Can our infrastructure keep pace with our community and changing conditions?

Infrastructure is one of the most important practical challenges facing Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Water and wastewater capacity, roads, drainage and stormwater management are directly connected to growth, development and public safety.

Recent extreme rainfall and flooding have brought particular attention to the condition and capacity of the Town’s drainage and stormwater systems.

The Town must also address its long-term infrastructure needs, including maintenance, replacement, financing and future capacity.

Residents may want candidates to address:

• Water and wastewater capacity.

• Stormwater management and drainage.

• Flood mitigation and community protection.

• The condition and long-term needs of roads and other municipal infrastructure.

• Short-term maintenance and long-term infrastructure replacement.

• The Town’s infrastructure deficit.

• Infrastructure capacity and readiness before significant development is approved.

• Development charges and the principle that growth should pay for growth-related infrastructure.

• Infrastructure financing, reserves and debt.

• Coordination between the Town, Niagara Region and other levels of government.

• Whether current stormwater standards adequately reflect increasingly extreme rainfall events.

• How the Town should prepare for rainfall events that exceed existing drainage capacity.

Key question for candidates:

Should demonstrated infrastructure capacity and readiness be prerequisites for approving significant new development, and are current stormwater standards adequate for today’s and tomorrow’s extreme rainfall events?