Why we don’t agree with privatizing public services using public-private partnerships (P3s)

The Ontario Federation of Labour believes strongly that these privatization schemes will lead to lost jobs, reduced access to and quality of public services, health and safety problems, de-unionization, corporatization, no democratic control or transparency. Privatization and P3 funding models have led to huge cost overruns, increased public sector debt in the long term, project failures and bankruptcies, project delays and construction flaws and quality problems.

The P3 deals are a secret.  We don’t know what we are giving up or what these deals really cost.  Secret privatization won’t make public services better.

Alternatives to privatizing public services using public-private partnerships
The key issues are:

• The value of social services
• Government control over public policy and public assets
• The role of government in providing social services
• The public good as opposed to corporate profits or private gain
• Democracy and good governance

• Publicly-funded
• Publicly-delivered
• Publicly-owned, and
• 100% not-for-profit in character