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TO: |
Mayor and Members of Council |
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FROM: |
Peter Loukes, P.Eng., Director, Operations and Asset Management |
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PREPARED BY: |
Stan Bertoia, P.Eng., General Manager, Construction & Utilities |
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DATE OF MEETING: |
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SUBJECT: |
InfraGuide |
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RECOMMENDATION:
WHEREAS
the Town of Markham currently spends approximately $25,000,000 on Capital and
Operating Budgets for the maintenance, rehabilitation and reconstruction of its
water, storm, wastewater and road system infrastructure and;
WHEREAS
the National Guide to Sustainable Municipal Infrastructure (InfraGuide) gathers
and documents best practices that reflect proven approaches to build
sustainable infrastructure to Canadians in those areas and;
WHEREAS
the Federation of Canadian Municipalities has partnered with the National
Research Council of Canada to develop InfraGuide with support from Government
of Canada and;
WHEREAS
application of such best practices will assist communities across
WHEREAS
the Town of Markham strives to be a leader in ensuring the quality of life of
its citizens through appropriate short and long-term sustainable infrastructure
investment decisions;
THEREFORE
BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Town of
AND
THAT the Federation of Canadian Municipalities share this motion with their
members and the Federal and Provincial Governments to encourage ongoing
commitment and support for InfraGuide;
AND
FURTHER THAT this report be forwarded to the Region of York and all local
municipalities in York Region for their consideration and endorsement of the
InfraGuide.
PURPOSE:
To seek Council’s endorsement of the InfraGuide National program.
BACKGROUND:
The InfraGuide supports the protection and enhancement of municipal
infrastructure using four pillars – environment, social, regulation, and
economic – as a framework. By
consolidating knowledge, best practices have evolved as tools to assist
municipalities in selecting the best technologies available, evaluating
life-cycle costs, and seeking an optimum return on investment.
The best practice movement began in the mid-1980s in an effort to
improve municipal infrastructure with maximum public benefit and to restore
capital investment from various levels of government through the use of
supportive policies and practices.
The concept of a technical guide for urban infrastructure was discussed
by practitioners in 1991 and resulted in a feasibility study evaluating
infrastructure needs. One of the notable
conclusions was the need for a voluntary performance-based guide. Thus, between 1996 and 1998, the NRC, working
in tandem with key stakeholders from the public and private sector, developed a
framework and financial package for such a handbook.
The InfraGuide was then created over a four-year period through the
support of a network of stakeholders from across the country. Two parts have evolved: a) a
non-technical investment and planning tool for municipal representatives, such as
elected officials, administrators, and finance officials, and b} an integrated
compendium of technical best practices in infrastructure management for use as
a strategic guidance tool.
The National Guide to Sustainable Municipal Infrastructure (InfraGuide)
gathers, documents and creates best practices that support and encourage
Canadian municipalities to use proven approaches to deliver sustainable
infrastructure to their communities.
InfraGuide covers both the decision-making and investment planning area
as well as technical solutions to infrastructure construction, operation and
maintenance. Initial scope includes the
areas of environmental protocols, portable water, storm and wastewater and
municipal roads.
Leadership and direction is provided by a Governing Council composed of
22 members representing a broad regional mix and a combination of affiliation
and expertise. Members include
academics, consulting engineers, members of associations, local politicians,
contractors, municipal staff and the general public. Councillor Mike Badham is the current chair
of the Governing Council. Councillor
Badham is also the current president of the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities
Association and Councillor of the City of Regina.
Five technical committees have been established to develop best
practices: Municipal Roads, Potable Water, Storm and
Wastewater, Decision Making and Investment Planning and Environmental
Protocols. Best practice topics and
priorities have been identified through extensive stakeholder discussions
followed by national scans to identify current practices. National working groups with expertise in the
subject areas develop each specific best practice document under the technical
committees’ direction. Currently, over
300 volunteers are actively involved in the development of best practices
through the working group and technical committees. These volunteers include an impressive
collection of technical expertise representing all regions and a range of
community sizes across Canada.
A national peer/stakeholder review period is included in the development
of each best practice prior to final publication.
In addition, InfraGuide has developed networks at local levels across
the country by the establishment of service contracts with reputable
organizations and individuals from each region to provide liaison in
disseminating information and obtaining feedback from the local level on the
InfraGuide products and activities, as well as local infrastructure priorities.
The Federation of Canadian Municipalities is leading this unique project
in partnership with the National Research Council. By March 2005, at the completion of Phase I
and II of this project, total expenditures will total more than 20 million
dollars with 12.5 million provided through Infrastructure Canada program
funding and the remainder through NRC and other in-kind contributions.
Currently, 29 best practices are published and available for free
distribution to Canadian municipalities (Appendix “A”) and over 32
municipalities have endorsed the InfraGuide (Appendix “B”). Other topics are currently at various stages
of development.
OPTIONS/DISCUSSION:
The Town of Markham currently owns and operates extensive civil
infrastructure currently included in the scope of InfraGuide. InfraGuide is a unique opportunity for all
infrastructure providers to share information on a national basis that enables
infrastructure to be delivered more cost effectively while respecting the
social and environmental needs of the community.
Broad support for this initiative has been demonstrated across Canada
through the extension volunteer involvement of national association, academics,
contractors, consultants, and practitioners.
As a leader in seeking out and applying a philosophy of continuous
improvement to daily infrastructure delivery, the Town of Markham will
contribute both its knowledge and resources to the development of best practice
documents. The Town of Markham currently
has a representative actively involved in leading and developing best
practices. Ernie Ting, Manager of Infrastructure,
Waterworks Department, has been involved with InfraGuide on the Portable Water
Technical Committee since 2001.
The InfraGuide’s process provides a unique opportunity for the Town of
Markham to continue to learn from and share with other Canadian
communities. Formal endorsement of
national best practices by the Town of Markham will provide a nationally
endorsed framework within which local infrastructure decisions can be made that
will support long-term sustainable civil infrastructure for the Town of
Markham.
The adoption of nationally recognised best practices supports cost
effective decision making that respect the social, economic and environmental
constraints and needs of the Town of Markham.
Endorsement of Guide Best Practices, the Town of Markham is
demonstrating leadership in quality service delivery.
FINANCIAL
CONSIDERATIONS:
There is no cost to the Town in the adoption of the National Guide to
Sustainable Municipal Infrastructure.
Adoption by the Town of Markham demonstrates leadership and potential to
improve the financial bottom line.
ENVIRONMENTAL
CONSIDERATIONS:
By definition, sustainable includes the consideration of environmental
consequences of decisions. Part of the
mandate of the InfraGuide’s Environmental Protocols committee is to ensure that
other best practices consider and specifically address environmental
consequences.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment
‘A’ – Internet Links to the National Guide to Sustainable Municipal
Infrastructure
Attachment
‘B’ – InfraGuide – List of Supporting Municipalities
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Stan
Bertoia, P.Eng. General
Manager, Construction and Utilities |
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Peter
Loukes, P.Eng. Director,
Operations and Asset Management |
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Jim
Sales Commissioner
of Community and Fire Services |
Q:\Commission
Share\Operations and Asset Management\Reports\2004\C & U\Stan
Bertoia\InfraGuide - Nov. 15, 2004.doc
