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We are in the midst of what is known as an election super cycle. Provincial elections in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia were held this past Fall, and on the horizon are a potential early election call in Ontario, and an expected federal election in the Fall of 2025. While affordability and housing are generally considered the biggest concerns of the electorate, the state of the country’s infrastructure is also on the list, according to a recent survey released by the Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships (CCPPP) at its recently held P3 2024 Conference. According to a survey conducted by Adacus Data, 63 per cent of Canadians lack confidence that the governments can independently fund the construction and maintenance of new and upgraded infrastructure needed to accommodate growth without increasing taxes. “Canadians clearly see trouble on the horizon for our country’s infrastructure,” said CCPPP’s president and CEO Lisa Mitchell. “Still suffering from the effects of inflation and its daily hits on their household budgets, they’re also open to governments taking a more pragmatic approach to this challenge.” Forty-seven per cent of those polled said they prefer government sharing the financial cost and risk of infrastructure with private companies, 24 per cent prefer government going it alone, while 29 per cent have no preference or aren’t sure. The survey indicated there is broad support across all regions, demographics and political parties for governments to partner with the private sector to help get important public infrastructure built. Our annual Top100 Projects report includes many public-private partnership (P3) projects, including the $1.8-billion Weeneebayko Area Health Authority (WAHA) Redevelopment project, which will see the construction of a new regional hospital, Elder Care Lodge, visitor hostel and staff accommodations in Moosonee and a new Ambulatory Care Centre on Moose Factory Island. The project is being delivered using a progressive P3 Design Build Finance model. There are many other examples of infrastructure being built using the P3 model, including the Ottawa Hospital’s $2.8-billion New Campus Redevelopment, as well as the Gordie Howe International Bridge and Stage 2 of the City of Ottawa’s LRT project. Regardless of political stripe, all levels of government must find a way to get projects built, on time and on budget and in certain circumstances, a combination of government and private investment and other resources is the right path forward. Despite the need for major infrastructure investments and commitments from governments, political leaders must work together to advance major projects, even if that means seeking partnerships with the private sector. It’s not a question of whether important healthcare, transit, energy and transportation infrastructure projects should be built, but a question of how and when. |
