More details given on Saskatoon Downtown Event and Entertainment District private partnership

A report to Saskatoon’s governance and priorities committee outlined how the city might go about the procurement process for a private partnership for the Downtown Event and Entertainment District.

The report said the city’s project team met with members of the local Community Benefit Coalition to get a better idea of what community benefit targets could be set for the project.

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A list of four areas was given in the report that could create community benefit outcomes within a future private partnership agreement:

• Employment opportunities/training, targeted to equity-deserving communities.
• Procurement opportunities below open competition thresholds directed to Indigenous, local and social purpose businesses, and social enterprises.
• Living wage commitments.
• Social and financial investments to support community vibrancy.

City administration said through consultation it also noted that there was a strong desire for rental spaces that allows self-catering for communal gatherings.

A full report on community benefit agreements was being created by city administration for a future date, but it was noted that these areas of interest would be added to the request for proposal process.

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The living wage piece wasn’t added to the RFP process, with administration saying it needed to carefully consider it and that adding it to the RFP process could result in additional costs.

Before organizations are issued the RFP, they need to pass the qualification process, and those who receive the RFP will have their submissions evaluated by a panel made up of city staff and the deal structure and negotiations advisor.

Criteria for the RFP include things like details around the management services plan, a marketing, sponsorship and sales plan, a projected performance of the venues and proposed capital contributions to the venues.

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It was noted that some organizations were already undergoing the qualification process, but city administration couldn’t give any specifics on how many had applied.

Coun. Hilary Gough asked if it was possible to include a wages and quality job element to the evaluation criteria so that proponents could share their approach to a living wage as the baseline for this project.

Dan Willems, director of technical services, said that could be arranged before this item went before city council.

Gough’s motion to include the wages and quality job element passed, with the whole report being discussed at a future city council meeting.