Montreal Biodme overhaul delayed as price tag jumps another $3.5M

Renovations to the MontrealBiodmewill cost the city even more than expected. Officials now say an additional $3.5 million is needed to complete theproject.

And opening day has been pushed back from September to December.

The Biodme has been closed since April for a renovation project that will end up costing the city $27.8 million (taxes included) a figurethat has continued to rise since planning began.

Last year, the city earmarked around $16 million for the renovation project, but even the lowest bid for the contract was well above that.

TheUnigescoGroup offered to do the project for$22.4 million. Their bidwas accepted by the city's executive committee. Another$2.2 million was eventually tacked onas unforeseen expenses came tolight.

City council will vote Monday on the newest price hike.

City officials say the spendingincrease is necessary to complete the project and, if council votes against it, renovations would come to a screeching halt.

To justify this increase, administrative documents mention"numerous discoveries following the demolition work" that were "not identified during exhaustive surveys and exploratory wells," according to Radio-Canada.

The documents indicatethat,byJanuary, renovations were about 33 per cent complete.

Thousands of animals, forced to move during construction, should be reintroducedbetween September and December. Originally that process was supposed to begin in June.

The nearby Insectariumis also set to undergo a makeover, estimated to cost$36.4-million. It will close for two years starting in March.

The city hopes the changes will boost theInsectarium's annual revenues by$4.3 million, helping it attract475,000 visitors each year.

The Biodme opened in 1992, inside the building that served as the velodrome during the 1976 Olympics.

Dubbed "Migration 2.0," the renovations will add two new walkways, elevators, office space and agazebo wherevisitors canobserve the ecosystems from above.