The Government of Canada partners with British Columbia communities to strengthen asset management

TOWN OF COMOX, BC, May 1, 2023 /CNW/ - Today, the Honourable Harjit Sajjan, Minister of International Development and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada, and Scott Pearce, Acting President of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), announced a federal investment of more than $500,000 to help 11 British Columbia communities put in place innovative asset management strategies.

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.

This funding will help strengthen data-driven decision-making on key infrastructure and ensure long-term infrastructure performance. Among the recipients:

• 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.

Quotes

"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."
The Honourable Harjit Sajjan, Minister of International Development and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada, on behalf of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities

"From roads and bridges to buildings and wastewater systems, local governments own approximately 60% 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 British Columbia and across the country develop sound asset management practices and conduct data collection and analysis to improve their investment decisions."
Scott Pearce, Acting President, Federation of Canadian Municipalities

Quick facts

• The funding announced today comes from the Municipal Asset Management Program (MAMP) – a $110-million program funded by the Government of Canada and delivered by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.
• The MAMP is designed to help Canadian municipalities strengthen infrastructure investment decisions based on reliable data and sound asset management practices.
• The MAMP provides asset management training, funding and information sharing to enable municipalities to access the data needed to plan effectively.
• Through the Investing in Canada Plan, the Government of Canada is investing over $180 billion over 12 years in public transit, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and transportation routes, and rural and northern communities across Canada.

Related products

Further information on the eleven municipally-led initiatives can be found in the backgrounder.

Associated links

Municipal Asset Management Program
Infrastructure in your Community 
Investing in Canada: Canada's Long-Term Infrastructure Plan 
Investing in Canada plan project map

Twitter: @INFC_eng 
Web: Infrastructure Canada

SOURCE Infrastructure Canada

(media only), please contact: Jean-Sébastien Comeau, Press Secretary and Senior Communications Advisor, Office of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities, 343-574-8116, [email protected]; Infrastructure Canada: 613-960-9251, Toll free: 1-877-250-7154, Email: [email protected]; FCM Media Relations, 613-907-6395, [email protected]