A Colwood councillor is raising concerns about the planning process for a new shared West Shore RCMP building, specifically calling out what he describes as a lack of financial discipline in a project already under scrutiny for its $103-million price tag. Councillor Ian Ward has been a vocal critic of how the project’s spending is being managed, pushing for stronger governance controls and transparent financial reporting.
The proposed five-storey detachment at 698 Atkins Avenue in Langford would nearly triple the size of the current 1966 facility to 93,000 square feet. Colwood, Langford, and View Royal share the costs based on their populations, with Colwood covering about a quarter of the total bill.
Tensions between the three West Shore municipalities spilled into public view in January 2026, when Langford and View Royal quickly endorsed the project’s validation report while Colwood paused to commission its own independent financial review by consultant Jonathan Huggett. Langford publicly criticized the delay, and later called Ward’s actions “inappropriate and unprofessional” after he disclosed a confidential conversation between Langford Mayor Scott Goodmanson and former RCMP Superintendent Todd Preston.
In March 2026, Colwood council voted unanimously to move forward, but with new “guard rails.” These include strengthened governance controls, transparent financial reporting, adding a financial resource like an accountant, and replacing Colwood’s member on the Integrated Project Delivery team with someone who has project management experience. Even with that approval, Ward remains a vocal critic of how the project’s spending is being managed.
The Capital Regional District borrowing for the project, at an interest rate of 4.56 per cent, will cost taxpayers roughly $183 million over 25 years. The $87.5-million construction project is expected to be complete by August 2029. Consultant Jonathan Huggett’s review, citing correspondence from the RCMP’s B.C. commanding officer, said the design is “tracking toward being fit for purpose.” Ward says the smaller spending details still matter because they add up over the life of the project.
