Despite this, the province is firmly moving ahead with PPPs for health care facilities. In May, Infrastructure Québec closed its first PPP in the healthcare sector, the $470 million Montreal University Hospital Research C enter. That was followed in July by financial close on the McGill University Health Centre, a $1.3 billion, 500-bed health care facility in Montreal. The McGill project featured the largest-yet issuing of senior bonds for a PPP project, $764.1 million.
Bergeron sees more healthcare facilities in the pipeline because generally many hospitals in the province are 50 years or older. "We must refresh or build new hospitals," he says.
Bergeron also believes "transportation will be very huge for the next ten years", starting with the billion-plus reconstruction of the Turcot highway interchange in Montreal.
Leisure-related infrastructure will also be important because Québec City plans to apply to host the 2022 Winter Olympic Games, for which it will need a multi-functional sports stadium. And the repairs to Montreal's existing Olympic Stadium are being considered for a PPP delivery approach.
If even a few of these projects end up going forward, Bergeron's PPP rankings may soon move up to par with Québec's population.