A responsive and equitable capital planning process is essential for effective community capacity development and maintenance. A new capital planning process, referred to as the corporate capital planning process, which I will just refer to as CCP after this, was announced by the government during the review of its draft 2002-2005 business plans by the standing committees. The development and adoption of the CCP by the government was done without consultation with the Regular Members.
The CCP is based on a primary rating criteria which prioritizes capital projects in the following order:
- • protection of people;
- • protection of assets;
- • protection of the environment;
- • financial investment considerations; and
- • program needs or requirements.
A capital review committee, comprised of deputy ministers, determines which projects are chosen based upon this prioritization model. However, committee members concurred with comments made by the Standing Committee on Governance and Economic Development in its review of the 2002-2005 draft business plans that this new capital planning process "may leave communities and Regular Members without effective input" and furthermore, that "these criteria, especially the protection of people, may lead to projects from larger centres being placed before the needs of smaller communities."
As a result, the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight in its review of the 2002-2005 business plans, recommended the re-introduction of the notification letter from the Premier to each Member and community informing them of the capital plan for their community.
The government agreed and informed the committee that the letter of notification process will be implemented during the preparation of the 2003-2004 main estimates.
The Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight remains concerned about the implementation of the CCP and looks forward to a debate on this issue on the floor of the House.