Arena contract should be local

Re: “Quebec steel firm favoured for arena; Local suppliers face slowdown,” by Gary Lamphier, Commentary, April 24. I am surprised the steel contract for the new downtown arena has been awarded to a Quebec-based company that doesn’t have the ability to fabricate this scale of a project in Alberta.

By taking away the project from local companies, there will be fewer local jobs in the industry, which will ultimately affect the taxes they pay and can limit their generosity in supporting local charities.

We also need to keep in mind that Alberta constantly needs to attract and retain workers. The sense of pride for people engaged in developing this arena will yield much more return than the 10-per-cent price difference being mentioned. By awarding a project of this magnitude to local companies, local expertise would increase and Alberta would become more competitive globally.

It is difficult to judge the project’s final price because engineering drawings have not yet been developed. By capping the price at this stage, the building might not be flexible for future adaptations, and its lifetime costs will be significantly higher.

What seems to be forgotten is the project’s environmental footprint.

Transporting raw materials has a smaller impact than delivering fabricated components. This environmental argument is often the sole deciding factor for employing local contractors in the fiercely competitive and open European markets.

The steel contract decision should be reversed. This is an opportunity to build a stronger, more engaged Alberta community for future generations, so please don’t waste it. Antoni Kowalczewski, Edmonton