REGINA — The opposition New Democrats have written to the Provincial Auditor asking the office to investigate the Costco - GTH controversy.
Opposition Highways critic Hugh Gordon and Municipal Affairs critic Jared Clarke have sent a letter to Provincial Auditor Tara Clemett, asking the office to “investigate the Global Transportation Hub (GTH) and the Ministry of Highways to examine their actions, procedures, policies, and expenditures regarding the GTH’s recent attempt to negotiate a deal for the construction of a Costco store near Regina.”
This follows a situation where Regina city council voted in favour of a $6.7 million incentive package to keep Costco at the originally proposed Westerra location in the city limits, instead of bolting to a better deal with the GTH. The NDP has accused the province of interference.
“Retail stores are not within the mandate or business plans of the GTH, and the Government of Saskatchewan should never have allowed the GTH to compete with the City of Regina for investment,” the NDP letter to the Provincial Auditor states. “Given this, we would specifically ask you to investigate what was 小蓝视频 offered to Costco from the GTH that would require the City of Regina to step in with additional funding.”
“This is highway robbery — plain and simple,” said Gordon in a statement. “It’s outrageous that the Sask. Party used the GTH and Ministry of Highways to pit one level of government against another, costing Regina taxpayers millions.”
“The City is already facing massive budget pressures,” said Clarke in a statement. “Forcing them into a bidding war with another level of government is boneheaded. This is yet another example of the Sask. Party putting political games ahead of the public interest.”
This latest attempt by the NDP to get the Provincial Auditor involved comes on the heels of a failed attempt by Gordon to pass a motion at the Public Accounts Committee to have the auditor look into the issue. That motion was defeated by the Sask Party majority prior to the end of the session.
