Wednesday, May 14, 2025
The Ottawa Police Service (OPS) hosted a topping-off recognition ceremony to celebrate the completion of the structural framework for its new South Facility — a major milestone in one of the most significant infrastructure projects in the organization’s history.
The event marked steady progress in the construction of the approximately 218,000-square-foot facility that will serve as a modern, purpose-built policing station for one of Ottawa’s fastest-growing areas. Once complete, the South Facility will support frontline operations, specialized policing services, and vital corporate support functions, all under one roof.
“The construction of the South Facility is a critical part of our strategic plan to meet the demands of the community in the growing south Ottawa region,” said Ottawa Police Chief Eric Stubbs. “It will allow us to deploy our team from this new building to better serve our citizens.”
The South Facility will consolidate more than 500 sworn officers and civilian members into a sustainable, state-of-the-art space, that will house operations such as the 911 Communications Centre, South Division operations, the Marine, Dive, and Tactical units, a Community Police Centre, Collision Reporting Centre, and other units and support sections.
While the project is tracking within budget and within scope, updated timelines are targeting an opening in May 2027 — a few months later than originally anticipated. The delay is attributed to unexpected soil conditions encountered during foundation structural work. While pre-construction geotechnical testing was conducted in line with leading practices, the full extent of below surface conditions became apparent only during piling work. These challenges have since been resolved, and the project team does not anticipate any further issues.
The OPS continues to work closely with its partners to actively monitor and manage project risks and maintain strong fiscal oversight. Contingency funds — a standard component of projects of this size and complexity — are being used as expected, with the project remaining within budget.
The South Facility is a key component of the OPS Facilities Strategic Plan, which develops long-term capital strategies for addressing aging infrastructure and helps meet future policing needs.
“This building is a long-term investment in public safety, operational readiness, and the trust we aim to build with communities in Ottawa’s south end,” said Chief Stubbs.
Featured image: As part of a topping-off recognition ceremony to celebrate the completion of the structural framework for its new South Facility, members of the OPS signed a Service flag to be sealed in a time capsule. (Ottawa Police Service)
