The Government of Canada and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), announced a federal investment of $1.185 million to help five Manitoba communities, 11 in B.C., and 14 in Alberta, put in place innovative asset management strategies.
“From roads and bridges to buildings and wastewater systems, local governments own approximately 60 per cent of the public infrastructure that supports our economy and our quality of life. That’s why it is so crucial to support them in building and maintaining strong asset management through initiatives like the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Municipal Asset Management Program. Funded by the Government of Canada, it helps communities in Manitoba and across the country develop sound asset management practices and conduct data collection and analysis to improve their investment decisions,” said Scott Pearce, Acting President, Federation of Canadian Municipalities
Asset management helps communities manage municipal infrastructure assets such as roads, arenas, bridges, drinking water and wastewater systems to ensure maximum performance and make better investment decisions. Asset management also helps reduce risks so municipalities can provide reliable and affordable services and a high quality of life to their residents.
Manitoba – $250,000
The City of Flin Flon receives $50,000 to identify, catalogue and analyze the life cycle and capacity of each asset and to develop information on maintenance requirements, service levels and new asset needs. This will result in an effective asset management plan and informed, cost-effective decisions around levels of service. All asset classes within the City of Flin Flon will be looked at, including facilities, roads, sidewalks, water treatment systems, wastewater treatment systems and equipment.
The Municipality of Rossburn receives $50,000 to develop an Asset Management Policy and Strategy for roads, culverts, bridges, buildings, water and sewer utilities, landfills, campgrounds and aeration systems. An Asset Management Plan will be developed for at least one area of assets. The Municipality will be able to better track its assets and obtain a clearer picture of its financial position and upcoming responsibilities. This information will guide its long-term financial decisions and strengthen the Municipality’s finances.
The Municipality of Clanwilliam-Erickson receives $50,000 to develop an Asset Management Policy and Strategy for roads, water and sewer utility, drainage and culverts, buildings, machinery and vehicles. An Asset Management Plan will be developed for at least one area of assets. The Municipality will be able to better track its assets and obtain a clearer picture of its financial position and upcoming responsibilities. This information will guide its long-term financial decisions and strengthen the Municipality’s finances.
“The five projects announced today are important to helping these rural municipalities in our province find sustainable and innovative solutions to manage their community assets. Infrastructure is essential to local economies and for residents’ quality of life and these projects will help communities plan for their needs and find savings over the long-term,” said Dan Vandal, Minister of Northern Affairs, Minister responsible for PrairiesCan and Minister responsible for CanNor.
British Columbia: $500,000
The Town of Comox received $50,000 to complete a condition assessment of the town’s 86,000 lineal meters of sanitary sewer pipes. Having information on the condition of the pipelines will help prioritize the rehabilitation of the sanitary system over the next 5-10 years.
The City of Trail received $50,000 to perform assessments on its water systems and facilities. The City will then use the new information and state of the infrastructure report to update its current asset management plan. It will also update its current asset management policies. The City will actively participate in technical and best practice training for internal staff as well elected officials to increase its organizational capacity to anticipate, respond and plan for all the challenges faced when managing assets and providing services to the community.
The Corporation of the District of Saanich received $50,000 to develop an asset management strategy that describes the current and future state of assets and asset management practices, establishes performance measures to track the progress of the asset management Program, and provides a roadmap with prioritized short, medium and long term actions for achieving sustainable service delivery. The project aligns with the asset management goals and initiatives set out in Council’s Strategic Plan and Climate Plan.
“Investments to support innovative solutions for infrastructure asset management will help improve the quality of life of British Columbians. This funding from the Municipal Asset Management Program will ensure our communities have the technology and resources they need to adopt the best management practices and make evidence-based decisions,” said Harjit Sajjan, Minister of International Development and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada.
Alberta – $635,000
The Village of Berwyn is receiving $50,000 to acquire asset information on infrastructure located throughout the village and provide a geographic information system platform. It will allow for internal management of the assets while also providing the public the ability to view this data.
The Town of Turner Valley is receiving $40,000 to implement CityWide Maintenance Manager software and undergo systems training for a broader understanding of effective asset maintenance. The implementation of work order software will allow Turner Valley to gain an advanced understanding of its assets’ performance and effectively plan for future maintenance based on data-driven decisions. Further, the implementation of software and systems training will be a critical piece to increase involvement from staff across the organization in asset planning.
The Town of Gibbons is receiving $48,000 to move towards an innovative asset management system that will provide timely information to staff and Council for making long-term decisions on the upcoming infrastructure needs of a growing community. Asset classes that will be part of this project include wastewater, sewer, vehicles, lands, engineered structures, machinery and equipment, land and property.
“Our government is investing in rural communities across Alberta to help strengthen data-driven decisions, improve efficiency of services, and chart a path for growth. Today’s funding will help Alberta communities improve management of their municipal assets and better respond to the changing needs of local residents and businesses. We will continue to work with all orders of government to ensure a brighter, more sustainable future for Albertans and all Canadians,” said Randy Boissonault, Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance.
Featured image: The Town of Comox received $50,000 to complete a condition assessment of the town’s 86,000 lineal meters of sanitary sewer pipes.
