14 Alberta Municipalities Recieve Asset Management Investments

14 Alberta Municipalities will be seeing an investment from the Federal Government and the Federal of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) of more than $635,000 to help 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.

Minister Boissonault in a press release, "Our government is investing in rural communities across Alberta to help strengthen data-driven decisions, improve efficiency of services, and chart a path for growth. Today’s funding will help Alberta communities improve the management of their municipal assets and better respond to the changing needs of local residents and businesses.

"We will continue to work with all orders of government to ensure a brighter, more sustainable future for Albertans and all Canadians," Boissonault added.

The funding will help strengthen data-driven decision-making on key infrastructure and ensure long-term infrastructure performance.

Among the recipients, the Village of Berwyn is receiving $50,000 to acquire asset information on infrastructure located throughout the village and provide a geographic information system platform. This platform will allow for internal management of the assets while also providing the public the ability to view this data.

The Town of Turner Valley is receiving $40,000 to implement CityWide Maintenance Manager software and undergo systems training for a broader understanding of effective asset maintenance. The implementation of work order software will allow Turner Valley to gain an advanced understanding of its assets’ performance and effectively plan for future maintenance based on data-driven decisions. Further, the implementation of software and systems training will be a critical piece to increase involvement from staff across the organization in asset planning.

The Town of Gibbons is receiving $48,000 to move towards an innovative asset management system that will provide timely information to staff and Council for making long-term decisions on the upcoming infrastructure needs of a growing community. Asset classes that will be part of this project include wastewater, sewer, vehicles, lands, engineered structures, machinery and equipment, land and property.

Other communities receiving funding include the Municipal District of Taber, the Village of Barnwell, and the Town of Morinville.

Scott Pearce, Acting President of the FCM, echoed the Minister's comments, stating that "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 Alberta and across the country develop sound asset management practices and conduct data collection and analysis to improve their investment decisions," Pearce added.

FCM along with the FCM has made similar announcements in British Columbia, Manitoba, and New Brunswick