Majority of City of Kitchener infrastructure assets in good or better condition, report finds

“This report highlights the great work that this Council, together with staff, have done in stewarding a $15billionportfolio of assets – the physical infrastructure that residents and businesses in our community rely on every single day for a great quality of life in our city,” said Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic. “It’s important to note that this report is a snapshot in time, and that we have to continue to plan how we will maintain and invest in our portfolio to be cost-effective and maximize the lifespan of infrastructure assets over the longterm.”

The reportfound that 83% of assets were “fair” quality or better, meaning that there is minimal risk that they will fail or cause an interruption of service. These assessments were made through scheduled inspections, formal assessments and estimates based on the typical lifespan of material or components.The assessments form the core of an Assessment Management Plan (AMP) for each category, outlining the work and investment that will enable the asset to continue delivering its standard level of service.

These AMPs show that for most asset categories, current funding is sufficient to deliver proposedservice levels. However, two categories were identified as needing additional investment:city facilities require an additional $24.5 million/year and natural gas requires an additional $6.1 million/year to meet the proposed service levels. The City of Kitchener, like many North American cities, has many postwar facilities that are reaching the end of their lifespan. At the same time, the City of Kitchener has built or acquired new facilities such as the Huron Community Centre, Conrad Centre for the Performing Arts and the SDG Idea Factory.

A plan to begin addressing the facilitiesfunding gap was introduced in 2019 through the Long-term Financial Plan, which resulted in an additional $70 million invested over a 10-year period. In the report, staff have identified that a higher frequency of inspections and maintenance will extend the lifespan of these facilities while funding options are explored.Natural gas infrastructure funding will prioritize the highest-priority work while rates are assessed and plans for the green energy transition are developed.

“I’m proud of this report because it shows that our approach is paying off,” said Ward 1 Councillor and Finance and Corporate Services Committee Chair Scott Davey. “Compared to other cities that are going to have to make hard choices, for years,this council has been doing the prudent work of consistently taking a long-term view.Council has made investments that prevent costly emergency repairs or last-minute replacements. The report identifiesthat we have to continue doing this work, but I’m reassured that it is only flagging future needs rather than a current crisis.”

For more information about how the City of Kitchener manages its assets and to read the Asset Management Plans, visit this webpage.

For more information, contact:

Philip Price
Communications and Marketing Associate
City of Kitchener  
media@kitchener.ca

Appendix:

City Assets Included in AMPs and their Current Replacement Values