OPEN TENDERS
Re “City needs to ‘unlock value’ of Toronto Hydro: Tory” (Shawn Jeffords, Sept 21):
If Toronto Mayor John Tory is serious about looking at “all options” to fund billions of dollars in capital projects, he shouldn’t overlook the obvious. There is an option that doesn’t involve the partial sale of Toronto Hydro or putting a further squeeze on Toronto taxpayers. The city could realize millions in savings by changing the way it tenders construction projects. Rather than only accepting bids from companies with ties to select unions, which is the current practice, why doesn’t the city accept bids from all qualified companies? There’s plenty of research to show that increasing competition translates into better value and major savings for taxpayers. The mayor claims council has an “obligation to look at all options” to find savings. If that’s true, openly tendering Toronto’s infrastructure projects should top the list.
Darrel Reid
VP, Policy and Advocacy
Progressive Contractors Association of Canada
Toronto Sun Editorial comment: You’d think so