In fact, the Canada Line shows what can go wrong when governments hand power over public infrastructure to private interests. Profit, not public need, ended up driving key decisions in Vancouver.
It’s a cautionary tale that needs to be told as the Liberals forge ahead with an infrastructure plan that favours privatization. For-profit ownership and operation is a central plank of the Canada Infrastructure Bank model.
In this new report, Taken for a ride: The community impact of the Canada Line P3, CUPE examines the price the community paid for this privatized transit project. While the Canada Line was a welcome expansion of the region’s transit system, the P3 project’s main legacy is a case study in governments ceding decision-making power to the private sector – in the process sacrificing their accountability to the public.
