By Thia James

POLL: City takes a closer look at P3s

Oct 21, 2014 | 6:57 AM

The City of Prince Albert plans to take a closer look at what public-private partnerships (P3s) entail.

P3s have been much-talked about in Prince Albert since Premier Brad Wall announced his government would fund the provincial share of a second bridge project in the city if it were funded via the P3 model. And that’s led the City to start examining P3s.

Members of city council and administration will meet with representatives of SaskBuilds, a Treasury Board Crown corporation on Nov. 4 once the session is approved by council next week. SaskBuilds’ representatives would be outlining the P3 process for attendees, and they’d also discuss P3 projects underway in the province.

For Mayor Greg Dionne, it’s important to be educated on all aspects before making a decision. After Monday’s executive committee meeting, he explained that this is why he said that at this point he’d be in support of tolls before P3s because he knows more about tolls.

“Before we jump into it, we are doing a new business plan, and we’ve hired a consultant to do it. And one of the points that the consultant’s brought up is 75 per cent of the traffic that crosses our bridge today doesn’t start or end in Prince Albert. So, you look at that fact, what’s wrong with the toll?”

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He added there are other issues on the list before that of a second bridge, saying “we can’t even look at the second bridge until we discuss the funding of the hospital.”

The P3 information session

The prospect of the information session being led by SaskBuilds representatives alone has Coun. Don Cody worried about one-sidedness.

While he agrees that the City needs to explore P3s, he would prefer that both sides be represented at the information session.

“SaskBuilds was developed as a Crown corporation specifically to look at P3s. So you can tell, it’s going to be one-sided.”

And Coun. Ted Zurakowski wants the City to go further – he wants to explore other communities’ experiences using P3 funding for their projects.

“I want to hear from communities who have embraced the P3s and said … it’s worked for us. And I want to hear from communities, I want to hear from elected and administrators from communities who have walked away from that relationship with P3s for whatever reason to tell the story for us.”

He said that to hear from SaskBuilds is one part of the conversation. His recommendation was included in the motion about the P3 information session that council will vote on at next week’s meeting.

P3s involve projects, usually infrastructure, being funded by a combination of government funding and private sector investment.

tjames@panow.com

On Twitter: @thiajames