Identify Priorities in Your Community: Additional Information on Municipal Infrastructure
The following page contains a broad array of information about municipal intrastructure collected during Phase One (2008-2009) of CBT's Communities Adapting to Climate Change Initiative. Some of the material included herein can be found in the final reports or guidebooks, but some cannot. This webpage is not a formal factsheet; it contains fragments of information and bits of knowledge that we hope will be useful to you.
Learning Network Study Tour in Kimberley, BC. July 16, 2008. Photo credit: Jordan Osiowy
Average Lifespans of Municipal Infrastructure Components
|
|
Lifespan |
Major Upgrades or Refurbishment |
Reconstruction |
|
Houses & Buildings |
50-100 years |
15-20 years |
50-100 years |
|
Storm/Sanitary Sewer |
100 years |
25-50 years |
|
|
Dams/Water Supply |
50-100 years |
20-30 years |
50 years |
|
Roads |
50-100 years |
10-20 years |
50-100 years |
|
Bridges |
50-100 years |
20-25 years |
50-100 years |
[1] Auld, H. and D. MacIver. Cities and Communities: The Changing Climate and Increasing Vulnerability of Infrastructure. Occasional Paper 3. Environment Canada, Adaptation and Impacts Research Group, 2005)
Community questions and answers from the experts:
Q: What powers do Municipalities have to change/alter the BC building code with ‘building bylaws’?
A: From George Penfold, CBT Advisory Committee, Selkirk College, Regional Innovation Chair - Rural Economic Development, Castlegar, BC
- It would be worth talking to the municipal lawyer to get the details on both the DP and building permit options.
- Municipalities do use the hazard provisions for interface fire issues in new development areas.See for example http://www.civicnet.bc.ca/files/{952D4A69-2FF4-4D36-A17C-A33943C43D6A}Langfordarticle.doc.pdf
Q: What powers to Municipalities have to change/ alter the BC building code with ‘building bylaws’?
A: From Meredith Hamstead, CBT Advisory Committee, Thinkbright Environmental Innovations, Invermere, BC
- Look into Bill 10 which includes new provisions for municipalities to enhance their building codes. The code remains an area of concurrent influence, meaning that any municipal regulations that exceed the BCBC would need to be approved by the Province, but with a climate change adaptation strategy in hand (especially such a good one!). They should have (I think) little trouble getting such a Code enhancement approved. Click here for more information about the powers that Bill 10 provides to a local government.
- For single family homes, the only way to implement FireSmart building regulations is through a municipal building code amendment as DPAs do not apply to single family development.
For more information on useful resources pertaining to municipal infrastructure, see the Resources section of Kimberley's Case Study or the Resources section of Elkford's Case Study.