Memoranda issued by Infrastructure and Water Services

To: Mayor and Council

From: General Manager, Infrastructure and Water Services

The purpose of this memorandum is to provide an update to the Mayor and Members of Council concerning the status of the Agreement between the City and Service Line Warranties of Canada (SLWC). This update follows the discussion about the potential termination of the agreement for convenience. Council approved a motion on October 25, 2023 which directed staff to renegotiate the agreement to prohibit further direct mail to residents and to improve communications around this agreement. Staff also received a direction to advise Council prior to the launch of any advertising and to complete evaluation on an annual basis.   

In 2020, the City of Ottawa entered into an Agreement with SLWC to provide optional protection plans for homeowners, covering repair and replacements costs for their private water and sewer services. This initiative aimed to address the lack of available warranty programs and enhance homeowner awareness of their responsibilities for these services. The Agreement was then extended in 2022 until September 2027.

Since entering into the 2020 Agreement with SLWC and the extension in 2022, there has been significant growth in the warranty services and insurance industry, offering homeowners a diverse range of options to assist with the costs associated with the repair and replacement of the private portion of water and sewer services. Consequently, staff are executing the clause in the Agreement to terminate with written notice of thirty (30) calendar days. SLWC have been provided with written notice today.

However, with no agreement in place, SLWC may communicate directly with residents without input from the City. It is important to note that the use of the City logo or corporate endorsement by SLWC will no longer be authorized.

Termination of the Agreement is not to be construed as a reflection of the services offered by SLWC. Termination of the Agreement will not impact existing policies, as the policy contracts remain solely between the resident and SLWC, meaning residents can continue to rely on the terms and conditions of their contract. Residents should direct any questions regarding terms and conditions, enrollment, billing, or payment to SLWC.

Staff will release a public service announcement with this information and will update information on the City’s website as well as through 3-1-1. Residents are encouraged to visit Ottawa.ca for more information regarding the termination of the Agreement between the City and SLWC. Additionally, we recommend residents review the updated information regarding their responsibilities and options as homeowners concerning their portion of water service and sewer/septic lines.

Respectfully,

Tammy Rose
General Manager
Infrastructure and Water Services Department

To: Mayor and Members of Council

From: General Manager, Infrastructure and Water Services

The purpose of this memo is to advise Members of Council of a critical watermain break within the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO) corridor near Fairmont and Young Street and the subsequent response and mitigation measures that are in place.

Background

On Thursday, November 14, Infrastructure and Water Services staff responded to a critical watermain break within the Highway 417 corridor near Fairmont Avenue and Young Street. The location of the break is within the construction limits of the MTO sound barrier project. The Infrastructure and Water Services Department (IWSD) team successfully isolated the watermain break and implemented contingency plans to ensure the continuity of water services. The MTO sound barrier project team is working with the IWSD response team to investigate the break site to assist IWSD in developing our repair plan. The City’s water system remains safe although the extent of the isolation has impacted overall resiliency of the system.

Due to the proximity of Highway 417 and the complexities to access the site, IWSD has activated its Departmental Command Centre on Tuesday, November 19 to coordinate communication, mitigation, and response efforts related to the repair. On November 20, the City’s Office of Emergency Management entered Monitoring Operations.

We are working closely with the MTO to develop and implement a repair plan that protects the Province’s critical transportation asset and restores our water system to normal operation.

Mitigation Measures

Out of an abundance of caution and to protect the water system resiliency, staff have implemented a 'no-dig zone' around watermains that are critical to maintaining resiliency. These critical watermains (dotted black line) are illustrated in Figure 1. Any proposed excavations which present a risk to the critical watermains will undergo a risk assessment and may be prohibited or in some situations may be permitted under strict operational constraints. The no-dig zone will be reviewed and amended as additional mitigation measures are implemented.

Staff are working closely with industry and City partners to communicate the no-dig restrictions, monitor the impacts, and provide updates as changes are made. IWSD staff will work closely with identified projects on a case-by-case basis to develop solutions that will maintain the integrity of the City’s drinking water system while supporting continued construction and development projects.

IWSD has well-established mitigation and response measures for situations like this and have experienced professionals overseeing all aspects of the water system to ensure the continuity of service and the safety of the system. Staff will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available.

If you have any questions, we have assigned a Councilor Liaison function for this response. Please do not hesitate to contact Carol Hall, Incident Command Administrative Chief at Carol.Hall@ottawa.ca or (613) 857-3549.

Tammy Rose General Manager
Infrastructure and Water Services

To: Mayor and Members of Council

From: General Manager, Infrastructure and Water Services Department

The purpose of this memo is to update Council in response to the Motion passed at the October 25, 2023 Council Meeting. The motion directed staff to review initiatives and programs the City undertakes to prepare for and mitigate the impact of urban flooding.

