Letter to the Editor Re: P3s a huge risk
February 05, 2013 at 1:26 PM
Letter to the Editor – (dated February 5) from CUPE Local 500 President Mike Davidson in response to P3s a viable option – Winnipeg Free Press, February 4, 2013
This is in response to the recent letter to the editor by Mark Romoff, CEO of the Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships (CCPPP) - P3's a viable option, February 4, 2013).
Addressing how we fund Canada's infrastructure deficit is an important issue and one that should be of serious concern to all citizens.
And while municipalities are deciding the best solution to securing additional infrastructure funds, the federal government seems content with their blind commitment to the P3 Canada Fund, which makes grants conditional on privatizing through public-private partnerships (P3s).
P3s are multi-decade contracts for the private management, financing, ownership and/or operation of public assets. In many cases, P3s result in increased or additional costs to the public. There are a number of discussion papers and analysis produced by organized labour and other agencies such as the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) that expose the risks related to P3s and how they work against the public good. Case after case in Canada and around the world, illustrate that P3s can lead to higher long term costs for taxpayers, a loss of control of public assets, and greatly diminished public accountability.
So no matter how lobbyists such as the Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships (CCPPP) pitch the benefits of P3s, they cost the taxpayer more and provide less accountability.
The solution is simple. It’s time for a national long-term infrastructure funding strategy to ensure our community assets and services continue to be publicly owned, operated and delivered on a not for profit basis now, and for future generations.
Mike Davidson
President, CUPE Local 500
