Huntsville's proposed replacement communications tower comes in $250K over budget

Council directed staff to come back with another report

Huntsville Council agreed to continue to investigate options for the telecommunications tower at 40 Florence Street West, in the March 13, 2026, special meeting.

Staff reported the results of a Request for Tender (RFT) for the replacement of the existing communications tower, which supports several critical municipal services, including fire department radio communications, public works communications, links to Barrie dispatch, and connections to municipal facilities such as the Town Office, Huntsville Public Library, Canada Summit Centre, and Fire Stations 1 and 5.

According to the report, bids submitted through the tender process exceeded the $500,000 project budget previously authorized by Council. Cost estimates for constructing a full replacement tower were projected at approximately $750,000 in total build costs, including engineering, equipment relocation, and related project components.

Staff also examined alternative options. A co-location approach—using another tower site—was estimated at about $148,010 in preliminary build-related costs, though the final cost would depend on engineering assessments and any required construction on the host tower.

The report also outlined long-term cost comparisons. Over a 40-year period, the total estimated cost for a replacement tower is approximately $2.86 million, while the co-location option could total about $3.95 million depending on build requirements.

A third option was a cellular-based communications system, with an estimated cost of $75,424 to implement, with ongoing operational costs of approximately $6,977 per month (about $83,724 annually)

Council members expressed concerns about the increased costs of the project.

Councillor, Bob Stone, who said he originally seconded the motion, could no longer support it. He said, “I don’t believe we should be funding another $250,000 - close to a third of 1 million.”

He suggested, “The co-location is the best option for the next 20 years. Technology is evolving quickly, so the tower will be redundant in 20 years.”

Councillor, Cory Clarke, said, “I think it’s increasingly clear that a new tower isn’t going to be cost effective… I’m not prepared to move forward with this motion.”

Councillor, Jason FitzGerald, expressed interest in exploring other options. He said, “There may be other opportunities for the replacement tower,” and suggested it as a consideration for the meeting later this month.

After discussions about the recommendations Council agreed to exclude the cellular option due to risks related to service reliability, coverage concerns, and dependence on third-party infrastructure for emergency communications.

They also substituted the staff recommendation and directed staff to return with a further report examining two options: pursuing a co-location arrangement to replace the tower, and consulting with the Muskoka Community Land Trust about potential financial participation to assist with the cost of the tower.