(rdnewsNOW/Josh Hall)

By Josh Hall | @Vancan19

charges not yet laid

Border Services confirms investigation at Red Deer Justice Centre as project nears completion

Mar 5, 2024 | 1:24 PM

Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has confirmed to rdnewsNOW that on April 19, 2023, officers attended the Red Deer Justice Centre worksite as part of an Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) investigation.

The Red Deer Justice Centre is slated to be finished in the first half of 2024. Construction began in August 2020 with an approved budget of $200 million, and remains on budget, says Brendan Procé, Communications Director with Alberta Infrastructure.

Procé confirms the Alberta Government is aware of the CBSA investigation performed on a subcontractor at the site.

“The contractor and subcontractors are responsible for the hiring and vetting of their workers,” says Procé, directing rdnewsNOW to CBSA, but confirming as well that the contractor on the project is Clark Builders.

(rdnewsNOW/Josh Hall)

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CBSA spokesperson Karine Martel confirms there is an ongoing investigation, but says it cannot provide further details on specific individual cases or persons, unless charges have been formally laid, as it is bound by the Privacy Act.

“The CBSA enforces or assists other federal departments and agencies, as well as the provinces and territories, in enforcing more than 100 acts and regulations, including the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA). The CBSA can conduct or provide assistance to criminal investigations,” says Martel.

“Individuals who violate Canada’s immigration laws are subject to serious consequences, including criminal charges, court fines, probation, imprisonment and a criminal record. Additionally, if an individual is found to be working in Canada without a valid work permit, the CBSA will consider appropriate enforcement action, which may include issuance of a removal order. The Agency has a legal obligation to remove all foreign nationals found to be inadmissible to Canada under the IRPA.”

(rdnewsNOW/Josh Hall)

Once confirming the existence of an investigation, rdnewsNOW contacted Clark Builders but the company has declined to answer any of our questions.

“We are under contract on the Red Deer Justice Centre and this contract instructs us to direct all media inquiries to Alberta Infrastructure,” a manager at the Edmonton-headquartered company says. “As per our contract with Alberta Infrastructure, we may not issue a press release, public announcement, or public commentary without the prior written approval of the Province.”

We asked Alberta Infrastructure if they would grant said approval, but were told they had nothing additional to say. Clark Builders then also said it has nothing further to add.

rdnewsNOW also contacted architecture and interior design company Group2, which has offices in Red Deer, but the company declined to comment. The company lists the Red Deer Justice Centre in its portfolio online, and has a sign on-site, but has not been identified as the subcontractor in question.

(rdnewsNOW/Josh Hall)

It remains unknown at this time how many workers were affected by the investigation, and what has become of said workers.

On a somewhat separate note, the ministry’s Procé addressed rumours of a flood that allegedly occurred within the under construction justice centre in 2023.

“In October 2023, a minor water leak from a pipe required the replacement of a small number of ceiling tiles,” he says.

Procé adds that this did not impact the project schedule.