Infrastructure is not something you notice until it is not there.
Talking about infrastructure is not the most exciting topic for conversation. We expect to be able to drink water, have a shower and use a toilet. Why talk about it? The city of Ottawa just presented our Infrastructure Master Plan.
The recent experience in Calgary is a sober reminder of the importance of having a well maintained water infrastructure.
The main goal of the City’s Infrastructure Master Plan (IMP) is to guarantee ample capacity for drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater to accommodate projected growth through 2046 and beyond. The IMP sets out policies and addresses crucial infrastructure needs to facilitate sustainable development, including greenfield expansion and urban intensification as outlined in the Official Plan.
Projected costs for Ottawa’s water and sewer infrastructure faces ongoing challenges due to aging pipes and increasing maintenance costs. The expense of building new pipes and upgrading aging infrastructure remains a critical investment to meet the city’s growing needs and maintain water quality standards.
I know many residents are concerned how the city will continue to pay for upgrading aging infrastructure, as well as ensuring that the infill development we see (remember the goal is for 60% of new homes to be built in the existing areas) is able to handle the new demands of intensification.
The IMP addresses these concerns and explicitly states that the current infrastructure systems have limited capacity. Intensification policies state that when neighborhoods grow more, they need to have services that are at least as good as when they were first planned, or as good as they are now. To ensure this is the case, staff will be coming back with suggestions for on-site stormwater management for individual private properties through the development approvals process. I look forward to seeing this important work to ensure infill developments of 10 units or less, which are no longer subject to site plan, continue to integrate properly into the existing system, or contribute to ensuring the system capacity expands with their development.
One of the major considerations for this IMP is related to the future community of Tewin. Tewin, spanning 445 hectares, represents the largest urban expansion area authorized under the 2022 Official Plan. Situated apart from the current urban area, this development necessitates significant infrastructure extensions across the NCC Greenbelt to accommodate water and wastewater services. The price tag for this is currently an estimated at approximately $591 million. These costs also include supply to the South Urban Community. It is not clear yet how much is directly related to the Tewin community itself versus the South Urban Community.
During the meeting Councillor Menard put forward a motion regarding the project-specific Class Environmental Assessment and functional design process for Tewin and the South Urban Community.
The motion stated the following:
BE IT RESOLVED that the following additional recommendation be added to the report: 1)b)i) That the environmental assessment in respect of the water feedermain that would service the Tewin Lands and the South Urban Community analyze as an option the possibility that the Tewin development does not proceed.
I voted in favour of this motion, which lost on a tie vote. I believe it is important to see the costs of this massive infrastructure project examined as its own entity. I did not vote in favour of its inclusion in the previously term of Council and I continue to question the decision to have Tewin included in the urban boundary expansion. The impact of building in undeveloped greenfield comes at a high cost. Building homes in existing areas rather than greenfields is advantageous for several reasons. It promotes efficient land use, reduces urban sprawl, and utilizes existing infrastructure more effectively, thereby lowering overall development costs and environmental impact.
To learn more about the Infrastructure Master Plan, please read the report HERE.
And remember to use water wisely!