Letter to City Council regarding River Landing Phase II - Contribution Agreement for February 13, 2006, meeting

February 9, 2006



His Worship the Mayor
and Members of City Council
City Hall
Saskatoon, SK
S7K 0J5


Dear Mayor Atchison and Members of Council:

Re: Agenda Item F1 - River Landing Phase II - Contribution Agreement

I wish to bring to your attention an issue regarding the Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund Agreement for Saskatoon South Downtown ("River Landing Phase II") 2005-2006/2009-2010, which City Council will consider at its February 13, 2006 meeting.

The last paragraph in Section 2.2 – Description of Project states: "Saskatoon also plans to develop the adjacent land called River Landing Phase I. Canada will not be providing any funding through this Agreement for remediation or development of River Landing Phase I."

It appears that this statement does not accurately reflect what is written in earlier federal and municipal documents – that the development of the Gathercole Site (aka River Landing Phase I) would be funded entirely by the City of Saskatoon.

Please consider the following:

Page one of the City’s April 13, 2004 Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund program submission requesting federal funding for the A.L Cole site states: ‘In conjunction with this project, the City will be developing the adjacent land, called the Gathercole site, entirely at the City’s expense.’

In his April 14, 2004 cover letter to the federal government Mayor Don Atchison said: ‘In conjunction with this project, the City will be developing the adjacent land, called the Gathercole site, at our own expense.’

The Infrastructure Canada document ‘Meeting with Mayor Don Atchison and Mr. Phil Richards – City of Saskatoon – October 5, 2004’ states: ‘The city also plans to develop the adjacent land called the Gathercole site. The city will cover the entire financing costs of this portion.’

The November 1, 2004 memorandum signed by The Honourable John Godfrey states: ‘Further to this project, the City plans to develop, and finance, the adjacent land called the Gathercole site.’

On December 10, 2004 a ribbon joining ceremony was held at the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market. In attendance were the Government of Canada, Government of Saskatchewan and the City of Saskatoon. The main participants were The Honourable Lorne Calvert, Premier of Saskatchewan, The Honourable Ralph Goodale, Minister of Finance, Mr. Donald Atchison, Mayor of Saskatoon and Mr. David James, Director General, Western Economic Diversification Canada. Through an Access to Information request the federal government provided me with a document from that event called ‘Questions and Answers – Government of Canada’s contribution to the A.L. Cole Site restoration project.’

Question six states: ‘Will the federal government play a role in the development or funding of the Gathercole project adjacent to this site?’

The answer: ‘No, the Gathercole site development project will be funded entirely by the City of Saskatoon. The federal government is not a funding partner in the Gathercole project.’

I feel there is no ambiguity in these statements. The message is consistent and very straightforward, that the development of the Gathercole Site would be funded entirely by the City of Saskatoon. In fact, the federal government, in its Q & A document went so far as to emphasize that point by underlining the words ‘funded entirely’.

Why is Section 2.2 of the final agreement not consistent with earlier federal and municipal documents in saying that the development of the Gathercole Site would be funded entirely by the City? Why has this significant change been made? Would it have anything to do with the federal government’s Canada Celebrates Saskatchewan initiative administered by WD for which funding applications for development on River Landing Phase I have been received?

Thank you for taking the time to receive my correspondence.

Sincerely,



Joe Kuchta
Saskatoon, SK


Cc:
Hon. Carol Skelton, Minister of Western Economic Diversification Canada
Hon. Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities
Hon. Harry Van Mulligen, Minister of Government Relations