Update:

On March 19, 2024, staff presented an information report (ACS2024-IWS-WL-0003) to Environment and Climate Change Committee to inform how the City already protects and mitigates impacts from extreme rainfall events and potential urban flooding.

Staff recognize the importance and need to better communicate to Council and residents during extreme rainfall events. Staff have taken the following steps to ensure better support is available for future events:

1. All flood information has been consolidated on Ottawa.ca/flooding, including additional infographics to support residents. We encourage Councillors to refer to the City website for reliable information when communicating with their residents.
2. Councillors will be receiving a communication toolkit with a set of tools designed to help Councillors inform and support residents about urban flooding. The toolkit supports the motion request to better communicate in a timely response to residents, in addition to creating consistent and centralized messaging to better support residents.
3. Staff have developed a communication plan that includes messaging that will be released in preparation for a storm, reminding Council and residents of the available resources and steps to protect themselves from a flood. In addition, messaging has been developed for release after an extreme rainfall event providing guidance to residents on how to respond if they have experienced a flood. Infrastructure and Water Services continues to work with other departments for data sharing, coordinate communications, and ensure a timely and coordinated response to emergency events, including major weather events.
4. Staff are working with Service Ottawa to build an automated service request form to report urban flooding during an extreme rainfall event. This will help alleviate the bottleneck of phone calls to 3-1-1 and expedite the City’s response to residents who need additionalsupport. The form is expected to be available by late Summer 2024, staff will advise Councillor’s of the form’s implementation date.
5. The Residential and Protective Plumbing Program and the Compassionate Grant Program are currently under review. Public consultation is expected for Summer 2024 and will be found on Engage Ottawa. The Residential Protective Plumbing by-law report is scheduled to be tabled at Environment and Climate Change Committee in Fall 2024.

Urban Flooding Supports for Residents:

The City is committed to working with Council, residents and businesses to improve communication and support to the community. The City’s website has been refined to provide clear information and differentiate between the types of flooding the City faces. Resident’s can find the following on Ottawa.ca/flooding:

• Ways to protect your home from overland flooding
• What a resident should do if they experience a flood
• Information on available programming that assist property owners in protecting their properties from overland flooding

Below, Council will find a variety of supports available to residents that identifies the private measures that property owners can use to build resiliency and protection against basement flooding.

What residents can do to prevent and mitigate basement flooding:

There are simple steps residents can take to protect their homes from floods. Things like installing a backwater valve, testing their sump pump, and disconnecting downspouts from the sewer system. Residents can review additional upgrades they can do here, and more information can be found on Ottawa.ca/flooding.

Residents may also consider the Residential and Protective Plumbing program, which provides financial assistance to qualified City of Ottawa property owners for the installation of protective plumbing devices, such as sump pumps and storm and sanitary backwater valves to prevent water and sewage from flooding homes as a result of increased water level (surcharging) in the City’s sewer system.

Additionally, residents in eligible areas can further increase surface drainage resilience related to lot drainage by considering the Rain Ready Ottawa programs.

What to do if your home floods?

1. Stay safe. Be sure to wear protective clothing and wash thoroughly after any contact with flood water, due to potential bacteria and viruses. Contact your gas and hydro companies if the water has met your utilities.
2. Contact your insurance company.
3. The City wants to hear from you. Contact 3-1-1 to report your flood. The City has experts on duty at all times to respond to these situations as soon as possible. Once reported, you will be contacted for additional information and determine next steps.

Residents are encouraged to follow the City’s social media channels for information, along with reviewing the flood protection resources on Ottawa.ca/flooding.

Communication and supporting residents remain top priorities for Infrastructure and Water Services. Staff will continue to provide resources to increase the public’s awareness and preparation.

Please contact Tyler Hicks, Associate Director, Water Linear and Customer Services, if you have any questions or would like additional information.

Respectfully,

Tammy Rose, General Manager, Infrastructure and Water Services

To: Mayor and Members of City Council

From: Tammy Rose, General Manager, Infrastructure and Water Services

The purpose of this memorandum is to provide a response to members of Council on Motion No. 2023-28-13 with respect to increasing the investment in local road resurfacing, and to provide a summary of investigated options to increase the level of investment for the resurfacing of local roads, as part of the 2025 annual budget.

Background

The City of Ottawa maintains more than $10 billion of road infrastructure. The City has an inventory of 6,043 kilometers of roads; the paved road network is made up of 1,500 kilometers of arterial roads, 1,500 kilometers of collectors and 2,500 kilometers of local roads. Local roads represent about 40% of the length of the total road network. In 2024, Council invested more than $900 million in the renewal of city infrastructure.

In 2024, the City will invest $131 million in roads, with $76.5 million dedicated to road resurfacing. Over the past three years $99 million in additional funding has been allocated for roads.

