The BC Construction Association presented the City of Prince George with a Best of Public Procurement 2022 - Owner of Choice Awards on Thursday.
The city was one of four public sector agencies recognized in this year’s awards. The other winners were the B.C. Ministry of Citizen Services; the Facilities Management Procurement Team for Fraser Health, Vancouver Coastal Health and the Provincial Health Services Authority; and the Interior Health Capital Planning and Projects Team. The City of Prince George was singled out for its engagement with industry.
"The City of Prince George greatly values our positive working relationship with the Northern Regional Construction Association, because projects always benefit when teams collaborate instead of operate in silos,” Prince George city manager Walter Babicz said in a statement issued on Thursday. “We appreciate being recognized with this award, which reflects our commitment to building relationships both with industry as well as our community."
A statement issued by the BC Construction Association said the Owner of Choice Awards recognize organizations that “consistently (set) a positive example to other public owners when procuring construction services.”
B.C. has seen a 79 per cent increase in the value of current construction projects since 2017 and the province is spending a record $24.7 billion on capital projects, the statement said.
“Construction-specific procurement may seem like a niche topic, but the procurement process is essential to ensuring that a public project doesn’t suffer from escalating costs, expanded timelines, and compromised outcomes,” BC Construction Association president Chris Atchison said. “Taxpayers can’t afford faulty practises, and neither can contractors. These awards recognize that there are some public sector entities that are trying to get it right.”
