Canadians Support Public Services
A poll released by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) in May 2008 shows that that majority of Canadians prefer that municipal services remain in public hands. The 1,004 random participants...
View ArticleArchitects’ Perspective on P3s
Last December, Moshe Safdie, the world-renowned architect made headlines when he resigned from the McGill University Health Centre hospital project. Safdie cited the government’s decision to move ahead...
View ArticleBC’s First P3 School, a Burden to Taxpayers
What was once billed as a win/win deal for the provincial governmnet, the school board and the devloper who built Augusten school in Abbotsford is turning out to be a financial burden for taxpayers....
View ArticlePrivate vs Public Financing
Municipalities have been under pressure to use private partner financing and P3 arrangements that are difficult to acurately assess for risks, given the provisions for secrecy in both negotiations and...
View ArticleIn U.S., a hot debate on infrastructure privatizing
In the aftermath of the recent economic recession, many U.S. state governments are tempted to follow Chicago’s successful use of P3s to raise money. P3s, or “public-private partnerships” hand public...
View ArticleThe lowdown on P3 projects
P3s, or public-private partnerships, have funded major projects such as the Canada Line and the Abbotsford Hospital. Some, including the Campbell government, say that P3s save taxpayers millions in...
View ArticleNew resource guide essential reading for local officials considering P3 projects
“P3s are complicated and politically contentious. They shift the role governments play in the delivery of public services and infrastructure,” says Charley Beresford, Columbia Institute’s Executive...
View ArticleBC municipal leaders show strong support for keeping water public
}At the Union of BC Municipalities conference, municipal leaders passed the Blue Communities resolution, “the resolution asks for the federal government to provide funding for public water...
View ArticleReport finds P3’s substantially more expensive than the public option
Forensic accountant, Ron Parks has co-authored a report that evaluates four P3 projects completed in BC, The Canada Line, Sea-To-Sky Highway improvements, the Diamond Ambulatory Care Centre and the...
View ArticleAsking the right questions: A guide for municipal officials considering P3s
With growing financial and political pressure on municipalities to use P3s, this guide is a timely resource that answers key questions about financing and delivering infrastructure projects. With this...
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