Alberta's Evan Thomas Water & Wastewater Treatment Project Wins Award of Merit at 17th Annual CCPPP Awards for Innovation and Excellence in P3s

TORONTO, Oct. 28, 2014 /CNW/ - The Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships (CCPPP) is proud to announce that Alberta's Evan Thomas Water & Wastewater Treatment Project has won an Award of Merit for Infrastructure at its 2014 National Awards for Innovation and Excellence in Public-Private Partnerships (P3s).

"The Council's Awards Program has become increasingly competitive, which really speaks volumes about the calibre of the projects selected," stated Mark Romoff, President and CEO of CCPPP. "Alberta is leading the way in using the P3 model to deliver clean, safe drinking water services to its citizens using the highest quality standards, while providing substantial savings and efficiencies over traditional procurement methods. With 219 P3 projects across the country delivering consistent strong results, Canada is solidifying its record as best in class," added Mr. Romoff.

The Evan Thomas Water and Wastewater Facilities Upgrade Project was necessary because of a growing population and increased tourism in the Kananaskis Country, more stringent environmental standards and the availability of newer, more effective technology. The new water treatment facilities and two new reservoirs will deliver high-quality drinking water to residents, businesses and tourists in the Evan Thomas Recreational Area.

"Alberta is a rapidly growing province with over 300 people moving here each and every day and our government is focused on making smart investments into public infrastructure to meet this demand," said Manmeet S. Bhullar, Minister of Alberta Infrastructure.  "The Evan Thomas project was our first P3 water and wastewater treatment project and we are proud of the results it is delivering. The facility offers some of the cleanest water in the world to the residents of the Kananaskis region and is a wonderful success story."

The project is substantially complete and going through mandatory performance testing to ensure it meets the design standards. The total cost of the 12-year contract is $59.6 million, saving a projected $2.4 million compared to a traditional approach and transferring key construction and operation risks to the private sector. One of the key challenges during construction was ensuring that service was maintained to Kananaskis, which is a major tourist destination that includes a ski resort, campground, and world renowned golf course facility.

The award will be presented on November 3^rd at The Council's annual conference. The industry's premier P3 event runs November 3^rd and 4^th and attracts government and industry leaders from across Canada and around the world.

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

For further information: For more information about CCPPP contact: Mark Romoff, President and CEO, CCPPP, 416-861-0500, [e-mail]; For Media Enquiries contact: Chris Allicock, 416-694-3131 (o), 416-319-8003 (c), [e-mail]