The US tariff war has brought some price uncertainty to a major project to build a new fire hall in Dorchester. Consulting engineer Andrew Amos was at council last week to give an update on the project, and he issued a warning to councillors: Trump’s tariff war “has just thrown an enormous wrench into budgeting and into costing,” said Amos.
But there was also some good news about the $4.6 million project. The design of the new building is nearly complete, said Amos, and the project is on schedule to be built this year.
An on-schedule project is especially good news this time around, because in addition to committing to the new fire hall, Tantramar has also ordered a new pumper truck for the Dorchester Fire Department, and the $920,000 truck, expected to arrive in 2026, will not fit into the current 77-year-old Dorchester Fire Hall.
But going to tender at the moment has its down side. The original cost estimate of $4.6 million dollars for the new 9800 square foot fire station is now in question, thanks to actual and threatened tariffs from the Trump administration. Amos says that while labour costs are consistent, costs for materials have “changed dramatically”.
“When I started this presentation a week ago,” Amos told council, “the tariffs were at one position, and then as the week went on, it kept changing. And then this morning I got up, and steel and aluminum had doubled. And then driving here that got changed again. That uncertainty is now fully embedded into our supply marketplace for materials.”
The uncertainty affects everything from light fixtures, to fans, heat pumps, electrical equipment, and duct work, said Amos. “The impact of those tariffs is showing up in direct price increases and changes, but also in a fear and uncertainty by the suppliers.”
Amos reported another wrinkle in Tantramar’s plan for the new fire hall, which the municipality hoped would qualify for Green Municipal Fund support for its proposed net zero design. But the target of the Green Municipal Fund has shifted, said Amos, and so he recommended abandoning the pursuit of that funding, due to decreasing odds that the project would be successful.
At the same time, that would also mean abandoning some of the more costly energy efficiency measures in the original building plan. “You’d still have LED lights, you’d still have heat pump technology. You’d still have in floor heating, all those bread and butter energy efficient savings designs would stay in,” said Amos. “It’s the more higher end stuff, the solar panels… those would be gone.” The building will remain designed and wired to accommodate solar panels, said Amos, if a future council decided to add them in future.
Amos suggested putting the current design of the project out to tender, and then negotiating with low bidders to remove elements based on budget restraints. He also recommended moving ahead this year with the project, despite the price uncertainty caused by US tariffs.
“Now is the time to go to market,” said Amos. “You still need a fire station. So we’re going to have to do the absolute best we can in this economic environment to drive that cost as absolute low as we can.” Amos assured council that the floor plan would not be changed without first consulting them.
The current plan includes room for three bays, each able to accommodate two trucks. There is workshop and storage space, as well as a training area and kitchen facility. There’s also chief and deputy chief office space, and an area for municipal office use.
“We won’t take any space out of the building without consulting and get the direction from council,” said Amos, “but we will explore every opportunity.”
