TORONTO, Oct. 30, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Canadian and global leaders responsible for delivering some of the world’s most ambitious and innovative infrastructure projects are coming to Toronto for the world’s premier event on public-private partnerships.

P3 2018 — the 26th annual conference of the Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships — will take place Nov. 5-6 at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel, with the support of presenting sponsor SNC-Lavalin. The full program and media registration details are available at p3-2018.ca.

The conference will tackle some of the biggest challenges confronting the infrastructure sector in this time of great disruption — from rapidly changing next-gen technology to an increasing number of extreme weather events — and how new approaches are needed that marry our innovation and infrastructure agendas together.

“All of these changes are having a tremendous impact on how we think about and deliver much-needed infrastructure to provinces, territories, municipalities and Indigenous communities,” said Mark Romoff, President and CEO of CCPPP.

“At P3 2018, we’ll hear from leaders about the challenges they’re encountering and how they’re adapting and innovating to succeed,” he said. “The cities, the countries that excel in the coming decades will be those that see opportunity in the confusion and stretch their infrastructure dollars for maximum benefit.”

Globally renowned for its ‘made-in-Canada’ P3 model, the conference attracts 1,200 senior public and private sector infrastructure leaders from across Canada and internationally. This year, senior officials from more than 20 countries will attend including the United States, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Norway, Jamaica, Argentina, China and Chile.

In addition to sharing details on upcoming projects entering their P3 pipelines, delegates will also take part in P3 2018 sessions focusing on the delivery of complicated and closely watched mega-transit projects in Canada and the United Kingdom; local ideas to harness the digital revolution to build Smart Cities in Amsterdam and Stavanger, Norway; and new approaches to integrate driverless vehicle technology into the design of existing transportation networks to improve mobility in communities of all sizes.

“The discussions about cutting-edge solutions supports the delivery of critical infrastructure needed to create connected and prosperous communities across Canada and around the world,” said Chantal Sorel, Executive Vice-President and Managing Director, Capital, at SNC-Lavalin. “The challenges in the global economy and uncertainty in trade agreements makes this year’s annual conference of the Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships much more important to build positive relationships and collaboration that support the global infrastructure sector that SNC-Lavalin participates in.”

Keynote addresses at P3 2018 include:

• François-Philippe Champagne, Canada’s Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, will discuss the role P3s can play in the federal government’s $180-billion Investing in Canada Plan. Over the next 12 years, the plan is set to fund and quickly deliver key infrastructure projects like transit that build sustainable and socially inclusive communities, drive economic growth and improve quality of life for Canadians.
• Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rosselló will discuss how his government is working closely with the private sector to renew the Puerto Rican economy and quickly rebuild after Hurricane Maria made a deadly direct hit on the island a year ago, severely damaging the electrical grid, housing, roads and ports. This transformation will require the island to innovate and rethink its traditional ways of operating, presenting new opportunities for future growth and competitiveness.
• Joseph Mancinelli, International Vice-President and Central and Eastern Canada Regional Manager of LiUNA, the Labourers’ International Union of North America, will discuss his visionary idea to have the labour union’s almost $8-billion pension fund make significant investments in P3 infrastructure projects across the country.
• Pierre Lavallée, President and CEO of the Canada Infrastructure Bank, will outline the mandate of the bank and its corporate plans and strategies to enable innovative investments in transformational infrastructure projects. The bank has $35 billion available to partner with private investors and provinces, territories, municipalities and Indigenous communities to build more much-needed infrastructure.
• Andreas Mai, a globally recognized expert in future transportation, will detail what the future impacts of autonomous vehicles will be on transportation networks and how these vehicles can solve ‘first mile’ and ‘last mile’ solutions by connecting passengers to existing public transit systems. His company, Keolis, just launched the first long-term demonstration of an autonomous electric shuttle on public roads in Canada. The project is taking place in Candiac, Que.

About the Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships
Established in 1993, CCPPP is a national not-for-profit non-partisan, member-based organization with broad representation from across the public and private sectors. Our mission is to collaborate with all levels of government and indigenous communities to enable smart, innovative approaches to public infrastructure development and service delivery that achieve the best outcomes for Canadians. The Council is a proponent of evidence-based public policy in support of P3s, facilitates the adoption of international best practices, and educates stakeholders and the community on the economic and social benefits of public-private partnerships.

Jennifer Robinson, Director, Communications and Media Relations
The Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships (CCPPP)
416.861.0605 ext. 210
jrobinson@pppcouncil.ca

Chris Allicock
Amberlight Productions Inc.
416.319.8003
chris@amberlight.ca