Infrastructure renewal candidate projects undergo an annual review. Projects recommended for renewal are prioritized based on a risk-based assessment of priority needs and available funding. This risk-based assessment prioritizes critical infrastructure such as arterial roads. This approach maintains the City’s infrastructure in a state of good repair and follows Council’s direction.

The risk-based assessment takes into consideration factors such as existing condition, risk to service, traffic volumes, transit routes, costs and affordability, coordination with other nearby projects, and public and operational concerns. This results in the variable investment funding to local roads, as the risk-based assessment will score arterial roads renewal needs over local roads renewal needs based on the traffic volume and transit routes. Under road resurfacing, $6 million (8%) is allocated to local road upgrades and guiderails, which allows for renewal of 8 km of local roads. In 2022, $4.4 million (6%) and in 2023, $5.5 million (7.4%) was allocated to local road upgrades and guiderails.

The 2022 Transportation Asset Management Plan (AMP), details the current state of the assets, current Levels of service and the forecasted costs, with no changes to service level, for the next 10 years. It also indicates the current replacement value, planned spending for transportation assets and the overall average condition rating of good to fair. The Transportation AMP shows needs exceed planned revenue in the next 10 years.

Investment Options

The options for Council consideration through the 2025 Budget include:

• Maintain the total investment in road renewal and reallocate across the road classes. The road renewal prioritization process considers factors listed above to recommend the annual renewal program based on data for each candidate road. The outcome of the resurfacing program reflects the higher needs roads across the entire road network, not based on road type. Council could direct an amount or percentage of investment to local roads, outside the prioritization process. For example:
  • 2025 focus could be dedicated to local roads to increase the investment. A 1% increase in funding to local roads would redirect $765,000 and would permit about 1km of local road to be resurfaced.
• Increasing the total investment in road renewal by reallocating funds from other tax- supported programs and direct the increase to local road improvement.
  • However, this will diminish funding from other tax supported projects that are considered higher priority.

Next Steps

Amendments to all Asset Management Plans, due by July 1, 2025, will introduce proposed service levels, potential changes to operating and asset renewal strategies, financial and non-financial strategies to address the forecasted growth, enhancement and renewal needs identified for all assets. The update will provide an explanation of how risks will be managed for activities that will not be undertaken, in the event needs exceed forecasted funding.

The 2025 AMPs will provide a full perspective of the City’s assets, their service level and important financial information for the City's long-range financial plan (LRFP) to support Council in their decision making. Staff recommend that any decisions related to changing the allocation to local roads be deferred until after the AMP and LRFP are finalized. These documents will provide Council with up to date information and financial due diligence to inform their decision making process.

The City remains committed to working collaboratively with all stakeholders to ensure priorities are addressed within the allocated budgets. Staff will continue to monitor other opportunities for investment in roads, such as, the most recent announcement from the Province, to provide additional funding for various transportation priorities to advance economic growth and connectivity. Please feel welcome to contact Sue Johns, Director, Asset Management Services at susan.johns@ottawa.ca with any questions.

Sincerely,

Tammy Rose General Manager
Infrastructure and Water Services

To: Mayor and Members of City Council

From: Tammy Rose, General Manager, Infrastructure and Water Services

The purpose of this memorandum is to provide a response on the feasibility for additional funding for parks renewal budget to members of Council as a result of the direction to staff from the December 6, 2023 Council meeting.

Background

The City currently maintains 1,100 parks city-wide, with the inventory expanding annually due to new developments. The City’s Asset Management Service in Infrastructure and Water Services, maintains an inventory of building and park assets in an asset register. Forecasted needs are reviewed annually and prioritized using a risk- based approach to be considered for inclusion in the capital budget.

The 2024 Recreation and Culture Services Asset Management Plan (AMP) details the current state of the assets, levels of service and the forecasted costs, with no changes, for the next 10 years. It also shows the condition rating, current replacement value and planned spending for existing and new parks. The planned spending includes development charges revenue for growth needs as well as tax funds for renewal and enhancement needs. The AMP shows needs exceed planned revenue in the next 10 years.

Renewal of City park assets are dependent on prioritization against other projects, existing condition, safety, risk to service, cost and affordability, available budget, coordination with other nearby projects, and public concerns. Park Maintenance staff conduct monthly inspections on play structures and equipment, and visual reviews of all other park amenities. Additionally, the Recreation, Cultural and Facility Services (RCFS) Department are responsible for several renewal programs, that contribute to park improvements, such as Cash-in-lieu of Parkland funds.

Park renewal funding has increased annually since 2019, reaching $6.6 million in 2024. To maintain current service levels additional funding is required due to market inflation, design standards, regulations, and community growth, rising project costs, leading to a gradual decrease in the number of parks renewed annually. These factors are similar for all tax supported infrastructure assets and must be considered as part of our capital project planning and delivery. Tax supported services include roads, bridges, sidewalks, structures, facilities, and parks.

