County Council will now consider the final draft of the Asset Management Plan at the Committee of the Whole meeting on Thursday, October 9.
The item, originally slated for the September 25 Committee of the Whole meeting, has moved to give the project consultant and staff additional time to complete work on the detailed financial strategy.
Asset management planning involves identifying the resources and activities needed for maintaining, updating, or replacing the infrastructure in Prince Edward County.
At the meeting on October 9, staff will present for Council’s consideration a final asset management plan with financial impacts. The plan will determine how to fund and sustain those service levels over the long term with a financial strategy that takes into consideration taxation, user fees, reserves, debt, and grants.
At the final Council-staff working session held on August 28, councillors identified the service level options that will be included in the final draft of the plan. Those levels of service selected by Council will directly shape the capital and operating budgets over the next 10 years. Any increase in service level will require new funding allocations. Council’s decisions will cumulatively inform the tax levy increase each year.
Roads: The current average Pavement Condition Index (PCI) for paved roads is 65, with 24% of the network below PCI of 40. Council directed staff to prepare a plan that would raise the average PCI to 83, while ensuring no road falls below 40. Achieving this level of service would mean that drivers could expect a smooth ride across the paved-road network. This level of service prioritizes consistent, high-quality infrastructure, significantly reducing liability risks and the need for emergency repairs. To achieve this, a 10-year capital plan will be developed that prioritizes investments based on lifecycle needs.
Bridges: Maintain all bridges in a state of good repair, defined as achieving a Bridge Condition Index (BCI) of 70 or higher across the network. This target aligns with provincial assessment standards (OSIM), prioritizes public safety, and ensures the continued functionality of key bridge assets.
Vehicles owned by the municipality (also known as corporate fleet): Delay vehicle replacements, allowing assets to operate longer while maintaining a minimum operational standard.
Vehicles related to fire service delivery (also known as fire fleet): Maintain existing service model for approximately two years while Prince Edward County Fire and Rescue (PECFR) creates a Master Fire Plan and updates the Community Risk Assessment (CRA). The Master Fire Plan and CRA will provide Council with a clear, evidence-based framework to confirm the types and levels of emergency services the municipality wants to offer and to develop a funding model that aligns directly with the municipality’s Asset Management Plan.
Facilities: Reduce the number of prioritized public-facing facility footprint (square footage) by 25 per cent to focus investments on the most critical and frequently used facilities. Staff would present to Council a strategy for achieving this reduction over the next 10 years.
Equipment: Maintain all equipment in fair condition or better.
Parks and Recreation: Maintain 100 per cent of park assets in fair or better condition.
Background Information
The County of Prince Edward, like municipalities across Ontario, is currently updating and expanding its asset management plan as required under Ontario Regulation 588/17.
In 2022, County Council approved a Strategic Asset Management Plan Policy and updated its plan for core infrastructure services. In 2024, County Council approved an update to the Asset Management Plan to include non-core municipal assets.
The municipality must expand its Asset Management Plan to include proposed levels of service and a sustainable 10-year capital financial strategy. Visit the Government of Ontario website to learn more about municipal asset management planning.
- Assets are everything the County of Prince Edward owns, such as roads and bridges, vehicles, parks, buildings, and equipment. These assets allow municipal staff to deliver services across the municipality. The performance and condition of the assets directly impacts service quality.
- Levels of service are defined by the quality and extent of services the municipality provides. Levels of service incorporate a variety of factors such as safety, customer satisfaction, quality, reliability, and cost.
Visit Have Your Say, the County’s online engagement platform, to read the discussion papers for each asset class and watch the recordings of previous working sessions.
If you have questions or require further information, please contact Arryn McNichol, Director of Finance and Information Technology, at amcnichol@pecounty.on.ca.