The Ontario government has thrown open the doors to its latest new Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) detachment.

The building in Orillia, which was built at a cost of $20 million, was constructed by Bird Capital OMP Project Co Inc. under a public-private partnership (PPP) arrangement. Infrastructure Ontario selected the Bird team to lead the design and construction of 10 OPP detachments across the province.

The new Orillia building includes leading-edge equipment and technology needed to meet the complex demands of modern police operations. It is also designed to meet the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Silver Standard, which recognizes buildings with reduced environmental impacts.

“Our government continues to deliver on the promise to build safer communities across Ontario, including here in Orillia,” said Solicitor General Sylvia Jones. “This new state-of-the-art detachment not only provides OPP officers with the tools they need to better serve and protect the people of Orillia and surrounding communities, but it also provides them with the tools they need to do their jobs safely.”

The detachment provides approximately 34,000 square feet of space, a modern infrastructure design to support ever-changing technology requirements including facilities to secure evidence, 12 holding cells, closed-circuit television technology and other advanced security features.

“This new and modern detachment, equipped with a Collision Reporting Centre, is helping our uniform, civilian and auxiliary members continue to deliver on their commitment to keep our residents and communities safe,” said OPP Commissioner, Thomas Carrique.

The detachment is part of the province’s OPP Modernization – Phase 2 project, announced in 2018, to replace aging OPP facilities across the province that are at the end of their lifespan and no longer meet the requirements of today’s police operations. The project, which initially consisted of nine detachments with a budget of $182 million, was revaluated at $201 million last June to accommodate the construction of a tenth detachment in Cambridge.

“Infrastructure projects like this new OPP detachment are essential to the safety and security of our communities," said Kinga Surma, Minister of Infrastructure. "We will continue to work with communities like Orillia to invest in local priorities and build, renew and modernize the infrastructure that our law enforcement frontline heroes and the people of Ontario rely on to stay safe.”

The Orillia detachment is located at 1 University Avenue.

Featured image: The OPP detachment in Orillia was built by a P3 consortium led by Bird Construction at a cost of $20 million. (OPP)