LAURIE WEIR
Town council reviewed a comprehensive 2025 Asset Management Plan (AMP) during its committee of the whole meeting on Monday, June 23, outlining how the municipality will manage more than $326 million in infrastructure over the next decade.
Presented by asset management advisor Arun Sharma, the report is a legislative requirement under Ontario Regulation 588/17. It evaluates the current condition of municipal assets, from roads and bridges to water, sewer and facilities, and sets proposed levels of service through 2035.
About 32 per cent of the town’s infrastructure is rated in poor or very poor condition, while 56 per cent is in good or very good condition. Roads, the sanitary sewer system and the water network make up the bulk of the portfolio, the report states.
Sharma said the plan is more than a compliance tool, it’s a roadmap for sustainable service delivery. The average annual investment needed to maintain the town’s infrastructure is estimated at $12.1 million. However, current funding falls short, with an annual deficit of $5.8 million across both tax-funded and rate-funded assets.
To help close the gap, Sharma recommended a gradual approach.
“What we’re recommending is a 15-year phase-in,” he said. “On a year-to-year basis, a 0.5 per cent increase to the property tax rate, and for water and sanitary, a four and 3.1 per cent annual increase. This can and will be difficult to do.”
Sharma emphasized the importance of reviewing the plan annually as new assets are added to the town’s inventory.
He also recommended a focused action plan: prioritize updated data as the foundation for setting and adjusting metrics, begin with modest projections and expand them through 2030 and beyond, and commit to revisiting the plan every five years.
“It’s going to be extremely critical that these reports and studies don’t just stand idle once they’re completed,” Sharma said. “They need to be actively worked on and brought into the asset register.”
The consultant identified four key areas for updates:
- IT strategy;
- Building condition assessments;
- Internal capital expenditure forecasts (five to 10 years); and
- Public works garage and related assets affected by the fire earlier this year.
Chief administrative officer Malcolm Morris said Paul McMunn, director of public works, and McMunn’s staff are currently working on a roads’ needs assessment, which will be brought to council in a future report. This is a top priority for the town, as some of the existing data dates back to 2019.
“It’s not always just the surface condition of the road,” Morris said. “A few bumps don’t necessarily mean it’s a bad road. We take into consideration the subgrade, the slope … and other factors.”
As the 132-page AMP was released only days before the meeting, councillors agreed more time was needed to absorb its findings before further discussion at a future committee meeting.