On June 4, the Finance and Corporate Services Committee discussed capital adjustments and closing of projects, members endorsed transferring $80,000 from City Wide Capital Reserve to advance the design component of two additional park projects. This was approved by Council on June 12.

Investment Option

Council can direct staff during the 2025 budget deliberations to increase park renewal by reallocating funds from other tax-supported programs; however, this will diminish the funding from the other tax-supported projects that are considered higher priority.

Next steps

Amendments to all Asset Management Plans, due by July 1, 2025, will introduce proposed service levels, potential changes to operating and asset renewal strategies, financial and non-financial strategies to address the forecasted growth, enhancement and renewal needs identified for all assets. The update will provide an explanation of how risks will be managed for activities that will not be undertaken, in the event needs exceed forecasted funding.

The 2025 AMPs will provide a full perspective of the City’s assets, their service level and important financial information for the City's long-range financial plan (LRFP) and should be used to support Council in their decision making.

The City remains committed to working collaboratively with all stakeholders to ensure priorities are being addressed. Staff will continue to monitor for funding opportunities. Please feel welcome to contact Sue Johns, Director, Asset Management Services at susan.johns@ottawa.ca with any questions.

Sincerely,

Tammy Rose General Manager
Infrastructure and Water Services

To: Mayor and Members of City Council

From: Marilyn Journeaux, Rat mitigation Working Group Lead, Director, Water Linear and Customer Services, Infrastructure and Water Services Department

Dear Mayor and Members of Council,

The purpose of this memo is to provide an update on the collective efforts undertaken by various City departments and our continuing commitment to enhance rat management strategies.

Background

Effective rat management is a shared responsibility requiring the participation of the City, businesses, and residents alike. Everyone plays a crucial role in identifying the signs of rat presence, implementing preventative measures to protect property, and implementing effective mitigation and removal strategies.

Bringing together City departments has streamlined our approach and improved communication regarding rat mitigation efforts across the city.

Update on City Actions

In June 2023, the City of Ottawa re-established the Rat Mitigation Working Group (RMWG), including cross-departmental representation from Emergency and Protective Services, Infrastructure and Water Services, Ottawa Public Health, Planning Development and Building Services, Community and Social Services, Public Works, Transit Services, Strategic Initiatives and Recreation, Cultural and Facility Services, Finance and Corporate Services. Collectively this group has continued to develop and maintain a comprehensive approach to addressing rodent concerns.

Last year, the City of Ottawa responded to 747 service requests related to rats through 3-1-1 and conducted subsequent property inspections. Staff collaborated closely with business owners, residents, and industry partners to identify factors attracting rats, provided education on rat management, and ensured compliance with City by-laws and property standards.

A key aspect of effective rat control in Ottawa is prioritizing educational efforts and addressing the environmental factors that contribute to rat infestations. When a service request is sent to By-law and Regulatory Services, officers attend the area and proactively provide education to residents of the address. In addition, the officers proactively look in the surrounding areas to provide further education and engage nearby property owners to address and prevent rat infestations.

Beyond processing service requests and educational initiatives, the City has been proactive to enhance our collective rat management response. We are committed to continuing these efforts in the coming year, including:

• The inspection of food premises: Food premises, such as restaurants, grocery stores, and warehouses, are inspected as defined the by Ministry of Health. Public Health Inspectors conduct inspections, both on a routine and complaint basis, to ensure compliance with the applicable Ministry regulations. Infractions noted during these inspections, such as rodent infestations, are addressed.

• Introduction of the Rental Housing Property Management By-law:  One component of this By-law, which came into force August 31^st 2020, is the requirement of landlords to have an integrated pest management plan. The By-law specifies that the landlord must develop a pest management plan that includes proactive inspections, preventive maintenance and education provided to tenants. Since the introduction of the By-law, Property Standards and Zoning Officers in By-law and Regulatory Services are ensuring compliance as service requests are received for any Property Standards or Property Maintenance calls.

