HomeMy WebLinkAboutINS-17-049 - Climate and Asset Management Network Funding OpportunityStaff Rport
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rc'.� ► t .R Infrastructure Services Department www:kdtchener.ca
REPORT TO: Committee of the Whole
DATE OF MEETING: June 5, 2017
SUBMITTED BY: Jason Winter, Director—Asset Management
(519-741-2600 x.4630)
PREPARED BY: Jason Winter, Director—Asset Management
(519-741-2600 x.4630)
WARD(S) INVOLVED: N/A
DATE OF REPORT: May 30, 2017
REPORT NO.: INS -17-049
SUBJECT: Climate & Asset Management Network Funding Opportunity
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT the City of Kitchener participate in the Climate and Asset Management Network
to refresh the asset management policy, strategy and governance framework for the
City of Kitchener and implement a levels of service project;
THAT the City of Kitchener commit $175,000 upfront from its budget with full
expectations that the funding application be approved; and further,
THAT the Infrastructure Services Department Head be authorized to execute the
funding agreement under the Municipalities for Climate Innovation Program with
Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) said agreement to be satisfactory to the
City Solicitor.
BACKGROUND:
Significant shifts in weather patterns are already underway in many regions of Canada.
Storms of greater intensity and frequency, record-setting droughts and larger -than -
normal surges in sea levels pose particular challenges for municipalities.
Many of the municipal services that residents use every day (drinking water, sewage
treatment and roads) rely on infrastructure that is near or past its intended lifecycle and
was never designed to withstand rapid changes in climate patterns.
FCM's Climate and Asset Management Network helps Canadian municipalities better
integrate climate change and sustainability goals into decision-making about
infrastructure assets and services, such as roads, drinking water and sanitation. There
is an opportunity for collaboration and peer learning with other municipalities, training,
and grant funding of up to $175,000.
*** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. ***
Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994 for assistance.
REPORT:
The Climate and Asset Management Network provides a combination of peer learning
opportunities, funding and training activities that occur in two phases.
In Phase 1, participants develop or refresh an asset management policy, strategy and
governance framework to align with their climate action and other social, economic and
environmental sustainability goals.
In Phase 2, the municipality will undertake a project to strengthen a specific element of
the city's asset management strategy, while integrating climate risks and other
sustainability and resiliency considerations. Specifically, the focus in Phase 2 will seek
to develop and strengthen the city's levels of service measure and include the following
elements:
• A solid methodology for defining and evaluating levels of service that include the
eight universal customer values for service: sustainability, accessibility,
availability/reliability, quality customer service safety, resiliency, and legislative.
• Customer "levels of service" indicators that measure the actual service received
by customers, the environment and other stakeholders
• Incorporation of climate considerations, including addressing greenhouse gas
(GHG) reduction goals and vulnerabilities to climate change impacts, and
ensuring alignment with the city's other sustainability and resiliency goals.
Both Phase 1 and Phase 2 are expected to be completed by the end of 2019, with on-
going evaluation of levels of service as part of the overall asset management
governance responsibility. Specifically within the Phase 2 project, there is an
expectation of community engagement on citizen -expected service levels and how they
relate back to current levels of activity and available resources.
To facilitate this effort in Phase 2, one temporary full time position within the Asset
Management Division is required for the duration of the program. The budget expected
to support the project implementation and community engagement is approximately
$78,000/year.
An expectation of the program includes a collaborative cross -departmental team that
will require up to 100 hours each from core team members (Director of Asset
Management, Manager of Infrastructure Asset Planning, Manager of Service
Coordination & Improvement (INS), Community Engagement Consultant, and Corporate
sustainability Officer, and 10-30 hours from support positions in various departments.
This additional funding and resource focus allows for extended networking opportunity
and sharing best practices across other municipalities. As well, the ability to be
connected to the network introduces new opportunities for future funding opportunities.
Council will be involved through regular updates as it pertains to the status of the
program and on-going efforts related to funding opportunities.
An outcome of this program will improve the understanding of the impacts of changing
levels of service, in particular, the financial impact of addressing climate change
vulnerabilities and achieving other resiliency goals in shorter timeframes.
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ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN:
Strategic Priority: Sustainable Environment and Infrastructure
Strategy: 4.5 — Strengthen the capability and capacity within the organization to manage
all of the city's assets so that they are affordable, dependable and sustainable in the
long-term.
Strategy: 4.6 — Improve the City of Kitchener's ability to leverage funding opportunities
for the development and renewal of infrastructure through federal or provincial programs
and other partnerships.
Strategic Action: SE18 Detailed Asset Management Plans,
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
Under a program such as the Climate and Asset Management Network, the City of
Kitchener is able to leverage City funding to do more work than if the City were required
to completely fund the project on its own.
Should the City of Kitchener be successful in obtaining funding under this program a
temporary staff position would be hired for a period of 2 years to facilitate the
development and strengthening of service levels across asset categories.
In addition to the temporary staff, the grant would also fund the cost of attending two
required events for key members of the cross functional team:
1) National Best Practices Training Workshop, and
2) National Review of Documents and processes
Temporary Staff (2 yrs.) Including fringe and training $ 155,500
Team member participation and event attendance 19,500
Total $ 175,000
There would be no incremental financial impact to the City of Kitchener. Should this
application not be successful, an extended timeline will be required with existing staff to
develop service levels across asset categories.
ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Justin Readman, Interim Executive Director— Infrastructure
Services
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