The opposition NDP is once again blasting the P3 model for the new Saskatchewan Hospital construction.
The NDP caucus issued a news release Monday, in which they took aim at the hospital’s $407 million price tag over a span of 33 years.
The NDP declared the contract a “rent-a-hospital” scheme. They called the price tag “whopping” and said that of the $407 million, $185 million is “payment for the United Kingdom corporation to handle maintenance of the facility. That amounts to more than $6 million per year for maintenance on a brand new facility.”
The release also included an outraged reaction from NDP health critic Danielle Chartier.
“In 2014, the entire Prairie North Health Region spent $3.1 million on repairs and maintenance on all hospitals and facilities combined,” said Chartier in a statement
“To shovel $185 million, which is more than $6 million every year, into a foreign corporation’s pockets for just one facility is mind-boggling. It's a new building that should be saving money when it comes to maintenance."
The NDP release stated any claims this amounts to a cost savings are “ludicrous.”
The NDP also once again slammed the award of the tender to the Access Prairies Partnership, criticizing the conglomerate that includes Carillion and Carillion Private Finance (United Kingdom), WSP (Quebec), Kasian Architecture Interior Design and Planning (British Columbia) and Graham Design Builders and Graham Capital Advisors (Alberta).
“Not one Saskatchewan company is included in the contract,” the release stated.
The NDP release came on the heels of the sod-turning ceremonies for the new Saskatchewan Hospital and integrated correctional facility Monday afternoon. The event attracted staff and officials from Prairie North Health Region as well as seven provincial cabinet ministers, including health minister Dustin Duncan, corrections minister Christine Tell and environment minister and Battlefords MLA Herb Cox.