• City Facility Maintenance: Facilities continue to work with qualified contractors to conduct integrated pest management control within City facilities, while following proper waste management regulations and guidelines regarding securing waste. 
• City Park Maintenance: Ottawa is a park-rich city with 12 major parks and over 1000 smaller parks or park-like sites. Public Works staff continue to monitor parks for signs of rats and conduct pest management control activities when needed. In the 2024 Budget, Council approved an expansion of the Waste Diversion in Parks pilot that will see green and blue bins in one additional park per ward. This expansion will help divert waste from the landfill and has the side benefit of the bins being more resilient to pests.
• Enhancements to Waste Management through the Solid Waste Master Plan: In 2024, the final Solid Waste Master Plan will be tabled for Council consideration. That plan includes a wide range of waste diversion initiatives that aim to keep materials like organic waste out of the garbage stream, potentially reducing pests attracted to food waste in that waste stream. Implementation of the three-item limit for garbage, which was approved by Council in 2023 and will be implemented in September 2024, will also support more usage of the green bin. Residents are encouraged to make use of weekly organic waste collection to reduce food sources for rats.
• Construction best practices: The City of Ottawa encourages its contractors working on City projects to maintain construction sites and keep environments free from food and shelters that attract rats. A pilot project to conduct pre-construction baiting is also being undertaken this year to collect additional data and further understand the merits and challenges associated with baiting prior to construction. The City is not responsible for all construction and cannot deny construction permits based solely on rat baiting requirements due to limitations set by the Ontario Building Code Act and Planning Act.
• Sewer Baiting programs: Licensed contractors will undertake sewer baiting  when rat activity is detected in relation to the sewer system. This action is restricted to City-owned sanitary sewers and must comply with Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) regulations, ensuring bait placement is selective to safeguard our ecosystem.
• Ottawa Community Housing: Ottawa Community Housing (OCH) is a key partner in the city's rat management efforts, contributing significantly to the Rat Mitigation Working Group's initiatives. With around 15,000 homes across diverse Ottawa communities, OCH serves a wide array of residents from various cultural, linguistic, and ethnic backgrounds. OCH's has employed proactive pest management measures to ensure their properties and communities are safe and free from rats.
• Community engagement and data enhancement: The RMWG actively engages with the community, exploring best practices through discussions with partners, municipalities, participating in relevant training, and performing a review of rat management strategies across North American municipalities. This approach aims to identify and implement effective actions and initiatives tailored to Ottawa's unique context. The City is also exploring ways to collect more data on high-activity zones for rats including new platform online reporting tool for rat sightings.

Continuous Improvement

The re-establishment of the RMWG underscores our commitment in addressing rat-related issues. This working group supports the sharing of best practices, enhances our understanding of rat management, collaborates when rat issues cross several departments and identifies opportunities for further action. As we move forward, we remain committed to refining our strategies, enhanced by data-driven insights and community engagement.

It Takes Everyone

Effective rat management necessitates a collective approach. We encourage residents and businesses to familiarize themselves with prevention and mitigation strategies available on the City's Rat Webpage and Ottawa Public Health Rat Control. Rat sightings anywhere in the City can be reported to 3-1-1. Together, we can make significant strides in controlling rat populations and safeguarding our community’s health and well-being.

Your ongoing support and feedback are invaluable as we continue to navigate this complex issue. The City of Ottawa will continuously improve and find solutions to address rat populations in the City.

Sincerely,

Marilyn Journeaux

This memo is an update to Members of Council on the City of Ottawa’s submissions to infrastructure funding opportunities since 2020, approved funding status, pending applications and future opportunities.

Background

Federal and Provincial governments continue to establish new funding programs to promote and support municipal infrastructure. These programs aim to improve infrastructure resiliency against climate change, promote active transportation, enhance public transit, support housing initiatives, and more.

The City of Ottawa is well-prepared to respond to these funding programs. Infrastructure and Water Services staff actively review government stimulus funding programs, identifying opportunities, and ensuring that they are maximized.

The City’s final list of projects selected for each application process are chosen based on ability to meet the funding program’s priorities, objectives, and timelines, and prioritized to include City infrastructure projects that have been previously identified via needs assessment, Master Plan studies, and forecasting. Budgets are also reviewed to confirm the City can support both the required recipient contribution amount and all ineligible costs.

Since 2020, the City has been awarded approximately $79 million in infrastructure-related funding to support 192 projects (across all project phases) through 12 different programs.

Many projects receiving funding from other government programs are wrapping up this year, with final claims and reporting being completed. A complete list of the stimulus programs contributing towards City projects is included as Appendix 1.

Pending applications

In addition to the funding opportunities that have already been awarded, applications have also been submitted to several other programs. Results have not been announced at this time. Details on these applications are listed in Appendix 2.

New Funding Programs

The Province of Ontario has accepted applications for the new Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund. This competitive program aims to protect communities by investing in the repair, rehabilitation and expansion of core water, wastewater, and stormwater projects to promote growth and enable housing. Staff reviewed potential projects and completed an application to renew the Ottawa South Pumping Station, valued at $23 million, before the intake closed April 19, 2024.

Also, new funding from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities was recently announced and details have been reviewed. This funding is for sustainable municipal buildings, community energy systems, waste-to-energy projects, fleet electrification and more. The City of Ottawa is eligible to apply to these programs and suitable projects are being evaluated cross-departmentally.

I look forward to providing you with updates on the pending applications as more information becomes available.

