WINNIPEG, MB - October 22, 2012 - Mayor Sam Katz will appear before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates tomorrow on the topic of public-private partnerships (P3s).
The City of Winnipeg has been a municipal leader in the use of P3s and is the first municipality ever to receive a PPP Canada grant. The committee, which is studying the opportunities, advantages and effectiveness of using public-private partnerships in the delivery of federal government services, requested Mayor Katz appear as a witness.
Mayor Katz will speak about the City of Winnipeg's success with P3 projects such as the Chief Peguis Trail Extension, and more recently, the Disraeli Freeway and Bridges project. Both projects were completed on time and on budget.
"The City of Winnipeg has found "Triple P" or "P3" projects to be phenomenal tools," said Mayor Katz. "They're not the right fit for every project, but for major infrastructure renewal, they make good sense for municipalities that need to stretch their infrastructure dollars further."
Municipalities across Canada are challenged to keep budgets balanced, maintain essential services to citizens and reinvest in crumbling infrastructure all at the same time. P3s have offered one solution, providing long-term budget certainty as well as long-term (30-year) maintenance guarantees.
"I have no doubt that in 30 years, when the future Mayor of Winnipeg takes a tally of all the major infrastructure projects turned back to the City of Winnipeg in top condition, he or she will say 'Thank goodness for P3s,'" said Mayor Katz.