Taxpayers in the Rural Municipality of Ritchot will not be responsible for paying overruns on a Main Street revitalization project that ended up costing more than expected.

The city has completed the reconstruction of Main Street in Ile des Chenes in 2024, Mayor Chris Ewen said. He notes that this has been a long time coming and that the last major work on this section of road was done in the 1970s. Ewen said he had been lobbying for the project to happen since joining the Council and this year the work was finally completed.

The reconstruction of Main Street included the area from Dumaine Road to Lacroix Boulevard. In addition to road improvements, the project also included changing sidewalks, adding bicycle paths, building additional boulevards and creating protrusions at pedestrian crossings.

Ewen says the road literally collapsed under the weight of the vehicles and the result looks amazing. He notes that there are some deficiencies that are not abnormal, including some drainage points.

Ewen says the final numbers are now in. The city estimated the project would cost $2.5 million. But after all was said and done, the final price tag was $2.86 million; which ended up costing about $356,000 more than expected. Ewen explains that the money for this increase will come from several different sources. He notes that they have some money in their general reserves to help, and they also have Manitoba Hydro CDI funds to tap into.

“We always try to keep our belts tight for municipal projects, but this isn’t actually the worst redundancy we’ve seen,” he says.

Ritchot Council doesn’t like adding lines to tax bills, according to Ewen. Ewen says the Council has been determined to hold the line on taxes since he was first elected.

“Ritchot continues to work hard at saving money, we have great Management finding ways to cut fat,” explains Ewen. “When we see projects like this go a little over budget, we’ve been able to save that money and create opportunities without having to pay extra fees.”

About $1 million of the $2.86 million price tag came from a state grant.

“They saw the need and recognize the efforts the Council has made to complete this pathway,” says Ewen. “They saw the growth in Ile des Chenes and the region.”