1. Preventing to Damage to Canada’s Critical Underground Infrastructure Mike Sullivan – Executive Director

2. Preventing damage to Canada’s Underground Infrastructure

3. Millwoods, Alberta

4. Recommendations
Development of an awareness and education program targeting local contractors
Development of an emergency call-down process for Edmonton-area utilities
Initiate a Call Before You Dig process
EAPUOC Safety Seminars have been held for over 25 years.

5. Oshawa, Ontario

6. Oshawa, Ontario

7. Follow-up
National Energy Board releases Pipeline Crossing Regulations establishing:
requirements for excavations and construction over pipelines; and
responsibilities of pipeline operators in relation to excavation activity in the vicinity of pipelines.

8. The Common Ground Alliance
An alliance of ground disturbance stakeholders committed to improving the integrity of underground infrastructure through awareness, advocacy, process and best practices.
Formed following several catastrophic events in the United States.
Successes:
Damage prevention legislation emerged in all U.S. states.
Simplified access to One-call services – 811
Damages to underground infrastructure reduced

9. The Canadian Common Ground Alliance
CCGA Stakeholders
Electrical Distribution and Transmission
Gas & Oil - Distribution and Transmission
Construction
Engineering and Land Surveying
Road Builders
Municipal and Public Works
Government / Regulators
Telecommunications
One Call / Notification Centres
Landscaping / Fencing
Railways
Equipment Manufacturer & Sales
Emergency Services
Insurance
The CCGA’s estimated reach is 1.5 million Canadians

10. Canadian Common Ground Alliance - CCGA
Successes:
Damage Prevention White Paper
Harmonized Best Practices
CSA Z247
Damage Prevention Symposiums
DIRT Reports
ClickBeforeYouDig.com
Societal Cost Formula
Bill S-229

11. DIRT
Anonymous damage reporting enabling creation and implementation of practice, training, policy and legislation to prevent a recurrence.
Results…

15. 99%
of Damages are avoided when a locate request is made.

16. Societal costs:
$1 Billion

17. Societal Costs
Formula developed by CIRANO – the Centre for Interuniversity Research & Analysis of Organizations
Considers costs of damage beyond repairs including:
Emergency response
Evacuation
Environmental contamination and remediation
Down-time
Business interruption / loss of production & sales
Re-direction of safety services such as 9-1-1
Loss of business

18. Canada Shifts to “Click” Before You Dig

19. Benefits of Online Locate Requests
Users:
Place locate requests 24/7
Never be on HOLD!
Eliminate errors in data entry
Include attachments / photos
Contact Centres:
Decreased processing time
Reduce cost to members
Members
Attachments reduce the need to locate while maintaining system integrity
So why the web? What are the benefits?
For Users:
Place locate requests 24/7
Never be on HOLD!
Eliminate errors in data entry
Include attachments / photos
For Contact Centres:
Decreased processing time
Reduce cost to members
For Members
Attachments reduce the need to locate while maintaining system integrity
Each of these points outline the benefits of requesting locates online. Alberta and Quebec have set the stage for online locate requesting in North America. In Alberta, for example, online locate requests outpace phone requests by a margin of 4:1. Considering Alberta One-Call processes over half a million locate requests annually, the operational savings have been considerable and have allowed the One-Call centre to increase promotion, awareness and advocacy efforts.

20. Underground Infrastructure Safety Enhancement Act
“An Act respecting underground infrastructure safety… …addresses the need for a comprehensive, rigorous damage-prevention system built around click-before-you-dig notification centres across the country. Such a system is essential to avoid tremendous risks and costs related to damage to our underground infrastructure caused far too frequently by those who dig before they find out literally what is beneath their feet.
- Senator Grant Mitchell

22. Underground Infrastructure Safety Enhancement Act
Next Steps:
Bill S229 now sponsored by Lloyd Longfield, Member of Parliament for Guelph, Ontario
Awaiting speech from the Speaker of the House
Bill expected to be tabled shortly after
Three reading process including Committee review before Royal Assent.

23. I need your help.
S229 needs your help to achieve our goal of Royal Assent and becoming law.
Reach out to your Member of Parliament by phone or .
Follow #SupportS229
Follow and your MP on Social Media
RT / Re-post & “Like” all posts promoting S229

24. Thank you Mike Sullivan Executive Director – Canadian Common Ground Alliance Web: