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Public or Private?
What's the engine driving all of the non-residential construction in Manitoba this year? If you were thinking it's those free-spending federal and provincial governments -- the public sector -- you'd be wrong, according to the executive vice-president of the Winnipeg Construction Association.
Ron Hambley estimates the private sector still accounts for 60 to 70 per cent of the non-residential construction that's taking place this year.
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Hambley agrees that's unusual, because during most economic slowdowns, private-sector spending drops off and accounts for only about half of all non-residential construction spending. But not this time.
"We're still seeing a significant amount of private investment, which is pretty good for Winnipeg."
But Hambley said he can understand why some people might think it's the public sector that's driving things, because it's often difficult to tell private sector projects from the public ones.
For example, most people might think of the new $585-million airport terminal as a public sector project. But the non-profit Winnipeg Airports Authority, which runs the airport, operates like a private sector entity and raised the money for the project on its own, rather than relying on government money.
And while the new Canadian Museum of Human Rights is a private-sector initiative, it's also receiving a substantial amount of government funding.
"So the lines are becoming really blurry," he said.
-- Murray McNeill
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