Infrastructure Strategy
Edmonton’s infrastructure, the basic structural foundation of our city, includes the vast network of roads, bridges, sewers, recreation centres, libraries and other facilities that serve the diverse needs of our growing population.
Maintaining and replacing Edmonton’s current infrastructure, while tapping into funding sources for expensive new projects, is a daunting challenge for City Council and administration.
Edmonton City Council created the Office of Infrastructure in March 2000 as the manager of the City's Infrastructure Strategy. The Office's mandate is to develop and implement tools and processes to help address the infrastructure gap, which is the difference between capital requirements – money needed to build roads, sewers, police stations, libraries, playgrounds etc. – and available funding, projected over a 10-year period.
Since 2000, the Office has:
- Created and maintained a comprehensive inventory of the City's over $33 billion worth of infrastructure assets
- Developed and implemented strategies to address the infrastructure gap
- Coordinated regular updates of the City's inventory and investment needs
- Coordinated the infrastructure funds received from federal and provincial programs
- Submitted a formal update report to City Council every 3 years
Edmonton is researching and developing a variety of innovative infrastructure asset management tools to ensure that limited capital resources are wisely invested.
These tools include:
- A consistent ranking system to evaluate the state and condition of existing infrastructure assets of all classes (i.e. drainage, streets, recreation facilities, information systems, etc.)
- A risk assessment methodology to help quantify the risk of asset failure and relate this risk to investment levels
- Life cycle cost analysis to support better decision-making and long-term planning
Edmonton has been recognized by Canadian, American and international engineering and public administration associations as one of North America's most progressive infrastructure and asset management jurisdictions.
The City of Edmonton has also been approached by a large number of municipalities across Canada, United States and Australia who wish to learn about our innovative infrastructure asset management approach.
For the first 5 years of its existence, the Office focused on “defining the problem” of insufficient revenues to maintain and expand the City's infrastructure assets. Since 2006, it has shifted its focus to developing solutions; finding innovative ways to maintain and replace existing infrastructure while dealing with increased demands to support growth.
For more information:
Office of Infrastructure
12th Floor, Scotia Place, Tower 1
10060 Jasper Avenue NW
Edmonton, AB
T5J 3R8
| Telephone | 780-496-2894 |
|---|---|
| Fax | 780-442-7065 |
| infrastructure@edmonton.ca |
