Office of the Official Opposition
For Immediate Release

St. John's, NL (September 2, 2020) – Barry Petten, PC Opposition critic for Transportation and Works and MHA for Conception Bay South, is demanding that the Liberal government release documents related to the bidding process for new mental health facility to be constructed in St. John’s. News of the questionable circumstances were first reported by the online news organization AllNewfoundlandLabrador and reflects a document obtained by the PC Official Opposition.

Petten says, “The Liberal government has had a checkered past of rewarding their friends while they have been in office. Now we see that the successful proponent for the new mental health facility was $39 million dollars more expensive than an unsuccessful bidder and will take a year longer to construct.”

Tenders on projects this large are normally awarded by using a scoring matrix to determine the best value for public dollars. In this instance, however, the decision to award a $300 million dollar construction project was selected by “consensus” of those evaluating the project.

Petten says, “Concerns have been raised regarding a host of other projects this Liberal government has approved such as the Fisheries and Land Resources building in Corner Brook and the infamous Canopy Growth deal. It is incumbent on this Liberal government to release all documentation in full on how this decision was made – anything less is completely unacceptable.”

Document attached below.

Contacts:

Bradley Russell

Director of Communications and Digital Strategy

(p) 1.709.729.3668

BradleyRussell@gov.nl.ca

-30-
 

Document:
Mental Health Facility Letter