The Provincial Capital Commission must be better when it comes to approving developments in Wascana Park.
Provincial auditor Judy Ferguson makes that statement in her 2019 report.
Ferguson says the PCC at this time has no plan when it comes to consulting the public about major developments in the park and that being more transparent with the public will help the commission when it comes to making decisions on things happening in Wascana Centre.
Ferguson said the provincial capital commission will need to be more transparent with their decision making moving forward.
“Make sure that they are getting sufficient public input and public consultation, they need to work on that area,” Ferguson said. “When they make decisions, share those decisions when they’re acting as a regulator and a steward, which is what they’re doing as a commission, and be able to defend those decisions.”
Two buildings being built at Wascana Centre has been controversial. One of those buildings–a new office for Conexus–will be ready next spring while another building which would house the CNIB had construction halted earlier this year when Ferguson said she would be looking into the decision to go ahead with the project.
While not saying what building she is referring to, Ferguson adds the PCC board approved one building “despite knowing the project did not conform to the master plan of Wascana Centre.”
Following Ferguson’s decision for a review, minister responsible for the PCC Lori Carr explained how they will wait for the report on how the Brandt/CNIB project will look moving forward.
The minister told reporters that once the plan comes forward, she hopes there will be no ambiguity in the future.
“The provincial auditor has made some clear recommendations, and from those recommendations, we’ll see what the provincial capital looks like,” stated Carr. “I’m not going to make any assumptions right now.”
Carr confirmed she still has confidence in the PCC board even though the provincial auditor found they were not fulfilling their legislative responsibilities outlined in the act with the two major projects.
PCC Critic Nicole Sarauer wants to see the CNIB/Brandt project be cancelled altogether.
She said the report affirms there are a lot of steps not being followed and there are problems with how the PCC is currently managed.
Sarauer feels the lack of transparency from minutes not being taken and documents not being tabled makes it impossible to know what really happened when deciding on the project.
“We have so many questions about why the project went the way it went, why the government structure changed when it did,” noted Sarauer.
“The auditor’s report confirmed justifiable concerns about the process in response to the Brandt building.”
Mental health services lacking in northwest Saskatchewan
The provincial auditor is saying while mental health services are available to people in the northwest portion of the province, the Saskatchewan Health Authority needs to do better to ensure services are accessible.
In her report, Judy Ferguson found the SHA follows correct suicide policies, but staff do not always follow them.
Another concern is a lack of supports in smaller centres. Ferguson says treating mental health in such centres can be a stressful ordeal, which leads to difficulty in recruitment.
“I think when you’re in a smaller community, everybody knows everybody, and I think that makes it even harder,it makes it personal,” Ferguson said. “I think those things contribute to those situations.”
This comes after the Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation declared a state of crisis after a string of suicides on the first nation.
(Files from Ryan McNally and Moises Canales)
