City of Kenora looks at new ways of funding storm sewers

The City of Kenora is looking for ways to pay for storm sewer repairs, upgrades and replacement.

Currently, that work is being paid through the tax base.

Peter Simcisko from Watson and Associates says there’s almost $70 million worth of assets that have to be taken care of.

“That includes about 43 kilometres of the underground storm water pipes…over 700 catch basins…more than 700 maintenance holes and just under almost 500 culverts as well,” Simcisko told city council recently when delivering an initial report on funding storm sewers.

Simcisko adds that it’s important to maintain these assets.

“Like all infrastructure the storm water system is aging, and it would be prudent to take a proactive approach of investing into on-going maintenance that would prevent potential emergency repairs down the road and would avoid spending on costly emergency repairs.”

Simcisko says a number of municipalities in Ontario have gone to a user pay system for storm sewers, which shares the cost more equitably between residential and non-residential areas.