Report: Costs to build downtown Junction in Sudbury project have risen 21%

Junction East will be located on Shaughnessy Street in downtown Sudbury, in the parking lot beside the Sudbury Theatre Centre. (File)

Sudbury -

Costs to build the large projects in Greater Sudbury are rising, according to a report headed to city council Wednesday afternoon.

After a report last month said the cost of building a new arena on the Kingsway has risen about $14 million since the project was approved three years ago -- to $114 million – an update on the Junction East project said costs have soared.

"Factoring all of the cost pressures with updated benchmarking results cost approximately 21 per cent higher than 2018," the report said.

"Estimate based on actual design will be produced in next phase for September update."

Junction East includes a 62,000 square-foot building downtown, expected to open in 2024. It will include a new central library and a new Art Gallery of Sudbury.

It will be located on Shaughnessy Street in downtown Sudbury, in the parking lot beside the Sudbury Theatre Centre.

The Sudbury Theatre Centre and Sudbury Multicultural and Folk Arts Association are partnering on the project, according to information from the city's website.

"These institutions will share space in one building but continue to have distinct identities with separate missions, governance, staffing structures and sources of operating revenues," the city said.

Initial estimates for the project were about $46 million, not including an estimated $8 million to $12 million for a parking structure.

City council meets today beginning at 1 p.m. Read the full report here.