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Part of Alternative capital financing

Public-private partnerships (P3s)

Public-private partnerships is the preferred procurement model for constructing and operating major capital infrastructure.

Overview

P3s offer centralized oversight of commercial, legal, and financial activities throughout construction and operation periods by:

  • encouraging innovation, collaboration, and appropriate risk sharing with the private sector
  • drawing on the expertise and strengths of both the public and private sectors
  • maximizing Value for Money by considering the life cycle of the project
  • enhancing the ability to deliver projects on time and on budget

The Public-Private Partnership Framework and Guideline, updated in December 2020, increases our options as to what P3 model can be considered for capital project delivery, including variants such as design-build-finance, design-build-finance and maintain, and revenue based P3s, such as build-operate-transfer.

P3s in procurement phase

Bundle of 7 schools

  • A new bundle of 7 Alberta schools is in the Request for Proposals stage.
  • Procurement is underway and a contract with the successful proponent is anticipated to be in place in early 2025, with construction set to begin that summer.
  • The P3 bundle of 7 schools include:
    • K-8 school in Airdrie SW, Rocky View Schools
    • K-5 school in Blackfalds, Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools
    • K-9 school in Calgary Nolan Hill, Calgary Catholic School District
    • K-9 school in Chestermere, Calgary Catholic School District
    • K-9 school in Edmonton Edgemont, Edmonton Public Schools
    • Grade 7-12 school in Edmonton Glenridding Heights, Edmonton Public Schools
    • K-9 school (replacement of K-6 École Good Shepherd) in Okotoks, Christ the Redeemer Catholic Schools

 Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre Ambulatory Building

  • The new Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre Ambulatory Building is in the Request for Proposals stage.
  • Procurement is underway and a contract with the successful proponent is anticipated to be in place in mid-2025, with construction set to begin that summer.

P3s in operations phase

Forty-five new schools have been built since 2008 under P3 contracts. All these schools, owned and operated by various school jurisdictions across Alberta, are now in the operations phase and maintained by the P3 Contractor.

Award winning P3s

Alberta is a pioneer of the P3 model. We have a successful and award-winning track record of delivering infrastructure using P3s. Alberta’s P3 model has been recognized nationally and internationally for innovation and excellence.

Most recently, in November 2024, Alberta received a Silver Award in the P3 Design & Construction category for its first ever high school P3 project from the CCPPP 2024 National Awards for Innovation and Excellence in P3s.

Our high school P3 also won 2 awards in 2022:

  • October 2022: Best Education and Higher Education Project for the P3 Awards hosted by P3 Bulletin covering the Americas.
  • November 2022: Gold Award for Project Development from the CCPPP 2022 National Awards for Innovation and Excellence in P3s. 

Alberta’s first P3 project to complete its operational period, the Evan-Thomas Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant in Kananaskis won the Best Operational Project at the P3 Partnerships Bulletin awards in October 2024.