Citizens group wants wastewater referendum
A new group has launched a petition calling for a referendum on how the city replaces its wastewater treatment plant.
Florence Stratton, founder of Regina Water Watch (RWW), said she has a number of concerns about the fact that the city has voted to move ahead with proposals for a 30-year public-private partnership (P3) contract.
“I am a member of a citizens group that knows that this is not the right route to take,” she said.
Stratton said such a partnership will ultimately cost taxpayers more money than if the City of Regina retained control of the project.
“Cities can borrow money more cheaply than private companies, so that will put the cost up,” she said. “The public will not only have to pay for the service, they will have to pay for the profits that the private corporation that will be running the wastewater treatment plant will need to make.”
Mayor Michael Fougere says the deal will not cost Regina residents more money.
RWW also believes the P3 deal will result in a reduction of services and quality.
“We all know that private corporations minimize costs in order to maximize profits,” said Stratton. “So when they take over public service such as the wastewater treatment plant they cut costs by laying off workers and reducing safety measures and so on.”
Stratton believes P3 deals squeeze local contractors out of business.
She is also concerned about who owns and operates the plant.
“The P3 deal takes an essential public service out of public hands,” she said. “Technically the City of Regina may own the wastewater treatment plant, but since the plant will be financed and operated by a private-for-profit company for 30 years, it will be almost impossible for the city to maintain control of the facility”
Fougere said the city will maintain control over the plant.
“Also the (city) workers who will be going to the new company will remain in the same collective agreement that they have with CUPE today,” said Fougere. “All their rights, salary, benefits are all identical. That’s by provincial law, so they are protected that way.”
Stratton says for the City of Regina to move forward with the deal is undemocratic.
“Regina citizens have not been consulted,” said Stratton.
Fougere said before the city moved ahead with it’s application for federal funding the wastewater treatment plant issue was heard by executive committee and council prior to it being passed.
“We had delegations that were (at the meetings),” said Fougere. “We have been talking about this for quite some time now. So there was opportunity for those on both sides of the argument — those who support it and those who don’t support it — to have a say before council and executive committee.”
On Friday, the group hosted an official petition launch on World Water Day at the Artesian and has other events planned.
It hopes to obtain 20,000 signatures.