The Mayor isn’t crazy about the potential price tag for a new police headquarters in Thunder Bay.

Bill Mauro addressed the topic in his town hall Tuesday, saying that his position has always been to look at what it would cost to ensure that the current Balmoral Street facility is stable.

“What can we do to accommodate the space, in other words, maybe some of the operations can be located in other buildings or people that are operating in the currently facility can be moved to other locations that are not completely related to police operations,” Mauro added.

The discussion about an upgrade also included building security fencing at a cost of $600,000 but that option was voted down by the Police Services Board in June.

Back on April 20 the board approved asking City Council for the build, which was pegged at roughly $55 million.

Mauro noted the decision will be made by council during budget proceedings in January and February.

“Council has to decide is this the best option, how many years will you get out of a temporary fix, is it the best way to spend your money or not or are there are other options that we could consider that weren’t included in the report.”

Consultants reported to council in November of 2020 that it would cost as much as $63.7-million to renovate and expand the current building instead of building a brand new one.