The provincial government's planning to develop a Public Private Partnership (P3) approach to constructing four new schools.

Three will be in Winnipeg, and one in Brandon. It'll be a $100,000,000 project.

Education and Training Minister Ian Wishart explains the P3 model's been used effectively in a number of places in Canada.

"More recently, Saskatchewan's done quite a number of schools, using this particular financial tool," he says. "We've had a look at it, we think that it might fit into Manitoba's needs, so what we've done is put out a call for proposals, and we'll see what that yields us. We still have to do an evaluation of whether this actually gives us what we need, in a cost-effective manner."

Wishart says there are some advantages to the P-3 model, including what he calls a different financing pool, than traditional government.

"Which is really tied to either loans or to taxation," Wishart points out, "This gives us access to private financing, and then pay for it over time. Whatever institution's involved, whether it's us as a province, does end up paying the full cost of it. But we get the expertise the private sector has to offer, in terms of getting this done in a timely manner."

He understands there's some concern and resistance to having the private sector involved, but stresses the schools will work under the local school boards.

"So, we don't see that there'll be a significant difference. The big concern about whether or not the employees are able to work for the P3, or whether they would work for a public entity, like a city or government, comes down to the nature of your contract. And that's certainly what's been done in a number of places across Canada, working very successfully."

The government news release is here.