Sask. government paid $100M too much for new firefighting planes, B.C.

Coulson Aircrane says the Saskatchewan government has agreed to pay more than twice what it should have for four firefighting aircraft — a decision the B.C.-based company says will cost Saskatchewan taxpayers an extra $100 million.

Coulson, one of the leading companies in the world for retrofitting planes for firefighting, made the claim last month in an application to the Court of King's Bench.

"We are concerned the government of Saskatchewan has awarded a very large (over $187,000,000) contract for forest fire airplanes, without affording any reasonable opportunity to Coulson or any other competitor to bid on the contract," says an affidavit filed by company president Britt Coulson.

Coulson is asking the court to quash the sale and order a fair, transparent competition.

Britt Coulson