Building Our Future Will Require Innovative Solutions

February 1, 2021

 

St. John’s – In the third week of its Municipal Solutions Platform campaign, Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador is focusing on innovative infrastructure.

Nationally, municipalities are responsible for 60 percent of Canada’s infrastructure but access only 10 cents on every tax dollar.  Municipalities in Newfoundland and Labrador are facing an infrastructure crisis. Increasing demands, changing cost-share ratios and rising costs are all straining the system. Upgrades required for water and wastewater infrastructure, for example, far outweigh resources available through either multi-year funding or annual infrastructure funding calls.

Communities in the province are changing in terms of their infrastructure needs. Smaller municipalities, representing 75 percent of MNL members, are experiencing population declines and shifting demographics. Large-scale infrastructure solutions with hefty price tags will not work over the long term. Small communities cannot afford them, and they cannot afford to maintain them.

Newfoundland and Labrador needs a better approach to planning municipal infrastructure over the long-term. Supporting strong asset management practices and innovative infrastructure investments are critical to building our future. The sector requires support to develop and test Innovative and green infrastructure opportunities with partners in these fields. In the long-term, these investments would offer a more significant return because of the multiple environmental, economic and health benefits.

“Making the most out of municipal investment means changing the way infrastructure is planned, procured, delivered and operated. Wastewater and drinking water infrastructure are ongoing concerns in our province. We need to work together with the tech sector, post-secondary institutions and other levels of government to achieve the right solutions for our communities in a way that makes sense for them and has better outcomes.” Craig Pollett, CEO of Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador.

-30-

 

 

 

Deatra Walsh
Director of Advocacy, Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador