Key Conversations: Barrie General Committee, February 1st

Compared to the last few weeks of budget discussions, General Committee flew by -- it was wrapped up in under an hour. 

Most items on the agenda didn’t stir any discussion -- stuff like looking into three-way stop signs, financial reports, affirming street names and more. 

The main part of the meeting concerned stormwater asset management. 

 General Committee approved an asset management plan for the city’s stormwater infrastructure. 

As deputy Mayor Ward said, Stormwater management doesn’t cause excitement like new sports fields, parks, rec centers, but it’s a key part of Barrie’s infrastructure. 

“It’s unfortunate,” Deputy Mayor Ward said to other councilors, “it’s pretty clear it’s one of the most important services we offer to the city.” 

There are over 1.2 billion dollars invested into keeping city roads and buildings from flooding by backed-up sewers and keeping as much runoff as possible from entering the surrounding waterways. 

The plan outlines asset management --  a plan for determining what storm ponds, culverts, and more need work, and when, on a needs-based system. 

Stormwater ponds represent 100 million dollars of assets -- and they’re in poor condition. 

If parts of the city’s infrastructure are not operating well, the city is more likely to see flooding or contamination problems. 

Ponds that catch roadway run-off and culverts that channel contaminated rainwater away from creeks and Lake Simcoe.

The city staff member outlined how there’s been a historic underspending on stormwater assets since it became common practice around 20 years ago. 

“We’ve historically been underfunding our stormwater assets,” explained Tom Reeve, Barrie’s Senior Infrastructure Planning Program Coordinator. 

“This means we are potentially putting people and property at risk of flooding, causing damage to the environment.”

If spending continued at the rate it had been until 2019, there could be a 30 million dollar gap in what is being spent on stormwater asset management, and what needs to be spent. 

And now, since Barrie is growing, the stormwater asset cost is growing as well. 

Over the next thirty years, Barrie will nearly double -- that means the plan is ever more important. 

Councilors asked questions of staff -- including this one from Councilor Morales on possible grants for more money to be used on maintaining this infrastructure. 

Mayor Lehman pointed out low-cost options that could decrease costs down the road: low impact development strategies and stuff people can build on their own properties could help the culvert and storm pond load. 

That could be like drains on driveways and more -- stuff to keep the stormwater out of culverts to begin with. 

It’s an expensive infrastructure but as Deputy Mayor Ward mentioned: this infrastructure is key in preventing floods, and protecting lakes watersheds and more.