Time to eliminate these roadblocks in Canada

In Canada, in contrast, the approach to P3s can only be described as piece-meal, with little federal government involvement and provincial practices and policies that vary significantly across jurisdictions. Among the few consistencies, however, is the fact that provincial legislation continues to highly restrict municipalities from entering into P3s. Certainly, there needs to be a made-in-Canada solution to P3s - not all of the U.K. techniques may work here or be worth adopting. However, some of the more appealing aspects of the U.K. model that should be considered include, and which could be achieved through a strong federal role in co-operation with the provinces:

•  Standardize contracts for "like" projects with the aim to increase public transparency and facilitate the procurement process;

•  Define minimum reporting standards for P3 project obligations over the whole life of the assets in order to enhance transparency;

•  Continually monitor and evaluate project performance similar to the U.K. National Audit Office.

•  Establish a U.K.-Partnership-style model that centralizes resources with the aim of providing advice and expertise on P3s to the public sector.