A new report on privatization finds that "on balance… P3s can have significant downsides for the public interest."

Public Private Partnerships: Understanding the Challenge reviews the growing body of research about P3s. The report, intended as a guide for local elected officials, outlines the main problems with P3s in clear and compelling language.

Understanding the Challenge is an updated and expanded edition of an earlier document produced by the Columbia Institute’s Centre for Civic Governance, an organization that supports community leaders taking progressive action on issues, including municipal underfunding and privatization.

The authors trace the origins of P3s back to Britain, where that country’s PFI model is now widely discredited. Other sections focus on the P3 definitions,

how the schemes are evaluated, the impact of the financial crisis on P3s, and questions of transparency and accountability – all with a critical eye on the real-life outcomes, not the rosy promises.

The well-researched guide is packed with references and resources for further information.

The Columbia Institute is a charitable organization to activate and motivate working people to build strong, progressive communities throughout Canada.

Columbia Institute’s Centre for Civic Governance Report can be found at http://www.civicgovernance.ca/files/
uploads/columbiap3_eng_v8-webpdf.pdf.