“Shouldn’t you have known the scope of what the work was before you put it out to tender?” Moore asked.

The request for additional cash is the latest in a run of bad luck for the $205 million George Street project, which opened for use in 2015. In late December 2015, the extension was flooded by an apparent internal heating system failure.

And vehicles have hit an overhang at the corner of Queen and George streets at least twice, requiring panelling replacement and raising concerns about public safety.

The building is also the focus of an ongoing lawsuit.

The project was pitched as a long-term partnership between the original builder, Dominus Construction and the city. The original deal saw Dominus maintaining ownership of the building for 25 years while the city pays $8.2 million annually to lease the space.

The selling point, made by senior staff, and former Brampton mayor Susan Fennell was that the never before used procurement method would allow the risk to be transferred to the builder.

In 2014, after the city had entered into its 25-year partnership with the builder, Dominus Construction, in a surprising move the developer sold its rights over the project to Fengate LP.

Council members now question why taxpayers have been on the hook for so much of the costs after the $205 million deal was signed in 2011.

It’s still unclear who is covering the cost of the flood, damage caused by the truck collisions and the extension of leases to accommodate staff because of the almost two-year delay in construction. According to city staff, Dominus agreed to pay the city $520,000 to offset additional rent costs to be incurred by the city plus $20,000 for road occupancy and parking. The settlement was intended to maintain the intent of the original agreement so that there was no additional rent cost to the city. While the agreement allowed the city $5,000 per day if the building was not ready by Jan. 31, 2014, the city accepted that some of the delays were beyond Dominus’ control.

Now, overruns for basic fit-out work in a brand new building is also being put to the taxpayer. “We need to do better,” Moore said, at Wednesday’s committee meeting.

Thousands of square feet of retail space that was supposed to have been filled two years ago also remains empty, and it’s unclear if the loss of revenue is another one of the risks that was supposed to have been transferred onto the builder.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This article was updated on Oct. 6 to clarify that, while the agreement between the developer and city allowed the city $5,000 per day if the building was not ready by Jan. 31, 2014, the city accepted that some of the delays were beyond Dominus’ control.