Since work began at the site of the Craigflower Bridge, two ancient intact bodies, six partial remains and several First Nations artifacts have been uncovered.
As a result of the heavy archaeological workload, Saanich council on Monday approved a $400,000 increase to expand the scope of work for the project’s archaeological consultant.
“As the excavation takes place, (the consultant) has the expertise to identify the material. They’re on site for the entire process,” said Colin Doyle, Saanich’s director of engineering.
Golder Associates’ contract was already valued at $120,000. This contract expansion allows work on the site to continue, without impacting the bridge project timeline or cost.
This $400,000 was already factored into the project budget as a contingency, Doyle said, and doesn’t increase the overall $15.8-million price tag.
kslavin@saanichnews.com