Thank you, Mr. Chairman. As Minister, I depend on the Minister of Public Works to review the project and report to me what the prices are. The simple fact is that there isn't a lot of room to manoeuvre in our standards. We set the standards and we have to work to find the money to meet those standards. I recognize that growth in building costs is a significant challenge. It's been one that's bedevilled our capital plan for years. I hope that the Member is right, that it's 15 percent that we're looking at. I know that in Edmonton a public building there has gone from the price of $50 million to $87 million in the space of nine months. That's no change in plans; that's just what has been growth in the market because of the cost of getting construction done in the overheated Alberta economy. When you're building a public building, the expectation is that it's going to last for a substantial amount of time. There aren't that many corners that can be cut in the construction process without it impacting on that. We're a bit at the mercy of the climate and we have to hope that through the competitive process that we're going to get good prices.
Charles Dent on Item 16: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
In the Legislative Assembly on February 21st, 2007. See this statement in context.
Item 16: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 16: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 20th, 2007
Page 1089
See context to find out what was said next.