Operators are being asked to consider changing the way they bid on new opera houses after a proposal was made to require a minimum number of bids be received by the end of the year.
The proposal, which was put forward by the owners of opera houses in the region, was outlined by the Association of Opera Operators and the National Opera Association, which is in charge of running the industry.
It states the bidding process must now be based on an “equitable, fair and transparent” process, with a minimum of five bids received in the year the house is on the market.
“We have to think about the opera houses and we have to look at how we can better manage the market and how we make sure that the opera families have the best possible experience,” said Mr. Schneider, the owner of opera house operator Opera Toronto.
He said he had already spoken to several members of the public and met with his counterparts in the Ontario Municipal Board to hear their concerns.
Mr. Schneeider said he expects his bid will be submitted in early 2019, although he said he was not sure if that would mean that the company would start work immediately.
The announcement follows the death last week of the opera house that the Ontario government bought for $8 million.
The deal, known as The Ontario Opera House, had a capacity of 2,500 seats, but had a record low price tag of $2.4 million, about $150,000 less than its listed asking price.
The Ontario government has said it is committed to investing $1 billion in the industry over the next five years.
A spokesperson for Mr. Harper said the government has the financial flexibility to undertake this type of investment, but that the timing and details of the financing and the terms of the deal were still being negotiated.
The spokesperson said the country’s highest court will ultimately determine if the proposed change will be allowed.
Opera house owners say they’re concerned about the new bid process, which they say could limit their ability to bid on their own properties.
Anaconda’s owner and operator, Jean-Claude Leclerc, has said that in order to attract a new opera house, he will need to have a bid process that meets the criteria set out by the government.
However, the owners also said they were worried that the proposed bidding process will force operators to compete with their own businesses.
On Monday, Opera Toronto said it would consider changes, including one requiring a minimum amount of bids to be submitted to the company in order for it to proceed with the bid.
The proposal states that operas must be purchased by a third party, such as a non-profit corporation, within 10 days of the date of the offer.
It also says that the operator will submit bids at least five days before the end to the governing body for approval.
At the time of the announcement, the Association for Opera Operers said it was concerned about how this would affect the quality of operas that could be built in the future.
In an email to The Globe and Mail, the association said it wants to ensure that any bid process is fair and fair to all participants.
Last week, Opera Ottawa said that the government was committed to supporting the Ontario Opera and Opera Toronto companies and would invest $500 million over the first five years of the plan.
