The long awaited North Cowichan RCMP detachment on Drinkwater Road opened its doors Friday, June 14, and an opening ceremony in afternoon to give the public a look inside the building.
Construction began in 2021 and a large chunk of the funding came from the federal government to make it a net zero energy user.
Cowichan-Malahat-Langford MP Alistair MacGregor said he hopes the new building can continue to build meaningful relationships between the RCMP and community members.
“A new building and a new place can really put a mark on a community, it’s sort of a symbol of the times that are coming, and the type of relationship that an organization wants to form.”
The project was approved by council in 2020 after through an Alternative Approval Process as the old detachment building had passed its serviceable life.
The new building amalgamates provincial officers, forensic, traffic enforcement and Indigenous Policing all under one roof.
Cowichan Tribes Chief Cindy Daniels said she thinks the building will continue to grow the relationship between the RCMP and her Nation.
“This new building represents a new beginning for the relationship between our nation and the North Cowichan RCMP that started several years ago”
The project had an estimated budget of just over $49 million, but only cost $47.4 million, saving money in the process.
