VANCOUVER, B.C. — The road construction project in B.C.s Kicking Horse Canyon was one of two partnership projects to receive awards during the Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships 2006 National Awards.

The Kicking Horse Canyon Phase Two project won the Award of Merit for Project Financing, while the Britannia Mine Water Treatment Plant received the Gold Award in the Infrastructure category.

We have a successful history of major projects using the P3 model, achieving millions of dollars in savings and other benefits for taxpayers, said Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon. Our Kicking Horse Canyon project is a prime example a tremendous engineering feat incorporating innovative designs delivered months ahead of schedule.

The awards recognize innovation and excellence in the structuring and delivery of public-private partnerships, an area in which B.C. has place a great emphasis.

B.C.s partnership projects have won awards from the Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships for three years running. In the past two years, the Sea-to-Sky Highway Improvement Project, the Abbotsford Regional Hospital and Cancer Centre Project and the Sierra Yoyo Desan Resource Road in northeastern B.C. were award recipients in the Project Financing category.

Partnerships BC is pleased to be working on behalf of the province to deliver projects on time and on budget through the partnership approach, said Larry Blain, Partnerships BCs CEO. These awards provide excellent validation of B.C.s partnership initiative.

B.C. currently has more than $4.7 billion in approved public-private partnerships under construction, which includes $3 billion of private capital. For more information on these projects, visit Partnerships BC at www.partnershipsbc.ca.