On Sept 25th, residents of Regina will vote in a referendum for the first time in more than 20 years.
The referendum, organized by unions, will decide whether the council is allowed to proceed with its unanimous decision to construct a new wastewater treatment plant via a Public Private Partnership [P3], or whether they will be forced to use a traditional construction method.
Last week, the Frontier Centre for Public Policy held an event in Regina aimed at raising awareness in the community about Public Private Partnerships and how they work.
The sold-out event was opened by the Honourable Don McMorris, Saskatchewan’s Minister of Highways and Infrastructure, who gave us an overview of the province’s plans for a large number of new P3s that will go ahead regardless of the result of the city vote.
The main speaker for the event was Leonard Gilroy, the Director of Government Reform at the Reason Foundation in the United States. Len gave an excellent, and very informative, presentation on what P3s are, why they work, pitfalls that governments should avoid, and some rebuttal to common complaints.
After the event, Len was interviewed by CTV and Global evening news, CTV and Global morning news shows, and John Gormley’s radio show. His speech was also reported on in Leader Post and the StarPhoenix.
We’re very pleased with the success of the event and the media coverage it generated, and we hope it helps to inform Regina’s citizens ahead of the vote later this month.
