The chair of the Sarnia Police Service Board says plans for a proposed new police headquarters are on the "back burner" for now as the service focuses on necessary repairs at its Christina Street facility.
Funding for the proposed $91 million project was cut from the City of Sarnia's 2026 budget, which forced the board to reassess matters.
Repairs and upgrades to the current police facility were previously estimated to cost $4.45 million.
Chair Kelly Ash said there are a lot of repairs that need to take place at the current facility, including the front stairs, but she's not sure which items will take priority. Those details will be included in the Strategic Business Plan.
During Thursday's meeting, the board approved an extension to the 2023-2025 business plan to include 2026.
Deputy Chief Michael Van Sickle said the service is not in a position to finalize a new business plan.
"This is an opportunity for us to do some reevaluation of where we want to go. Obviously, the building project, which was a forefront of the organization for a while, has had its challenges. That's something we need to address. To prepare a strategic business plan now, I think, would be a disservice to the potential of a new board."
Van Sickle noted the board may change depending on the outcome of the 2026 municipal election.
"I think the best course of action is to extend this one and then, when a new board is formed, or potentially the same board, work on that for the future," Van Sickle said.
The 2023-2025 Strategic Business Plan will be reviewed in September.
Ash said possible repairs to the current building may impact the 2027 budget.
Meanwhile, an updated 2027 operating budget will be submitted to the board in the fall.
In 2025, the board approved a 2027 operating estimate of just over $40.7 million as part of a two-year budget outlook.
A report to the SPS Board noted several factors that warrant a reassessment of the budget before an update can be provided. For example, the city will not be in a position to finalize a budget for the service until a new council is sworn in, emerging pressures were not fully known when the two-year estimate was submitted, and ongoing collective agreement negotiations may impact the budget.
