Former NB Community College: City Council awards contract for demolition

Jun 13, 2024

Following a call for tenders, Edmundston City Council agrees to award a contract to Ontario firm York 1 Demolition Ltd for the demolition of the former New Brunswick Community College, located at 225 Du Pouvoir Road. Work is scheduled to start no later than the end of June. Four specialized companies responded to the call for tenders.

This project has been the subject of numerous ups and downs over the past ten years. The building was sold by the province to the current owner in 2014. In 2015, the City began inspecting the property, which was already showing damage to the exterior cladding. In 2016, the City began receiving complaints from neighbours about the constant presence of people on the roof of the building, and of broken windows. The Police Force observed several break-ins.

Between fall 2017 and 2023, municipal inspectors perceived interior water damage; evidence of squatters; theft of equipment, electrical and plumbing fixtures, and sprinkler system components. Under the Unsightly and Dangerous Premises By-law, the owner was given several notices to rectify the situation, which was never done.

In 2023, the City received a complete assessment of the building's structure, which clearly demonstrated that it was unsalvageable and had to be demolished as soon as possible. A notice of compliance was therefore issued to the owner under the Local Governance Act to proceed with the demolition.

The contract awarded to York 1 Demolition Ltd is valued at $1,953,640 and includes demolition, hazardous materials treatment, and site restoration. The owner will be invoiced for all the work, and in default of payment, the invoice will be turned over to the provincial Department of the Environment and Local Government, in accordance with the procedure included in the Local Governance Act, which will reimburse the City and take back the property.

"After all these years, while we are pleased to finally be able to proceed with the demolition of this problematic, unsightly and dangerous building, we are sorry to see a building go that could have been used to create housing, had it been maintained by the owner. Our teams have carried out over 200 visits and inspections on the property since 2015, and the owner has never really cooperated. This will undoubtedly be a relief for the neighbourhood," explains Edmundston Mayor Eric Marquis.

York 1 Demolition Ltd is scheduled to start work no later than the end of June, for a duration of approximately four months. Residents of the area will have to live with the noise of the work and heavy trucking during this period, but there should be no impact on road traffic.

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CONTACT: Mr. Marc Michaud, Chief Administrative Officer, 506.739.2115