Update: People for Public Infrastructure was added to the Prince Rupert City Council Agenda for the Committee of the Whole Session at Monday's City Council Session.
A newly formed civic action group, People for Public Infrastructure, will be taking their concerns over the future of civic infrastructure to City Hall, with the organization noting in an update that they will be seeking opportunity to present to Prince Rupert City Council at an upcoming Council session.
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The Power point presentation that they make note of above can be accessed here.
The short information piece, notes of some past examples of P3 or public private investments, as well as the costs of such initiatives as they see it.
As well as they make note of a list of communities, a number in British Columbia, that have reversed course or abandoned the idea of partnerships on public infrastructure.
Their interest in the civic issue came following a recent BC Bid call from the City of Prince Rupert towards the city's plans for a water treatment facility to be built as part of the City's infrastructure program that is now in motion.
We outlined some of the background to that Bid request in an October item which you can review here.
When it comes to their concerns, People for Public Infrastructure have outlined some of their recommendations for the new City Council.
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The organization has also launched its own information stream, providing updates on their plans through a blog hosted by community organizer Tom Kertes, which you can access here.
The City's administration office normally posts the Agenda for upcoming Council sessions on the Friday before the Monday meetings, in this case that would mean that People for Public Infrastructure may learn of the status of their requests by Friday November 27th.
More notes on City Council themes can be explored through our archive page.
One resident may ask, where was this group when we switched to our secondary water source in 2016 for the dam rebuild?
ReplyDeleteWould their question booklet have helped our community avoid 300+ days of boil water advisories?
Another resident may think why not have our city partner with an organization that specializes in wastewater facilities. Perhaps they could help establish best in class operational practices for our city to one day transition to. That doesn't sound like a terrible idea at all.
I would like to know when I can start to expect revenue back to city coffers on power generation now the dam is finally complete. We borrowed 10 million dollars to be able to generate power.
DeleteThere was a group back in 2019 that had taken an interest in the issue at the time ...
Deletehttps://northcoastreview.blogspot.com/2019/01/advocate-for-clean-water-in-prince.html
However, that interest seemed to fade as the years moved forward NCR
Selling our infrastructure to a private company is not the same as partnering, especially since the risks usually land on the government and the profits usually land on the business.
ReplyDeleteIf our water services are sold to a private company, citizens will have even less oversight and less transparency over what happens. There is too much at stake to throw in the towel and just hand our infrastructure over to private companies.
If we want to improve how local government works, then we must participate in civic politics and promote politics that work for the city as a whole. Adding profit to prices and handing control of outside companies won't make things better.
Just so readers understand your position,
DeleteYou are linking an eight page non binding expression of interest to assist our city in the implementation of a Water Treatment Plant to selling municipal infrastructure to a private organization?
Read the city’s own memorandum to council and yes, the city is already moving forward on s complete restructuring of public water and (possibly) sewer utilities. This is more than a private build and operate of water treatment as the city council directed staff to move forward and create new city-owned company to provide utility services. Is this a step to full privatization? The answer is in details, which haven’t been released yet. But we do know that much more than water treatment plant is at stake. according to city’s own documents released on Friday.
DeleteThey are handing out large construction projects with no bid process just this preferred contractor approval. There is no oversite on the two projects handed out so far (CN Station / RCMP). There should be a tender process on completed drawings.
ReplyDeleteThe main problem facing residents and businesses is a lack of transparency. For local government to build trust it must make its decisions in full public view. It’s not fair for government to make many of its decisions in the dark and to place the burden on residents to “know” what the city is up to. Rumours suggest that the city is planning much more than a private public partnership for the water treatment plant. Are these rumours true? Are they simply rumours? Residents need city leaders and city staff to go on the record and to state exactly what plans are in process for privatization of the water and/or sewer system. We need transparency and we need accountability.
ReplyDelete