, publicly controlled and publicly accountable.
Infrastructure Ontario is a Crown corporation dedicated to managing some of the province’s larger and more complex infrastructure renewal projects – ensuring they are built on time and on
budget.