Remove politics from infrastructure

Pat Stier
Wildrose Infrastructure and Transportation Critic
MLA, Livingstone - Macleod

A five-month Edmonton Journal investigation has unearthed some disturbing facts about Alberta’s hospital infrastructure.

From sewage backups at the Wainwright Health Centre, to mould in the kitchen at the Foothills Hospital in Calgary, to flooding at the Misericordia Hospital in Edmonton, the PC government’s failure to prioritize infrastructure spending is having a direct impact on Alberta patients and their families, according to the report.


The report says political manipulation by the PC government in infrastructure has led to these issues, and other issues such as crumbling facilities, empty emergency wards, rodent and insect infestations, and a deferred hospital maintenance bill of over $1 billion.

Further, it says objective funding recommendations for maintenance work are often overridden by the PC government for political reasons, which means badly needed funding for a new hospital project is not subject to objective criteria, but rather the political winds of the day.

This is deeply concerning.

We know the PC government regularly uses infrastructure and infrastructure announcements, especially during elections, to curry favour from the public, and they ignore infrastructure needs and maintenance projects, in places where there are no political gains to be had.

Hospital maintenance projects are often ignored in Alberta because there’s no fanfare involved with this work – no ribbons to be cut, no photos to be taken, no political gains to be won.

This has resulted in collapsed roofs, burst sewer lines, corroded pipes and flooded basements, as being just a few of the issues plaguing our hospitals.

This issue is not specific to any particular region – these issues are happening across our province in both rural and urban communities.

Wildrose believes that we need to get the politics out of provincial infrastructure spending and focus on priorities.

A Wildrose government would publish a full public priority list based on objective criteria so communities know where and when projects will be happening – free from politics – and we’re urging the PC government to do the same.

Our infrastructure priority list will be formulated by dividing infrastructure into four key areas: Provincial Transportation Network, Health Care and Equipment, Schools and Other Government Facilities.

The most important facet of these four lists is that the ordering is consistent, publically disclosed and has an objective set of prioritization criteria. A progressive list will help ensure projects of highest priority are acted upon at the first possible opportunity.

Ensuring a competitive bidding process and cost-benefit analysis for all government infrastructure projects is integral in creating a public infrastructure plan that will remain sustainable through both periods of economic prosperity and downturn.

The only way to stop any government from politicizing infrastructure spending is to outline the priority of all requested capital projects across the province and release the full list to the public.

Wildrose has been sounding the alarm over deferred hospital maintenance for years, but this latest report really presses the urgency of the matter.

Recently, the PC government has been in the habit of adapting Wildrose policies, and they would be wise to do so again.

Publishing a prioritized infrastructure list is critical in making sure our infrastructure is de-politicized and properly maintained, and is safe and reliable, now and into the future.

Pat Stier
Wildrose Infrastructure and Transportation Critic
MLA, Livingstone - Macleod