Responding to the infrastructure challenge
In 2007, a new business unit was created to address HRM’s infrastructure challenges and to focus on integrating environmental sustainability and infrastructure planning. Our “infrastructure” includes HRM owned buildings, buses, ferries, and roads (to name a few).
HRM’s capital budget has been steadily growing since amalgamation, but like municipalities across Canada, we face infrastructure challenges because many of our assets are over 40 years old and need major improvements and maintenance.
HRM’s infrastructure and major capital assets support our ability to deliver municipal services, our future prosperity, economic development, competitiveness, public safety, and overall quality of life.
The Federation of Canadian Municipalities released an Infrastructure Survey in November 2007 that estimates Canada’s Infrastructure Deficit is currently $124 billion.
Existing assets badly need reinvestment, and the demand for investment in new assets is increasing.
On February 19, 2008 Regional Council gave staff direction in a number of areas. This included direction to:
- Assume that more of HRM's capital budget will be focussed on re-investment in our existing infrastructure and assets, and
- Investigate some alternatives to increase our investment in infrastructure.
This direction is consistent with Economic Strategy objectives.
As a growing municipality, HRM faces many challenges to provide infrastructure and assets to service new growth. There has to be continuing investment in new infrastructure and assets, and it must be done consistent with the Regional Plan, Community Vision Plans, Economic Strategy, Active Transportation Plan, Cultural Plan, and Community Energy Plan.
In 2009/ 2010 HRM will report on all of the assets owned by the municipality, their condition, expected life cycle, and estimated value. Over the next few years the Asset Management Project will provide information on the condition of our assets to improve HRM’s Infrastructure Planning and Capital Budgeting.
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