Upcoming Programs

The federal and Provincial government have recently announced new initiatives as part of this year’s budgets, including:

• Accelerating the construction and upgrading of housing-enabling infrastructure by providing $6 billion over 10 years through a new Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund.  $1 billion available directly to municipalities to support urgent infrastructure needs that will directly enable housing supply. 
• Investing in Infrastructure to grow communities and enable more homes to be built, including through the new Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund, the Canada Infrastructure Bank's Housing Initiative, and by delivering an estimated $57.3 billion in support of infrastructure projects across the country from 2023-24 until 2028-29.
• $200 million Community Sport and Recreation Infrastructure Fund.  This program will fund both renewal of and new sports and recreation facilities.  While few details are available at this time, we can expect more information to become available this summer.  At that time projects will be reviewed cross-departmentally for suitable candidates.

Please contact me if you have any questions or would like additional information.

Tammy Rose, P.Eng
General Manager
Infrastructure and Water Services Department
Tammy.Rose@Ottawa.ca

To: Mayor and Members of City Council

From: Carina Duclos, Acting General Manager, Infrastructure and Water Services Department

The purpose of this memorandum is to provide an update to Mayor and Members of Council on the structural inspection at the St-Laurent Station on Tuesday, January 2, 2024. As outlined in the memo provided by Transit Services Department on January 2, the Infrastructure and Water Services Department (IWSD) was notified of pieces of concrete debris along the track and conducted a condition assessment to identify the cause. Following the preliminary assessment and out of an abundance of caution, IWSD engaged a structural engineering firm to conduct a detailed inspection.

Results from the inspection confirmed delamination, which is the separation of the paste layer at the surface, creating an unbonded layer with the main slab. With direction and oversight from the structural engineer, sounding and scaling was conducted by a contractor to remove the small concrete pieces that had separated from the main slab.

The St. Laurent Bus Rapid Transit Station was constructed in the mid 1980’s. The lower-level tunnel accommodates Light Rail Transit (LRT) and consists of a series of single span concrete rigid frame structures with the upper-level platform partially located on its deck surface. It is not uncommon to see delamination and scaling required in a structure of this age and with this level of complexity.

Required work concluded at approximately 4:15 pm and a report from the structural engineer deemed there are no hazards, and the structure is safe to resume service. As a result, O-Train Line 1 service resumed shortly before 5 pm.

IWSD will continue to conduct routine condition assessments of the structure. Transit Services and IWSD will collaborate to determine the appropriate schedule for these inspections.

Should you have any questions about this information, please contact me at extension 16507.

Sincerely,

Carina Duclos
Acting General Manager
Infrastructure and Water Services Department

To: Mayor and Members of City Council

From: Tammy Rose, General Manager, Infrastructure and Water Services

The purpose of the memorandum is to provide an update on the financial implications in the Infrastructure Master Plan (IMP) and next steps. The IMP, initially scheduled for a Special Joint Planning and Housing and Environment and Climate Change Committee meeting November 23 was postponed. This postponement resulted from the Province’s announcement of the intent to introduce Bill 150, the Official Plan Adjustments Act, 2023.

Background

The City’s Official Plan establishes the City’s goals, objectives and policies to guide growth and manage physical change to the year 2046, when the population is projected to rise to 1.4 million.

The Infrastructure Master Plan sets growth-related projects, policies, objectives, and priorities for municipal water, wastewater, and stormwater management infrastructure, supporting the City's New Official Plan. The IMP identifies major capital projects needed to meet growth needs to 2046.

Additionally, the IMP includes project funding and financing and identifies the percentage of project costs attributable to development charges and to City rate budgets. It also determines the approximate timing of expenditures based on the IMP’s priorities, objectives and growth patterns.

Given the recent introduction of Bill 150, the Official Plan Adjustments Act, 2023, and postponement of the Special Joint Planning and Housing and Environment and Climate Change Committee, circulating this memo ensures Council has up to date IMP financial information in their ongoing decision making and dialogue. The memo details the present state, acknowledging existing pressures and noting that the provincial proposal to remove expansion lands may impact capital costs outlined in the IMP for the period 2026-2046 but are yet to be determined.

Financial implications 

The total estimated cost of the growth-related upgrades in the IMP related to water and water services is $1.4 billion for the period 2023-2046 (excluding Tewin). This includes:

• 26 proposed water distribution projects estimated to cost approximately $901 million; 
• 37 wastewater collection projects estimated to cost approximately $742 million; and
• Growth-related projects at ROPEC and at the Lemieux water purification plant are expected to cost approximately $376 million.

The $1.4 billion includes approximately $1.2 billion of development charfes and about $200 million in costs beneficial to the existing community.

Finance staff assessed the affordability of the IMP both from a ratepayer and development charge perspective. While projects needed to support new growth are funded from development charges, in some projects, there is a benefit provided to the existing community. Preliminary results indicate that the current level of funding from rate-supported budgets and development charge revenue are insufficient to cover all of the IMP’s capital costs.

