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Mayors wrestle with contracting rules
GREGG CHAMBERLAIN gregg.chamberlain@eap.on.ca
Special treatment or an even playing field for contract bidding was a subject themay- ors on counties council wrestledwith dur- ing their regular session last week. The United Counties of Prescott-Rus- sell council (UCPR) accepted a bid from a Qu é bec company for a million-dollar refit contract for the Seventh Concession Road Bridge. It was the lowest of several bids for the project, including a couple the counties received from local contractors. Hawkesbury Mayor Jeanne Charlebois, later on during theMarch 23meeting, raised the question about local contractors losing to an out-of-province firm for some UCPR contracts. Stéphane Parisien, counties chief administrator, told the council that local contractors cannot expect special treatment on their bids when it concerns spending the taxpayers’ money, and that the coun- ties have to go with the lowest bid received, otherwise the UCPR could face expensive legal problems. «That’s just the way it is,» Parisien said. «Whenever we can go locally, we do.» The eight mayors on counties council spent another half hour discussing whether or not Ontario contractors’ bidding on proj- ects in Qu é bec had the same chances for success as their Qu é bec counterparts who bid on projects on this side of the Ottawa River, or if the home-province companies re- ceived preferential treatment. Mayors Robert Kirby and Gary Barton of East Hawkesbury and Champlain townships both expressed support for Charlebois’ concern about local
The Seventh Concession Road Bridge in East Hawkesbury Township will get an extensive “facelift”, about five decades after its construction. But approval for the project prompted some intense discussion on counties council, about having to decide competing bids from local and out-of-province contractors. —photo Gregg Chamberlain
businesses getting cut out of the competition by out-of-town contractors from the rest of Ontario and from Québec. «I even know tradespeople who are hav- ing a lot of difficulty,» said Mayor Barton, noting that the situation continues despite a past agreement betweenOntario and Qué- bec to «open up» the trades markets between the two provinces. «I don’t think we’vemade much progress,» said Barton.
Mayor Kirby also noted that there is sup- posed to be a «red seal» system set up to allow all certified trades people in Canada to apply for and work on jobs outside of their home province. But he said that the
«red seal» system is not recognized in Qué- bec and that he understands the national trades unions are all engaged in a lobbying fight to change that and open up Québec to outside trades.
Sous les PROJECTEURS
Federal budget pleases wardens’ caucus
A promise from the Trudeau government formore infrastructure investment, to help municipalities strapped for funds to rebuild aging roads and bridges, is welcome news to the wardens of Eastern Ontario. The Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus (EOWC) expressed satisfaction over several details of the 2016 federal budget released
partners to grow our local economies and reduce costs to our communities.” Emon noted that the 10-year plan, out- lined in the federal budget for more than $120 billion in new infrastructure projects, will go far beyond just replacing old roads and bridges. It will also helpmunicipalities deal with local demands for affordable hous-
earlier in March. Three points of spe- cial interest to the EOWC are promises of financial support for municipal infra- structure improve- ment, affordable housing develop- ment, and “clean” energy projects. “Municipalities, and particularly those in small and
ing and child care spac- es for working families in need of daycare. “There are signifi- cant numbers of indi- viduals and families across Eastern On- tario for whom hous- ing is a serious chal- lenge,” Emon stated, referring to the EOWC’s 2014 White Paper on Affordable Housing. “Sometimes the bar-
“The EOWC recognizes the important investments for the municipal sector that were included in the federal government’s 2016 budget, and looks forward to working together with its partners to grow our local economies and reduce costs to our communities.” –Peter Emond, EOWC chairman
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rural areas with limited property tax rev- enues, have long been advocating for much- needed funding to address the aging infra- structures in many of their communities,” stated Peter Emon, EOWC chairman. “The EOWC recognizes the important investments for themunicipal sector that were included in the federal government’s 2016 budget, and looks forward to working together with its
rier is financial, sometimes it is finding ac- commodation suited to particular special physical needs, and sometimes it is find- ing any shelter at all. Therefore, the EOWC recognizes the government’s immediate commitment to affordable housing, to the tune of $1.5 billion over the next two years, of which $200million is allocated for seniors’ affordable housing.”
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