February 15, 2021 — By Kenneth Stanton PhD Open Works Baltimore [www.openworksbmore.org] was founded in 2016 to rebuild the city’s manufacturing economy from the grassroots up. Now one of America’s largest non-profit makerspaces, they support 118 jobs and work with over 1,000 young people a year through educational programs. They help entrepreneurs to learn new skills, launch new businesses, or build new relationships...
July 26, 2020 — Tim Runge, Partner Gray Hammond, Associate The construction industry is taking the British Columbia government to court. A coalition of construction associations is asking the court to reverse a lower court decision that referred part of their case on the government’s labour rules to the Labour Relations Board (LRB) and to return the entire case to B.C. Supreme...
July 2, 2020 — Tim Runge, Partner On April 30th Kevin Carmichael, Business Columnist for Canada’s National Post, wrote that “…restarting the clock (on the economy) will likely require a second wave of spending that absolutely will be intended as fiscal stimulus.” Previously, in the Globe & Mail, former chief economist at CIBC World Markets, Jeff Rubin, wrote that post-Covid-19, “Nothing of our world...
May 9, 2020 — Developing the future economy Post Covid Today, with countries grappling with COVID-19 and its effect on the world as a whole, socially and economically, governments will need to utilise every economic stimulus tool available to them to support their economies as a whole. Global supply chains have been disrupted, factories shut and the down-turn as a consequence impacts us...
April 18, 2020 — (This post is based on a Wharton Business School article, Ten Guidelines for Creating Opportunities in a Time of Crisis.) Two events are forcing corporations to change how they operate. One is an existing long-term trend, the other is an immediate emergency. The existing long-term trend: the rise of Millennials and Gen Z in the workplace and the marketplace. As employees,...
December 24, 2019 — This guest post first appeared on muniSERV.ca No one can predict who’s buying what, when and why, but there are some key markers that can help you be strategic about reaching municipalities at the times they typically buy goods and services. What they’re buying: First, do your homework and research! Watch the news stories – are they mandated to get...
December 17, 2019 — This is one of a series of articles, based on a report commissioned by the Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships (CCPPP). Scotland Pilot projects by Scottish public bodies in 2006 emphasized targeted recruitment and training, and social procurement. A 2008 report, published by the Scottish government, outlined a method for including Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) clauses in public contracts. Community...
December 10, 2019 — This is one of a series of articles, based on a report commissioned by the Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships (CCPPP). Community Benefits Agreements (CBAs) in the USA have included a wide range of benefits: HOUSING Affordable housing (units in market-rate projects or geared to low-income households), funding, or financing (including interest-free loans). JOBS & SUPPLIERS Recruitment and referral system...
December 3, 2019 — This is one of a series of articles, based on a report commissioned by the Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships (CCPPP). In the United States, private Community Benefits Agreements (CBAs) have become increasingly common in major infrastructure and development projects. Most CBAs in the USA are private agreements, driven by communities and involving private partners (and occasionally local authorities) who...
November 26, 2019 — This is one of a series of articles, based on a report commissioned by the Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships (CCPPP). In addition to the construction phase of utilities infrastructure, the ongoing operations require staff and suppliers, so local training, hiring, and procurement have been part of these contracts for some time. Local ownership of part of the revenue or...
November 19, 2019 — This is one of a series of articles, based on a report commissioned by the Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships (CCPPP). Impact and Benefit Agreements (IBAs) have been in place in Canada's North for decades. Like a Community Benefits Agreement (CBA), an IBA is a legally binding agreement developed through consultation and negotiation with the relevant Indigenous bands. They outline...
November 12, 2019 — This is one of a series of articles, based on a report commissioned by the Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships (CCPPP). Canada was one of the first countries to use Offsets, when Air Canada was still a Crown Corporation. Foreign vendors of passenger aircraft were required to show how their bids benefited Canada’s economy. Offsets involve activities designed to benefit...
November 5, 2019 — This is one of a series of articles, based on a report commissioned by the Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships (CCPPP). “Community benefits” are physical or socio-economic benefits for a local community, leveraged by dollars already committed to major infrastructure and land development projects. A Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) is a legally binding and enforceable contract that sets forth specific...
October 28, 2019 — My recommendation for a framework around CBAs (I believe I may have mentioned my disdain for that term as it implies a requirement to apply benefits very narrowly in terms of geography) in broad terms would include the following: Eliminate the use of penalties to a developer or contractor. The idea of a bonus is attractive – the carrot and...
September 24, 2019 — By Tim Runge, Partner It is interesting that the notion of a corporation having an interest in Socio-Economic Development issues is seen as new, and by some observers, evil. At Babcock & Wilcox in 1987 my first assignment upon joining the company was to structure a large barter with Romania on behalf of a consortium of CANDU suppliers. At first...
September 12, 2019 — By Tim Runge, Partner (This article first appeared in the Globe & Mail Report on Business in February 9, 2016) On April 9 last year, the Fraser Institute published a report that described Ontario's economic woes. With the second-highest debt in the country, highest annual budget deficit, and an average debt-to-GDP ratio of 38.6 per cent, Ontario, in the report's...
August 27, 2019 — By Tim Runge, Partner Much is being made (as it should) of the recent announcement by Bombardier that it will eliminate 550 jobs in Thunder Bay. It did not take long for senior-level politicians to assign blame at one another for the job losses, small consolation to the families who depend on these jobs. Is the slowdown in new orders...
July 22, 2019 — By Gray Hammond, Associate The growing numbers of foundations and non-profits in the world have generated a lot of innovation in philanthropy. Two of the most creative ideas are in Social Impact Investing and Public-Private Partnerships (“P3s”). Social Impact Social Impact Investing is not about making donations or grants, but investing assets. Normally a foundation gives 5% of its accumulated...
June 17, 2019 — By Tim Runge, Partner Though it seems a long time ago the CCPPP meeting held at Toronto’s Sheraton Centre in November was as usual extremely well organized, offering terrific networking and learning sessions. It was, as a result well attended by people around the globe. Mark Romoff and his staff are to be complimented. It is an excellent gathering of...
May 13, 2019 — By Jack Runge, Contributor Notwithstanding certain jurisdictions’ reluctance to add what some might consider an additional layer of “complexity” to infrastructure procurement, Community Benefit Agreements (CBAs) are here in Canada and not going anywhere. Look at Vancouver, BC where CBAs are now built into development ranging from projects like the 2010 Olympic Village to the $1.4bn Pattullo Bridge project. CBAs...
April 8, 2019 — By Tim Runge, Partner The term Community Benefits Agreement has until recent years been a relatively unknown one, at least in Canada. The Canadian Community Economic Development Network (CCEDNet) defines Community Benefit Agreements (CBAs) as “deals between developers and coalitions of community organizations, addressing a broad range of community needs. They are safeguards to ensure that affected residents share in...
June 30, 2017 — A Jurisdictional Review This report reviews community benefits and social procurement policies from around the world and analyzes the successes and challenges of the varied approaches. Through community benefits and social procurement policies, which align spending and purchasing activities with broader public policy objectives, governments are changing the way they do business to reap greater social and economic benefits. This...
March 8, 2017 — In a special to the Financial Post, Charles Lamman and Hugh MacIntyre argue that Canadian Federal Infrastructure spending estimated at around $100 billion is only about 10% effective at actually stimulating the economy: In principle, sound infrastructure projects can improve the economy’s productive capacity. A needed road, bridge, railway or port that helps move people, goods and resources more efficiently...