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Home My WebLink AboutINS-20-002 - Disaster Mitigation Adaptation Fund Projects - Resourcing RequirementsREPORT TO: Community & Infrastructure ServicesCommittee DATE OF MEETING:March 9, 2020 SUBMITTED BY: Bu Lam, Director, Sanitary and Stormwater Utilities(SSU) x4212 PREPARED BY: Nick Gollan, Manager, SSU Planning and Programs x7422 WARD (S) INVOLVED:All DATE OF REPORT:February 27, 2020 REPORT NO.: INS-20-002 SUBJECT: Disaster Mitigation Adaptation FundProjects – Resourcing Requirements RECOMMENDATION: That Council approves the addition of one (1) Design and Construction Project Manager, one (1) Water Resources Modeller and one (1) Program Assistantto meet the program obligations identified in the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund agreement. BACKGROUND: The City’s Integrated Stormwater Management Master Plan (ISWM-MP) and Corporate Climate Action Plan identify flood risks as one of the most significant climate change-related risks for the city. Through a variety of strategies, the ISWM-MP established a long-term Implementation Plan to adapt the city’s existing and future infrastructure to be more resilient to the impacts of climate change. These strategies include retrofitting and naturalizing existing stream channels, implementing stormwater management infrastructure where appropriate (e.g., stormwater ponds), and applying climate change criteria into thedesign of future infrastructure. In 2018, the Government of Canada launched the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund (DMAF), a national merit-based program investing $2billionover a ten-year period (2018- 2028)to support large-scale infrastructure projects that help communities better manage risks of disasters triggered by natural hazards related to climate change. Given the close alignment of the city’s ISWM-MP with the objectives of the DMAF program, the citywas informed it was approved for $49.99M of DMAF fundingin the spring of 2019. The city’s successful application for DMAF funding acceleratesimplementation of several strategic components of the ISWM- MP, which will support the city’s efforts to reduce climate change risks and offset future investment needs that would have otherwise been required to increase the city’s climate resilience. *** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. *** Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994for assistance. 10 - 1 REPORT: TheCity was informed its DMAF application was successful in the spring of 2019. Since a signed agreementwas not executed prior to the federal election in October, there was uncertainty of how the DMAF program might be impacted based on the outcome of the election. Given this uncertainty, staff were uncomfortable bringing forward a request for additional resourcing in the fall of 2019 to coincide with the regular budget cycle. Instead, staff identified the anticipated need for additional resourcing (FTEs) to deliverDMAF in the capital issue paper (CAP 08), and that resourcing needs would be evaluated and brought back to Council once DMAF program details were established. In February 2020, the DMAF Agreementwas signed and executed, securing the terms of the program.Now that the requirements to deliver the program are explicitly defined,staff have identified three additional FTEs that are neededin 2020to successfully implementthe DMAF program and support the city’sclimate changemitigation efforts. The Kitchener DMAF program is comprised of almost 100 discrete capital projects ranging from road reconstruction projects to new stormwater management facilities on city-owned lands. DMAF funding will achieve an incremental increase in stormwater-related projects for the city over the program’s remaining eight-year timeframe. All DMAF project work must be completed by March 2028. The delivery of the proposed capital projects within the defined DMAF program term (2018-2028) is beyond the ability of the existing staffing complement in the Sanitary and Stormwater Utilities. Therefore to meet the city’s obligations outlined in the Agreement, additional staff resources are required. Staff positions required for incremental workload increases are considered eligible expenses under the DMAF framework and are fully funded within the existing approved budget. The three new positions needed are as follows: Program Assistant: this position is required to fulfill the reporting requirements and associated project tracking of the DMAF program. There are progress reports required, at minimum, every 6 months that also require the inclusion of claim submissions and copies of all invoicing and relevant project files. The Program Assistant would also assist project managers tohelp streamline and deliver various project administrative tasks. It is anticipated that approximately 0.5 FTE is required for DMAF program support; however, there is also an administrative need within the Sanitary and Stormwater Utilities division that would more than fill the remaining 0.5 FTE. This administrative support is currently being provided by a temporary Information Officer under contract until September 2020. Design and Construction Project Manager: This position will manage DMAF-related capital projects and administer associated project tasks. Given the incremental increase in work resulting from the DMAF program (~100 new projects over the remaining eight- years) and the nature of multi-year projects stacking over time, this additional project manager will provide the needed capacity within the Sanitary and Stormwater Utilities’ Planning and Programs sectionto deliver the city’s project commitments under DMAF. Additionally, asignificant scope of stormwater capital works prioritized in the ISWM-MP 10 - 2 are still tobe implemented outsideof the DMAF program.It is anticipated that this project manager will support the implementation of these initiatives after the DMAF program concludes in 2028. Additional project management support may be required to deliver the planned DMAF capital projects; however, it is anticipated that short-term contracts will be utilized to address project management delivery in the event that additional resources are required. Water Resources Modeller: A new INFOWORKS ICM stormwater model will be online in 2020. There is an opportunity to combine the existing sanitary model into the stormwater model to create a comprehensive modeling package to support long term sanitary and stormwater planning. A full-time modelling position would utilize and maintain the modeling software and provide on-going support for the Sanitary and Stormwater Utilities in capital planning and design,including all DMAF projectsand all future capital projects after the completion of DMAF in 2028. Staff recommend the approval of permanent FTE resources to implement the DMAF projects giventhe duration of the funding program, provisions in existing collective agreements limiting the terms of contract staff, and the ability to makefuture adjustments to resourcing through vacancies. ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN: The recommendation of this report supports the achievement of the city’s strategic vision through the delivery of core service. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: Staff time required to deliver DMAF projects are eligible expenditures under the DMAF program and will be charged to the corresponding capital projects.There will be no impact to the city’s operating budget. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: INFORM – This report has been posted to the City’s website with the agenda in advance of the council / committee meeting. PREVIOUS CONSIDERATION OF THIS MATTER: Previous reports related to DMAF include DSD 18-168 and DSD 19-143. CONCLUSION: In order to achieve the objectives of the DMAF programand meet the city’s obligations under the program, it is recommended that three (3) new FTEs, as identified above, be hired and funded through the DMAF program. ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Denise McGoldrick, General Manager, Infrastructure Services 10 - 3