October 15, 2008

The Future of Canada’s Infrastructure Conference

Innovative engineering solutions must be found for Canada’s aging infrastructure, expert says

DAN O’REILLY

correspondent

TORONTO

Canada’s public infrastructure needs to be designed, operated and maintained in way that minimizes the risk of destruction, disruption or deterioration due to climate change, the chief executive officer of Engineers Canada told participants at a recent conference in Toronto.

Innovative engineering solutions are required to restore Canada’s aging infrastructure system, which is vulnerable to violent climate change swings, said Chantal Guay, a speaker at the Strategy Institute’s The Future of Canada’s Infrastructure Conference.

“Things cannot continue the way they use to. What’s been done in the past won’t necessarily work in the future.

“It (climate change) threatens the ability of engineers to safely and effectively design infrastructure to meet the needs of Canadians.”

By 2027 80 per cent of that system will have reached the end of its life cycle, said Guay, stressing it doesn’t mean those structures will fail by that date.

Engineering vulnerability is the shortfall in the ability of public infrastructure to absorb the negative effects, and the positive effects, of changes in the climate conditions to design and operate infrastructure, she explained.

Guay made the comments as part of an overview of the work and accomplishments of the Public Infrastructure Vulnerability Committee.

Comprised of the engineering profession, representatives of all three levels of government and non-government organizations, the committee is overseeing a national engineering assessment of the vulnerability of infrastructure to climate changes.

Sponsored by Engineers Canada and Natural Resources Canada, the committee is studying four categories of public infrastructure: buildings; roads and associated structures; storm water and wastewater systems

Its goals include developing best engineering practices and using the results of assessments to recommend reviews of codes and standards.

The factors that led to the committee’s creation are the uncertainties that exist under current engineering practices. Not only does the engineering profession need to understand climate change and account for it in design work, new or revised policies and standards to guide engineers have to be developed, said Guay.

An initial “scoping study” assessing the water supply system in Portage la Prairie, Man. was conducted in early 2007 and since then the committee has conducted a several other case study assessments including Edmonton’s Quesnell Bridge and Sudbury’s road network. The assessments pinpointed the structures’ vulnerability to deterioration from climatic change and propose design, maintenance and construction improvements. A progress report on the Canada-wide assessment was issued earlier this year.

For its part, Engineers Canada will be using the information for guidance on a several issues including potential adjustments to accreditation criteria. It’s also working with Canada Standards Association to update practice guidelines and standards, she said.

While infrastructure renewal is not simple and not a quick fix, the engineering profession and Canadians in general are up to the challenge, said Guay.

“These are exciting times, not just for engineers, but for all Canadians.”

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