Benefit to Existing (BTE) Ratepayers

Revenues related to the renewal of infrastructure assets and the share of growth costs that benefit existing ratepayers (BTE portion) are currently increased annually in line with the 2017 Long Range Financial Plan (LRFP) (ACS2017- CSD-FIN-0023). From a ratepayer perspective, to pay for the BTE portion, it is estimated that water/wastewater revenues would need to increase by an estimated $16 million annually (seven per cent) from the forecasted level of investment approved in the LRFP. The current funding plan cannot support the updated BTE portion of the IMP in addition to the targets previously set. Consequently, the IMP would necessitate rate increases beyond initial projections.

Development Charges

Development charges (DCs) also need to keep pace with growth needs to help keep the City affordable. While existing DCs in Ottawa are among the lowest in Ontario compared to other municipalities, the principle tenet of the DCs is to ensure growth needs are paid for by new growth, not by existing ratepayers.  The current level of development charge collections, taking into consideration the mandatory transition impacts from Bill 23, cannot support the IMP’s growth-related capital costs (excluding Tewin) that total $1.2 billion, in particular for water services. The total impact of mandatory discounting for water and wastewater development charges until 2046 is $54 million and $61 million, respectively. Financial funding options to improve affordability could include a combination of increasing water services development charge revenue, issuing debt, or deferring projects. The degree to which these funding levers would be applied, could potentially be reduced by funding from other levels of government. Consultation with the development industry during consideration of the IMP and the upcoming DC By-law update is critical to ensure that Ottawa remains a competitive place for housing development.

Tewin

The cost to service the Tewin Community is approximately $618 million: $396 million for water and $222 million for wastewater and in accordance with Council direction needs to be funded by the development. These costs include costs related to oversizing Tewin’s infrastructure which will benefit growth areas outside of Tewin’s development, the magnitude of which has prompted further discussions about how and who will finance these project costs because the cost is incurred in advance of development.

For the $618 million to service Tewin, staff continue to work under the direction that Tewin will pay for Tewin, putting no additional burden on City finances. A total of $167 million of Tewin’s water and sewer costs are required to accommodate potential growth needs beyond the 2046 planning period. Although this oversizing of the water and wastewater infrastructure is cost-effective over the long term the cost must be financed in the near term. Annex 12 of the Official Plan indicates that oversizing costs associated with Tewin infrastructure are to be front-ended and covered by Tewin. However, given the size of these costs, size of the area for future potential growth that currently does not have an urban designation status in the Official Plan and multiple landowners that could potentially benefit from the provision of oversizing, discussions about how these costs will be financed remain on-going.

Next Steps

The IMP is anticipated to be presented for Council’s consideration in 2024. Discussions with Tewin are also ongoing to determine how best to finance oversizing costs associated with Tewin infrastructure. Future Development Charges By-Law will rely on the information and recommendations provided in the IMP, ensuring that water, wastewater, and stormwater management infrastructure needs, and funding strategies are aligned with the City's growth goals and policies.

An update to the Rate Long Range Financial Plan, expected in Q2 2025, will guide the overall rate revenue requirement, incorporating the pressures identified in the IMP and the Asset Management Plans to be completed, which will also identify capital asset renewal requirements and operating costs.

Additionally, staff continue to focus efforts on maximizing funding opportunities from various levels of government. This includes submitting future applications to the newly announced Building Faster Fund and Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund aimed at supporting critical water infrastructure projects that enable housing development.

Staff are analyzing the impacts of removing the Provincially added urban expansion lands and plan for the impacts of legislative changes and the effects on the IMP. City staff will continue to identify key initiatives, projects, and costs essential for meeting the City’s growth needs and the goals of our provincial and federal partners. Collaborative efforts are critical to fostering a sustainable city for all residents.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Susan Johns, Director Asset Management, at Susan.johns@ottawa.ca or Isabelle Jasmin, Deputy City Treasurer, Corporate Finance at Isabelle.jasmin@ottawa.ca . We would be pleased to schedule a briefing with you.

Sincerely,

Tammy A. M. Rose, P.Eng
General Manager
Infrastructure and Water Services

To: Mayor and Members of City Council

From: Tammy Rose, General Manager, Infrastructure and Water Services and Dr. Vera Etches, Medical Officer of Health, Ottawa Public Health

The purpose of this memorandum is to provide an overview of the roles and responsibilities of Ottawa Public Health (OPH) and the Infrastructure and Water Services Department (IWSD) in safeguarding our community's access to clean drinking water.

Additionally, OPH and IWSD responded collaboratively to concerns raised by residents in the Richmond area regarding the water quality in some private wells. Below is an update on the investigation and its results.

Roles and Responsibilities

Municipal Drinking Water:

Infrastructure and Water Services Department

The Infrastructure and Water Services Department (IWSD) is responsible for the City’s municipal drinking water systems. The central system, which provides water to approximately 950,000 people, is supplied from the two drinking water treatment plants at Lemieux Island and Britannia. There are also six communal groundwater well systems in the communities of Carp, Munster Hamlet, Richmond (Kings Park), Richmond West, Greely (Shadow Ridge) and Vars.

