TORONTO, Nov. 15, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The world is rapidly changing and its critical public infrastructure, from highways to housing, transit to energy projects, must adapt with it.
That is the message Canadian and global infrastructure leaders are bringing to Toronto as they gather at P3 2019 — the 27th annual conference of the Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships —taking place this coming Monday and Tuesday at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel.
This year’s two-day program has been carefully crafted to put the spotlight on the most significant and provocative issues confronting governments, Indigenous communities and the private sector in their collaborative effort to tackle Canada’s and the world’s greatest infrastructure challenges. The full program and media registration details are available at p3-2019.ca.
“There is a myriad of significant challenges confronting the sector, from climate change and technological disruption to a skilled trades shortage and procurement models that are under stress, but there is also tremendous opportunity to innovate and improve future infrastructure delivery,” said Mark Romoff, President and CEO of CCPPP.
“Those that fully ‘lean into’ these challenges are creating more resilient, more inventive and more inclusive infrastructure that will benefit all of us. Many of those leading the charge are among the government, Indigenous and industry heavy-hitters joining us over the next two days.”
Keynote speakers at P3 2019 include:
- Natan Obed, President, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and Canada’s National Inuit Leader
- Tony Geheran, Executive Vice-President and Chief Customer Officer, Telus
- Ontario Premier Doug Ford
- Kathleen Savio, CEO, Zurich North America
- Alberta Transportation Minister Ric McIver
In addition, the conference will feature a panel session with infrastructure ministers from across Canada, moderated by Perrin Beatty, President and CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. The panel will include:
- Prasad Panda, Alberta’s Infrastructure Minister
- Laurie Scott, Ontario’s Infrastructure Minister
- Lloyd Hines, Nova Scotia’s Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal; and
- Gordon Wyant, Saskatchewan’s Deputy Premier, Minister of Education and Minister Responsible for SaskBuilds and Priority Saskatchewan
For close to 30 years, senior decision-makers from industry and government have come to Toronto for CCPPP’s Annual Conference to candidly discuss hot button issues and share solutions, announce major new projects and network with their colleagues from across Canada and countries around the globe. The enduring popularity of this must-attend event owes much to Canada’s globally renowned public-private partnership model and its reputation for having an impressive stable of well-respected infrastructure companies and experts.
“We are honored to participate in CCPPP’s annual conference, during which infrastructure industry leaders and key decision makers will address emerging issues and challenges within the public-private partnership market,” said Jonathan Wilkinson, President, Infrastructure, SNC-Lavalin, which is the presenting sponsor of this year’s conference.
“For the past 27 years, this internationally-recognized event has spurred important conversations and shared insights from both the public and private sector involved in the P3 industry. The diversity of panels and themes are exciting and engaging and this year promises to set the pace for a new journey,” he said.
Transportation is a special focus at P3 2019. The sector is one of the largest generators of P3 projects worldwide, from LRTs and subways to bridges and highways.
Delegates will hear the latest from Infrastructure Ontario and Metrolinx on plans to deliver Ontario’s $28.5-billion transit plan in the Greater Toronto Area, as well as the ways innovative financing models can be used to attract institutional investors and private equity providers to enable major transportation projects to come successfully to market.
Dirk Ahlborn, Co-Founder & Chairman of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies Inc., is also bringing a thought-provoking session on how his company’s breakthrough technology is blazing a trail for future mobility that is innovative, humanized and sustainable — and travelling at the speed of sound levitating in a near-vacuum tube.
The conference will have a number of Indigenous leaders leading discussions, including a panel on how the P3 model is evolving as a result of greater involvement by First Nations and Inuit communities in finding new solutions to tackle the tremendous infrastructure gaps they face.
And, there are several Market Soundings on both days featuring LA Metro’s $21.5-Billion Trio of Projects; the Alberta Capital Plan; the Newfoundland and Labrador Correctional Facility; Edmonton’s Valley Line West Extension Project; Edmonton Organics Processing Facilities; the Port of Montreal’s Contrecœur Container Terminal Project, the Modernization of Davao, Philippines’ Transportation System; the Province of West Java, Indonesia’s Energy & Water Treatment Projects; and the Downtown Tampa Courts District Redevelopment.
The full program and media registration details are available at p3-2019.ca.
About the Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships
Established in 1993, CCPPP is a national not-for-profit non-partisan, member-based organization with broad representation from across the public and private sectors. Our mission is to collaborate with all levels of government, Indigenous communities and the private sector to enable smart, innovative and sustainable approaches to developing and maintaining public infrastructure that achieve the best outcomes for Canadians. The Council is a proponent of evidence-based public policy in support of P3s, facilitates the adoption of international best practices, and educates stakeholders and the community on the economic and social benefits of public-private partnerships.