Capital Commission To Strengthen Public Consultation And Transparency

Released on February 7, 2020

Today, Minister Responsible for the Provincial Capital Commission Lori Carr announced a series of steps the commission will be taking to address recommendations outlined by the Provincial Auditor.

 “The PCC Board has presented me with a report which outlines a number of actions the commission will be taking to improve transparency and address the concerns outlined by the Provincial Auditor,” Carr said. “I accept their report and would like to thank the PCC for their work on addressing these concerns.”

 Actions outlined within the report include:

• Developing a detailed public consultation plan to be posted online, as it relates to Wascana Centre’s Master Plan.
• Create a public “step-by-step” guide and reference tool, outlining the review process for major developments in the park.
• Provide regular and consistent updates to the public on ongoing development projects.
• Post board meeting highlights to the PCC website.
• Assessing best practice examples of sub-lease/tenant agreement approvals to ensure conformity with the Master Plan.
• A full review of legislation and regulations that pertain to the PCC.

The majority of these initiatives are expected to be completed in the coming year, with many already in place.

“The Provincial Capital Commission is committed to ensuring an open and transparent relationship with the residents of our province, one that is built on dialogue and communication with the public,” CEO of the Provincial Capital Commission Monique Goffinet Miller said. “I am confident these steps will help ensure that Wascana Centre continues to be a first-class destination within our province and the centerpiece of our provincial capital.”

Canadian National Institute for the Blind – Project Update

The project had been previously suspended in the spring of 2019 to accommodate the Provincial Auditor and her review. In December 2019, the Provincial Auditor outlined several recommendations as part of a regular annual audit process, calling on the PCC to improve aspects of its internal processes, transparency and public consultation practices.

After careful consideration and review of the Provincial Auditor’s recommendations, the PCC Board has decided to allow the continuation of the Canadian National Institute for the Blind project within Wascana Centre. It will continue on in the 38-stage process for new developments in Wascana Centre, where they were before the project was put on hold.

 This continuation is dependent on the following conditions:

• The proponent shows how all land-use would be compliant to the five pillars of the Wascana Centre Master Plan.
• The proponent is also asked to conduct additional public communications and engagement to discuss the benefits of the project and engage regarding the land-use of the complete building rather than just the CNIB portion of the building.

The PCC as the regulator has asked the proponent to meet these expectations and we look forward to hearing from the Canadian National Institute for the Blind and Architectural Advisory Committee regarding this project.

The proponent is currently at step 23 of the 38-step checklist for all new developments in Wascana Centre. This checklist is publicly available on the PCC website.

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For more information, contact:

PCC-Report-to-the-Minister