In Ontario, municipal drinking water is governed by the Safe Drinking Water Act, 2002, and the Ontario Water Resources Act, 1990, which are both regulated by the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP).

The Ontario Safe Drinking Water Act, 2002, has five elements working together to provide a consistent approach for all drinking water treatment systems across the province, namely:

• Robustly designed and well-maintained water treatment and water distribution infrastructure.
• The Drinking Water Quality Management System, providing the essential framework to ensure transparency and oversight of our drinking water system.
• Water systems and teams who work within it must be licensed and permitted.
• Careful monitoring and testing to ensure quality and compliance.
• Annual Reporting to the MECP and to City Council, to demonstrate full accountability.

Ottawa Public Health

Under the Health Protection and Promotion Act, Ottawa Public Health (OPH) is mandated to investigate health hazard complaints, which can include complaints regarding contamination of groundwater feeding private wells. OPH also has a responsibility to:

• Work with the City and other partners to develop plans for responding to water quality emergencies or infrastructure failures.
• Educate the public about safe drinking water practices and encourage private well users to sample their drinking water.
• Issue advisories or warnings to the public in cases of waterborne disease outbreaks or other health concerns related to drinking water.

OPH and IWSD are closely integrated and collaborate to achieve these objectives.

Ministry of Environment, Parks and Conservation: Private Wells

The Ministry of Environment, Parks and Conservation (MECP) has legislative and regulatory authority over private well water in Ontario. There are over 50,000 private wells in the Ottawa area. Well owners are responsible for ensuring water from their wells is safe to drink, and their wells are not contaminating the groundwater. Wells must be properly designed and maintained to ensure drinking water is safe.

Infrastructure and Water Services Department: Wastewater

Ottawa's wastewater collection system gathers wastewater from homes, businesses, and industrial sites, transporting it to trunk sewers through a network of sewers, pumping stations and forcemains. The wastewater then flows to the Robert O. Pickard Environmental Centre for treatment.

In Ontario, municipal wastewater is governed by the Environmental Protection Act, 1990 and the Ontario Water Resources Act, 1990, which are both regulated by the MECP. The City also adheres to the Canada Fisheries Act, 1985 requirements.

Sewer maintenance activities include inspections and monitoring to ensure that municipal infrastructure is in a state of good repair and that the environment is protected.

In the rural areas, a variety of collection methods are used:

• Richmond, Munster Hamlet, and Carp are connected to the municipal trunk system.
• Elsewhere, individual septic systems, which are the responsibility of the property owner, are used and the contents are transported to the Robert O. Pickard Centre for treatment.

Update on Private Well Water Quality in Richmond

Following up on concerns from residents in the Richmond area regarding water quality in private wells, OPH, IWSD and the MECP undertook an investigation.

As part of this investigation, OPH reviewed over 2000 private well water results from Public Health Ontario Laboratory test results from the Richmond area dating back to August 2017. OPH found that the current results from Richmond are typical of what one would expect from private well systems elsewhere in the broader area. Put another way, the Richmond private well test results are not triggering any alerts that there may be private well problems that are linked (share a common cause).

Results with total coliform or E. coli findings showed no geographic clustering. Specifically, any sampling results showing E. coli were sporadic and transient, which would not be consistent with sewage contamination of ground water. OPH has reviewed reports of laboratory-confirmed enteric diseases of public health significance across Ottawa and found no evidence of higher-than-expected rates or clustering in Richmond.

Regular closed-circuit television (CCTV) inspections by IWSD are conducted on sanitary pipes to ensure there are no leaks or exfiltration. Additional inspections were carried out in response to residents’ concerns and no issues were found.

At a drop-in information session for the community in August 2023, IWSD and OPH provided information and answered questions about well water testing processes and results. OPH also hosted an information booth at the Richmond Fair in September 2023 to further provide residents an opportunity to ask questions and learn about well water sampling.

The MECP recently assessed several private wells in the vicinity of the Richmond Pump Station and found some homes were not in conformance with the Ministry’s well maintenance requirements. As a result, the MECP followed up with property owners, who are responsible for ensuring their wells are properly maintained at all times to ensure a safe and reliable source of drinking water.

Moreover, the MECP’s assessment of analytical results from drinking water well sampling in the area showed no indication of a spill or discharge from the sewage systems related to the Richmond Pump Station.

The MECP has provided guidance to residential well owners about proper well maintenance, including instructions for well and plumbing disinfection, and general tips to protect their wells from naturally occurring sources of potential contamination.

There has been no evidence to suggest any sewage contamination has taken place. As a result, OPH’s and IWSD’s investigation of this complaint has been concluded.

Regards,

Sincerely,

Tammy A.M. Rose, P. Eng,
General Manager
Infrastructure and Water Services Department

Dr. Vera Etches
Medical Officer of Health
Ottawa Public Health