18th Annual Awards Celebrate Exceptional Innovation and Excellence in P3s

TORONTO, Oct. 28, 2015 /CNW/ - The Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships (CCPPP) is proud to announce the 2015 recipients of the National Awards for Innovation and Excellence in Public-Private Partnerships (P3s), including the 2015 P3 Champion.

"The Council's Awards Program this year is marked by a slate of distinguished award winners delivering unprecedented best-in-class infrastructure in transportation, health care, corrections and schools," said Mark Romoff, President and CEO of CCPPP. "These high-quality projects contribute to Canada's strong track record of success for groundbreaking partnerships between business and government to address emerging and longstanding infrastructure needs in a variety of sectors across the country."

P3s have become such an economic driver for infrastructure delivery that, over the 10-year period between 2003 and 2012, 121 P3 projects in Canada created 290,000 direct full-time equivalent jobs, contributed $25.1 billion to direct GDP and generated $9.9 billion in cost savings and $7.5 billion in tax revenues to federal and provincial governments. In a separate study, the Conference Board of Canada estimates that Canadian P3s deliver an average of 13% in savings when compared with conventional projects. 

"There are 238 P3 projects across Canada, with those that are already in operation or under construction valued at more than $81 billion, and they are making our daily lives easier, creating jobs, growing the economy, and returning more money to governments to reinvest in public services," added Mr. Romoff.

The awards will be presented on November 2^nd at The Council's annual conference. This event is internationally recognized as the premier forum on public-private partnerships, bringing together 1,200 senior government and business leaders from across Canada and around the world.

Gold Award Winners

New Champlain Bridge Corridor Project (Effective Procurement Award) – The New Champlain Bridge Corridor Project is one of the largest infrastructure projects in North America. The New Champlain Bridge Corridor Project will modernize the Champlain Bridge corridor and provide world-class infrastructure to Montrealers, including two new bridges with a lifespan of 125 years. The new bridge over the St. Lawrence will replace and modernize the aging Champlain Bridge and will also provide a central corridor exclusively dedicated to public transit capable of accommodating buses or a light rail system. The project also includes a new Île-des-Sœurs bridge, reconstruction of Highway 15 on Île-des-Sœurs and reconstruction and widening of Highway 15 on the Island of Montréal. Signature on the Saint-Laurent Group (a consortium led by ACS Infrastructure Canada, Hochtief PPP Solutions and SNC-Lavalin) is the private partner of this important project. Construction on the new Champlain Bridge began this summer and it is targeted to be in service by 2018, with the remainder of the corridor completed by October 2019.

Eglinton Crosstown Light Rail Transit Project (Project Financing Award) – The Eglinton Crosstown LRT – a partnership of Infrastructure Ontario, Metrolinx, and Crosslinx Transit Solutions General Partnership (a consortium comprising four equal partner companies including ACS Infrastructure Canada, AECON, EllisDon and SNC-Lavalin) – is the largest transit expansion in Toronto's history and the first transit project to receive funding through green bonds for environmentally friendly infrastructure. Once completed in 2021, the Eglinton Crosstown will be one of the largest P3 (known as Alternative Financing and Procurement – AFP in Ontario) projects in the country. The new LRT will move people up to 60 percent faster than existing bus services, accommodate more than ten times as many passengers, and provide a seamless customer experience between the new Metrolinx-owned LRT line and the existing GO Transit network and Toronto Transit Commission's (TTC) owned-and-operated system.

Humber River Hospital Project (Infrastructure Award) –The new Humber River Hospital – a partnership of Humber River Hospital, Infrastructure Ontario, and Plenary Health Care Partnerships – is one of Canada's largest acute care hospitals and North America's first fully integrated and interoperable digital hospital. This P3 project is a state-of-the-art facility covering 30 acres, designed to serve more than 850,000 people in the northwestern Greater Toronto Area. The hospital, which opened its doors to the public on October 18, stands at the forefront of innovation and is recognized widely as using some of the most modern technologies in the medical field.

Silver Award Winners

Okanagan Correctional Centre Project (Community Involvement Award) – The Okanagan Correctional Centre (OCC) project – a groundbreaking partnership of the Government of British Columbia, the Osoyoos Indian Band, and a private-sector consortium led by Plenary Group – is the first maximum-security correctional centre to be built on First Nations land in British Columbia, and it was done as a full P3. The state-of-the-art facility is currently under construction in the Senkulmen Business Park in Oliver, British Columbia, part of the Osoyoos Indian Band's traditional Reserve lands. Once operational in early 2017, the OCC will more than double corrections capacity in BC's interior, improve safety for staff and inmates and act as an ongoing economic catalyst in the Okanagan region of the province.

Saskatchewan Joint Use Schools Project 1 and 2 (Innovative Partnerships Award) – The Saskatchewan Joint Use Schools Project 1 and 2 ("SJUSP I" and "SJUSP II") – a partnership between SaskBuilds and the Joint Use Mutual Partnership team led by Concert Infrastructure Ltd. – is the largest new schools construction project in Saskatchewan's history. The P3 project includes the design and delivery of 18 modern state-of-the-art schools on nine joint-use sites in the communities of Regina, Saskatoon, Martensville and Warman. The SJUSP I and SJUSP II project addresses the unprecedented growth taking place in these communities and will alleviate the pressures being placed on existing area schools by providing space for 11,100 students from kindergarten to grade eight. Furthermore, the projects demonstrate the value of delivering smaller facilities in a bundled P3 approach.  The facilities will also include an additional 810 spaces of childcare and community resource space, and incorporate First Nations' educational needs. The new schools will be ready in time for students in September 2017, and will be fully owned and operated by the school divisions.

P3 Champion Award

2015 Champion Award (Sarah Clark, Partnerships BC) – Sarah Clark is this year's recipient of the 2015 Champion Award for her outstanding service as President and CEO of Partnerships BC from 2010 to 2014. Ms. Clark led and participated in some of BC's largest infrastructure projects, including Port Mann Highway 1, South Fraser Perimeter Road, Evergreen Line, North Island Hospitals and the John Hart Generating Station Replacement. She previously served as Vice President, Partnership Development and Delivery, of Partnerships BC, responsible for management of current projects, development of new partnership structures and opportunities, and the management of client relations and service quality for all projects with Partnership BC's involvement. Prior to her time with Partnerships BC, Ms. Clark worked for Bombardier Transportation, where she spearheaded proposals and projects for local and international rapid transit. Sarah Clark is currently Chief Operating Officer at Fraser River Pile and Dredge (GP) Inc. and a board director of CCPPP.

About The Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships: Established in 1993, CCPPP is a national not-for-profit, non-partisan, member-based organization with broad representation from across the public and private sectors. Its mission is to promote innovative approaches to infrastructure development and service delivery through public-private partnerships with all levels of government. The Council is a proponent of evidence-based public policy in support of P3s, facilitates the adoption of international best practices, and educates stakeholders and the community on the economic and social benefits of public-private partnerships.

SOURCE Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships

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