Saskatchewan uses P3 consortium for 19 schools

Saskatchewan has decided to use the P3 model to design, build and maintain 19 new elementary schools. The province says the P3 approach will save taxpayers $34.5 million in construction costs and will ensure that the schools are well maintained over 30 years.

SaskBuilds Minister Gordon Wyant said: “These schools will stay in better condition, be finished faster, and cost millions less than if the government did this project without a public-private partnership.”
In total, the government will invest $635 million in today’s dollars over the life of the contract, which includes: construction-related costs; cost of maintenance over 30 years; and cost of rehabilitation to keep the schools in like-new condition.

Using a traditional approach to build and maintain the schools would have cost $735 million in today’s dollars. The figures were provided by SaskBuilds’ independent financial experts.
A consortium known as Joint-Use Mutual Partnership was competitively selected to design, construct and maintain the schools. The consortium includes Concert Infrastructure, Bird Capital Limited Partnerships, Bird Design-Build Construction and GEC Architecture, along with Wright Construction Western, Kindrachuck Agrey Architecture, and Johnson Controls.

Construction is due to be completed by September 2017.

(Alberta recently abandoned its program to build a series of schools using the P3 model.)

To read the Government of Saskatchewan press release of August 25, click here.