Funding shifts and tender timing changes move the Perth 3-street rebuild forward
PERTH — The Town of Perth is gearing up for a three-street overhaul, and while the price tag may be eye-watering, staff say it reflects a shift in timing rather than new spending.
Perth has issued tenders for major reconstruction work on Robinson Street, Thomas Avenue and Stewart Street, all identified as high priority due to aging underground infrastructure and deteriorating road conditions. Five bids were received, with Ingimundson Construction Ltd. submitting the lowest at just over $3.5 million, including HST. After the tax rebate, the municipal cost is about $3.1 million.
Robinson Street, originally budgeted for 2026 at about $1.25 million, is now projected to come in under budget, with a net cost closer to $1.21 million.
Thomas Avenue exceeds its 2026 budget by about $618,000, but staff say the increase is tied to earlier planning that deferred part of the work to 2027. The full reconstruction must be completed in one construction season for safety reasons.
Stewart Street, scheduled for 2027, is being brought forward for tender now. Staff recommend locking in the price at an estimated municipal cost of about $926,000, which is below earlier projections.
To move the projects ahead, staff recommend reallocating funds between 2026 and 2027, using capital reserves and delaying the Tay Basin parking lot project until next year.
“Dollars are tight, money’s tight, taxes are high in this town. People are having a hard time making ends meet and it’s only getting worse it seems in the next few months. I would hope perhaps council or staff would reevaluate the need to repave a parking lot that’s really just a parking lot, especially if I need to fix a street somewhere else first,” said Deputy Mayor Ed McPherson.
The plan also includes about $283,000 in contingency funding across the three projects, to be used only if unexpected issues are encountered during construction.
Committee approved the recommendation, including the adjusted timelines and funding changes. Staff noted that delaying or re-tendering the work would likely result in higher costs and further delays.
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