GOVERNANCE

Commitment 5.4.4 – We will continue to pursue and assist communities in accessing new federal funding for the enhancement of community government infrastructure, including implementing the asset management framework through the Gas Tax Agreement to ensure that all communities have asset management plans.

Background:

Under the new Gas Tax Agreement signed in 2014, all community governments are required to make progress in asset management over the next five years. In partnership with the Northwest Territories Association of Communities and guidance from community government representatives, Municipal and Community Affairs (MACA) developed the NWT Asset Management Strategy, designed to be flexible and adaptable so that all community governments can make progress and move forward at their own pace to ensure successful implementation of asset management practices.

The NWT Asset Management Strategy was finalized in the spring of 2016 (Milestone 1). Municipal and Community Affairs is working with 10 community governments to participate in the first pilot round of the installation of asset management software and staff training (Milestone 2). The community asset data collection and software interface design are nearing completion. MACA has also compiled a series of preventative maintenance activities through the Asset Management program (Milestone 3). 

The GNWT has begun renegotiating a new integrated bilateral agreement with the federal agreement to access Phase II of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program fund (Milestone 5). Once the integrated bilateral agreement is signed, MACA will begin working with community governments to implement infrastructure projects (Milestone 6).

Federal funding is also available through the National Disaster Mitigation Program (NDMP) to help reduce potential damage to municipal infrastructure from reoccurring flood events. Community governments are able to use the NDMP to address rising flood risks and costs, and build a foundation for future mitigation investments.

Related Mandate Commitments:

• Commitment 1.4.4 – We commit to assisting community governments as they innovate to address climate change by supporting the development of community government capital plans and asset planning, and ensuring that training recognizes the challenges of climate change.
• Commitment 3.3.3 – We will assist community governments to improve energy efficiency and conservation, to reduce the impact of climate change by supporting development of community governments’ capital and asset plans, to ensure training includes challenges related to climate change, and enable community governments to use local improvement charges for the purpose of assisting residents and/or businesses in implementing energy efficiency retrofits and/or renewable energy technologies.
• Commitment 3.5.5 - We will support community governments to access available federal funding through the Investing in Canada Plan to invest in community public infrastructure.