Have you heard pundits say that BC’s public sector is too big or “bloated”? It’s an argument frequently used as an excuse to advocate for government spending cuts, but is it true? You may want to take a look at the numbers for yourself.
The CCPA just released a short report on the size of the [...]
Entries Tagged as 'Privatization, P3s & public services'
BC’s public sector: among the smallest in the country
February 25th, 2010 · Iglika Ivanova · No Comments · Employment & labour, Privatization, P3s & public services, Provincial budget & finance
Tags: provincial spending·public sector employment·spending cuts
The business elite’s parking tax backlash
January 8th, 2010 · Keith Reynolds · 5 Comments · Environment, resources & sustainability, Municipalities, Privatization, P3s & public services
The media is reporting a “backlash” against the new parking tax in Vancouver. The Vancouver Sun reports it is a “slickly organized” backlash being run by Vancouver’s business elite. This is apparently a 30 member business coalition including the Board of Trade.
This is not the first time Vancouver’s business elite has gotten organized around the [...]
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AG’s office changes policy
December 9th, 2009 · Keith Reynolds · No Comments · Privatization, P3s & public services, Provincial budget & finance, Transparency & accountability
BC’s Auditor General has made an important change in the way his office does its work that will help guarantee the independence of his office.
In the past, part of the money that paid for the operation of the AG’s Office came from providing contracted services to organizations like crown corporations and other agencies outside of [...]
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Public or private – how the choice for P3s gets made
November 14th, 2009 · Keith Reynolds · 2 Comments · Privatization, P3s & public services, Uncategorized
Did you ever wonder how Partnerships BC justifies using 35 year contracts for public private partnerships rather than borrowing the money publicly and doing things like hospitals and roads as public projects?
Well now you can find out. PBC has published its methodology on a website. They have even asked for comments on the methodology, though [...]
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Poltergeists and P3s: They’re back
September 24th, 2009 · Keith Reynolds · No Comments · Health care, Privatization, P3s & public services
In February, with the spectacular collapse of the $3 billion Port Mann Bridge public private partnership, many people thought P3s in British Columbia were a dead item. They’re back.
With the Fort St. John Hospital project the government’s privatization agency, Partnerships BC (PBC), has found a way to drastically reduce private investment in P3s while still [...]
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Teeny Budget factoid
September 3rd, 2009 · Keith Reynolds · 2 Comments · Economy, Privatization, P3s & public services, Provincial budget & finance
It appears when it comes to the heavy lifting of cutting spending in BC, not all public agencies are equal.
The February Budget documents stated that:
To ensure that health services are protected in the current economic environment, the Ministry of Health Services and health authorities will be required to achieve efficiencies and administrative savings beginning in [...]
Reading the entrails of BC's election
May 13th, 2009 · Marc Lee · No Comments · BC Election 2009, Economy, Environment, resources & sustainability, Privatization, P3s & public services, Provincial budget & finance
Three-peat. Hat trick. The media is full of jubilation for the re-election of the Campbell Liberals.
But looking at the numbers, it was actually quite close: the BC Liberals got 45.7% of the popular vote, compared to 42.2% for the NDP. This slim margin validates the Angus Reid polling camp, which came closest on estimating the [...]
Tags: campaign·carbon tax·election results·Greens·Liberals·NDP·polling
The Premier speaks out on labour issues
April 30th, 2009 · Keith Reynolds · No Comments · BC Election 2009, Employment & labour, Privatization, P3s & public services
On April 27th I posted about the BC Federation of Labour’s report on the impacts of changes to BC’s workers compensation system under the current government.
Today Tom Sandborn writing for the Tyee posted a story quoting Premier Campbell’s response to health and safety issues. The story also dealt with the NDP and labour issues, [...]
Tags: BC Federation of Labour·Building Trades Council·construction·labour·P3·pensions·Tom Sandborn·welfare·workers' compensation·WorkSafe
Happy April fools day. Welcome TILMA
April 1st, 2009 · Keith Reynolds · No Comments · BC Election 2009, Economy, Municipalities, Privatization, P3s & public services
As of April 1st, the people elected to run our municipalities and school boards had better think twice before they make a decision that might affect the profits of a corporation. On April 1st the Trade Investment and Labour Mobility Agreement (TILMA) between Alberta and British Columbia comes into full force.
Its implications are far [...]
Tags: Council of Canadians·free trade·recession·Steven Shrybman·TILMA
Is the stimulus killing the P3 model?
March 27th, 2009 · Iglika Ivanova · No Comments · BC Election 2009, Economy, Privatization, P3s & public services
While BC has not formally abandoned the P3 model, there is a notable absence of new P3 projects at a time when billions of dollars are being channeled to infrastructure spending. If P3s really provided value for money and brought the benefits of private sector efficiency and innovation to the delivery of public-sector infrastructure, then [...]
