Liberals wanted to spend $1.1 million on Roxham Road tent, and the contractor still walked away

Liberals wanted to spend .1 million on Roxham Road tent, and the contractor still walked away
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The illegal border crossing between Quebec and upstate New York has been the primary site for illegal immigration into Canada for years, with nearly 40,000 crossings projected before the Liberals claimed to have closed the border.

According to exclusive documents obtained through access to information filings, in 2018, the federal government was willing to spend an inflated sum to bolster infrastructure at the illegal border crossing, making it more comfortable for migrants to enter Canada.

However, despite a last-minute approval for an increased sole-sourced contract, the larger shelter never materialized.

According to records obtained from the CBSA, the federal government initially budgeted $1 million for a heated tent to shelter illegal border crossers, processing them into Canada before relocating them to temporary housing at various locations across the country.

The documents stated:

In April 2018, the asylum seeker task force concluded a comparative cost analysis and recommended a single large-footprint tent solution for the LaColle point of entry.

The proposal, endorsed by the public safety minister, consisted of using the same trailer set up for winterized requirements and adding a large tent to shelter 500 people with limited requirements.

Instead of the budgeted amount, the contractor wanted $80,000 more for a larger heated tent at Roxham Road.

The feds proceeded with a sole-sourced contract for the nearly $1.1-million project.

Yet, the contractor still walked away because, even at that price, the costs were escalating and the government’s requirements for the tent just weren’t feasible.

The feds wanted the project completed by the end of June 2018; however, by May 31, 2018, the contractor walked away, with the border agency explaining that “the solution was not viable due to contracting and occupational health and safety concerns.”

A diplomatic email from Frank Powell at Powell Safety Solutions explained to the CBSA:

We believe at this time with the requirements your organization is asking and within the time frame allotted, our company would not be able to deliver the product that we would be satisfied with selling.

Despite the closure of Roxham and the cancelled contract, illegal migrants still pour into Canada, just now the migration happens at regular border crossings, like airports and land points of entry.

On December 12, the CBSA announced an upgrade to the legal border crossing at LaColle to accommodate more border crossings more efficiently.



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