The president of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, Geoff Stewart, has highlighted the urgent need for infrastructure upgrades across the country in light of recent water pipe breaks in Calgary and Montreal. Following a massive water pipe break in Calgary that led to months of water restrictions and disruptions, Stewart emphasized that infrastructure is aging and in dire need of attention. Similarly, Montreal experienced a major underground water main break, causing flooding and evacuations, further underscoring the infrastructure issues faced by municipalities nationwide. Stewart called for immediate action to address the deteriorating infrastructure before more catastrophic incidents occur.
In response to the infrastructure challenges, Stewart’s group released a report advocating for a “municipal growth framework” that would revise federal and provincial funding formulas to provide municipalities with more financial resources. He suggested that Ottawa and the provinces could increase revenue through income or sales tax hikes to alleviate the burden on municipalities that rely heavily on property taxes for funding. With less than eight to 10 cents of every tax dollar collected going to municipalities, Stewart stressed the need for a critical conversation on funding mechanisms to address the infrastructure crisis facing the country.
An engineering professor from the University of Calgary, Tricia Stadnyk, warned that the recent pipe failures in Calgary could be a sign of future challenges that other Canadian cities might face, especially in cold climates. Stadnyk highlighted the importance of learning from these incidents and taking proactive measures to prevent similar catastrophes in other jurisdictions. She noted that the pipe in Calgary, nearly 50 years old, was approaching its expected useful life and vulnerable to catastrophic failure, particularly given the city’s fluctuating winter weather conditions that can strain infrastructure. Stadnyk also mentioned the challenges of accessing buried pipes for maintenance and the importance of advanced monitoring systems to detect issues early.
A 2020 report from Canada’s Core Public Infrastructure Survey indicated that a significant portion of water, sewer, and stormwater pipes in the country were nearing the end of their useful life, with many constructed before 1970. The average expected useful life of new underground pipes installed in 2020 ranged from 50 to 73 years, highlighting the growing urgency of addressing aging infrastructure. Stadnyk pointed to the failure of steel tensioned reinforcing wires on the Calgary pipe as a potential warning sign that went undetected by existing acoustic monitoring systems. City officials in Calgary, including the general manager for infrastructure services, Michael Thompson, acknowledged the need for enhanced monitoring technologies to identify issues and proactively manage infrastructure health.
The recent incidents in Calgary and Montreal have raised awareness about the critical state of infrastructure in Canada, particularly in municipalities where aging pipes and other infrastructure components pose significant risks. Stewart’s call for a municipal growth framework and increased funding for infrastructure projects reflects the pressing need for investment in upgrading and maintaining essential infrastructure systems. The lessons learned from these failures, as highlighted by Stadnyk, underscore the importance of proactive maintenance and monitoring to prevent future disasters. As cities across the country grapple with aging infrastructure and mounting challenges, the conversation around sustainable funding models and innovative solutions becomes increasingly vital to ensure the long-term resilience of Canada’s infrastructure networks.
