The Town of Hague will be able to update its asset management plan thanks to a $48,000 cash injection from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) and the federal government.
The community intends to conduct a comprehensive GPS topographic survey aimed at determining locations and elevation of all manholes, valves, roads and sidewalks within the municipality.
The data from the survey will be used to assess the condition of its linear assets. As part of the survey, video inspection and flushing will be performed on the sanitary sewer mains.
“It’s very good news,” said Hague Mayor Pat Wagner. “This will be a tremendous help to the town because we’re always trying to keep up with infrastructure maintenance and replacement, and it can be very costly.”
The grant from the FCM and federal government is part of a $110 million program aimed at helping 663 municipal governments update their asset management projects. Asset management involves ensuring civic infrastructure is maintained and eventually replaced in a timely manner. In addition to keeping track of the condition of infrastructure, the asset management plan involves ensuring funds are in place to pay for those repairs and replacement.
In announcing the Municipal Asset Management Program (MAMP) grant on July 14, FCM officials said communities need the tools and support to make evidence-based decisions that can help them plan a healthier, safer and more prosperous future for everyone. The FCM administers the program on behalf of the federal government.
Wagner said the Town of Hague council and administration have a good handle on the state of civic infrastructure, but the project covered by this MAMP grant will provide a lot more detail.
“This will let us know now the actual state of the sewer lines, and whether there are cracks or loose connections,” she said. “Finding out about them now will prevent serious problems later on.”
Two other MAMP grants to Saskatchewan communities were also announced July 14. They include:
* The Rural Municipality of Edenwold No.158 will assess critical unpaved roadways as well as review of drainage and flood reduction in residential areas and the rural municipality’s aquifer water source for current and future growth.
* The Rural Municipality of Old Post No. 43 will develop an asset management policy, plan and database that will focus on its major asset group, gravel roads but will also include bridges and bridge-file culverts, facilities, municipal utilities, and fleet.
“Communities need the right training and tools to strategically plan, build, and maintain their infrastructure,” said Jim Carr, Prime Minister’s Special Representative for the Prairies, on behalf of the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities.
FCM President Bill Karsten said local governments own and operate nearly two thirds of Canada’s core infrastructure, alongside vital services, and they’re working flat-out to support Canadians through the COVID19 pandemic.
“Strong asset management practices will help them make even better infrastructure investment decisions as Canada looks toward recovery,” said Karsten. “Thanks to a strong federal-municipal partnership, FCM is delivering programs from coast to coast to coast that help municipalities do what they do best: build better lives for Canadians.”
The Municipal Asset Management Program is designed to help Canadian municipalities strengthen infrastructure investment decisions based on reliable data and sound asset management practices.
It provides asset management training, funding and information sharing to enable municipalities to access the data needed to plan effectively. Funding is available through a renewed federal investment in the program, first announced in the 2019 federal budget.