September 21, 2009

Infrastructure

P3 Canada issues call for projects

VINCE VERSACE

staff writer

Canada’s federal public-private partnerships office has issued its first call for project submissions to be funded from the $1.2 billion P3 Canada Fund.

PPP Canada recently launched the fund to support public infrastructure projects procured via public-private partnerships (P3s). The eligible projects under the P3 Canada Fund include construction, renewal or material enhancement of public infrastructure within several sectors including transport (public transit, highways, brownfield re-development, local roads and short line rail), water, energy (green projects), security (disaster mitigation), solid waste, culture, sports, connectivity and broadband, maritime (short sea shipping), aerospace (regional and local airport) and tourism.

Projects under exclusive provincial jurisdiction, such as schools and hospitals, are outside PPP Canada’s mandate.

The fund is not just about getting shovels in the ground under a P3 model, the agency says.

“We are still in the growth mode and the focus has been on the fund,” says John McBride, PPP Canada chief executive officer.

“The fund also has the job to attract new participants to the P3 business and to give incentives of development of that market.”

The call was issued to provinces and territorial governments, which can submit provincial, territorial and municipal projects. The call was also issued to Indian and Northern Affairs Canada to help identify and pursue P3 projects of interest to First Nations.

There will be multiple calls for project submissions and the deadline for the first round of project submissions is October 30. McBride anticipates the next call for submissions could be in early 2010 and PPP Canada’s outreach will only increase moving forward.

“There’s already stuff in procurement in the market and we are not only ensuring stuff continues to come through, but also how to get jurisdictions less active in P3 involved,” explains McBride.

“We have also been active and will continue to be with those jurisdictions that are active in P3. What is the potential in other sectors? Whether it is urban transit, water or wastewater, how do we broaden the number of participants and the type of sectors for P3?”

PPP Canada’s selection of a board of directors is also complete, representing a strong mix of engineering, construction, financing and legal accounting expertise. Jim Flaherty, Canada’s finance minister, says P3s have demonstrated their ability to deliver public infrastructure on time and on budget.

“The P3 Canada Fund will help to open the door to greater possibilities for P3s in Canada,” Flaherty said in a statement. A project submission guide is available at www.p3canada.ca

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