Perth County awards contract for courthouse roof replacement

Perth County staff has awarded a contract to replace a leaking roof section at the recently renovated Perth County courthouse in Stratford.

At its Feb. 5 council meeting, councillors received a staff report recommending Semple Gooder Roofing Corporation as the successful bidder for the replacement of a flat roof located above a second-floor vault at the historic courthouse. The work will address ongoing water infiltration issues in an area of the building currently occupied by the Ministry of the Attorney General.

“The roof is located at the back of the courthouse over a vault on the second level, which is an area rented by our tenant, the Ministry of the Attorney General,” said Perth County executive director of public works John McClelland. “Fifty-thousand dollars was budgeted for the roof replacement, and it is a carryover project from 2025.”

The contract, valued at $43,950 plus HST, came in under the county’s approved 2026 capital facilities budget. Under the county’s procurement policy, the contract can be authorized and executed by senior staff without requiring additional council approval.

According to the report presented to council, the existing roof membrane has reached the end of its service life and requires replacement to prevent further damage to the structure below. The new roof system will consist of a self-healing modified bitumen membrane with a gravel surface, designed to offer enhanced resistance to ultraviolet exposure and water deterioration.

McClelland said with the inclusion of a special protective coating, the new roof will be warrantied for a lifespan of 25-30 years.

“I’m not a great lover of rooves … but the opportunity is probably there right now to put a steel roof on, and that would give us a longer lifespan and prevent leakage coming in there,” Coun. Walter McKenzie suggested. “It’s just a thought.”

“We’re dealing with the courthouse; if we are to alter anything with that courthouse as far as aesthetics and/or structural on the outside, we’re going to have to go through the heritage committee and the heritage department,” McClelland responded.

Three bids were submitted through the county’s request-for-tender process, which closed on Dec. 17, 2025. Semple Gooder Roofing Corporation submitted the lowest bid, followed by Proteck Roofing and Sheet Metal Inc. and Atlas-Apex Roofing Inc. While the county has not previously worked with Semple Gooder, staff confirmed the contractor met all tender specifications and provided satisfactory references.

“Everything checks out with their submission and references,” McClelland said.

Construction is expected to begin in early spring, weather permitting, with completion anticipated by the end of April 2026.

The roof replacement follows a series of major upgrades to the courthouse campus in recent years, including the installation of a three-storey, fully accessible elevator and associated interior renovations aimed at improving public access to the 19th-century building. A multi-million-dollar project connecting the courthouse to the former land registry office at 5 Huron St. also saw its formal ribbon-cutting last summer, consolidating Perth County administrative services at the site.

County staff noted the roof replacement is a necessary maintenance project to protect recent investments in the courthouse and ensure the long-term sustainability of the historic building.