Remember me
Outgoing Mayor Sam Katz speaks to reporters at Winnipeg city hall following his last council meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2014. (CBC)
The third day of the Winnipeg police headquarters public inquiry, which was set aside for testimony from former mayor Sam Katz, has wrapped.The project has been subject to two external audits, two lawsuits and a five-year RCMP investigation that concluded without charges.The building costs increased from a $135-million budget to $214 million by 2016 due to construction delays, change orders and flood damage.Katz, who was mayor from 2004 to 2014, was not a party to any lawsuit related to the project and is not accused of any wrongdoing, but Manitoba Court of Appeal Justice Christopher Mainella said in 2023 he can be considered a material witness.Katz "received precisely half the money" paid to former Winnipeg chief administrative officer Phil Sheegl by Armik Babakhanians, the principal of police HQ contractor Caspian Construction, Mainella noted in his 2023 decision.Danny Gunn, Katz’s legal counsel, has urged the public not to draw any conclusions about Katz until the inquiry finishes.Back to top
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