It was an honour to join the Association of Maintenance Contractors of Canada (AMCC) as they launched a critical project on the future of infrastructure maintenance in our country. I want to thank them for inviting me to be part of the conversation. The work they’re undertaking is timely and vital – not only for the industrial maintenance work they do, but for municipalities across this country and the North American economy.
As I prepared for the Symposium, I was taken right back to June. As Calgary’s Mayor, this year has only reaffirmed my belief that the maintenance of critical infrastructure – though ignored in the past – must remain top of mind for all orders of government. It is because of this, that I wanted to share with you what I shared with the audience of AMCC’s First Annual Symposium.
In recent months, Calgary has found itself on the frontlines of a serious infrastructure challenge. In June, we experienced a major water feedermain break – an event that disrupted lives, businesses, and public services. And this happened mere weeks before Alberta’s largest summer event – the Calgary Stampede.
The situation was dire. A major pipe delivering water to hundreds of thousands of residents had failed, and the impact was immediate. I remember the calls I received that first evening and the growing realization that this was no ordinary issue.
This emergency demanded a prompt and focused response by the City, but with the magnitude of the damage, it took a few days to coordinate efforts.
There were no quick answers to the inevitable questions from all of you – Calgarians and those in surrounding areas. What happened? Why did it happen? How long will repairs take? Will we run out of water?
People were worried, and so was I. There was no playbook for this emergency, and we had to act quickly. Now, you all know that things worked out in the end, that we did two sets of important repairs to get that pipe back into service. But I’ll invite you into my headspace from the early days to the second round of repairs.
The feedermain broke on a Wednesday evening, and that’s when I plunged headfirst into the world of pipes and water. I’m no engineer, nor am I an expert in water treatment or heavy construction. So, what was my role in this dire situation? That was the question I grappled with in early days.
The day after the break, I went down to the site and had a conversation with the crew that was clearing water out of the site and prepping for repair. They showed me a chunk of the broken pipe and explained there was a potential fix in mind, but this was not yet finalized.
I spent the following day with the team at Calgary Emergency Management Agency (CEMA), asking questions about who oversaw repairs and who oversaw communicating with Calgarians. Answers were in short supply because the plan was still being formulated.
I was getting antsy by Saturday and still waiting for a plan, so I went to the community of Bowness – where the feedermain break occurred – and spent time with residents, businesses, and volunteers. That was really the pivotal moment for me because those conversations with people most impacted by the break helped me to understand that any crisis throws people into a state of chaos, because the certainty and predictability we crave in everyday life is disrupted. This situation was no exception. Everyone wanted information, and lack of communication lead to catastrophizing.
My team and I spent Saturday night figuring out next steps on how I could get the much needed messaging out to Calgarians, to keep you all informed and provide you with reassurance that we were taking action to address the immediate crisis, and restore water service to more than 1.5 million residents here and surrounding communities.
My role in this emergency became clear. By Sunday morning, we gathered all the communications resources we could on short notice. I did a live feed that was picked up by local news outlets, described the situation in a way Calgarians would understand and committed to twice daily updates.
I pulled a broad team of our city’s Administration together to provide daily briefings, where I asked a lot of questions to break down the technical explanations. Here, I also challenged the usual process of not releasing information until we had all the answers. Instead, we shared what we knew, when we knew it, and kept the public with us along the journey.
And what a journey it was. A week after the break, we had to stop all repairs as we dealt with serious injuries sustained by two crew members. Two short days later, we learned that 5 more hotspots had been detected on the pipe and would require an additional three to five weeks of repair. Three to five more weeks of water conservation by us all.
At that point, I declared a state of local emergency to make sure crews could work as quickly, efficiently, and safely as possible. I leaned heavily on the expertise of Calgary’s private sector. Straight away, I was able to connect our City teams with groups of industry experts, so they could hammer out options, bring together resources and create a sounding board where all ideas were on the table. This collaboration was the foundation of our success.
In the days that followed, we implemented a four-point plan:
ONE: Fixing the Pipe
Our teams worked around the clock, leveraging expertise from Calgary’s private sector to repair the damage and secure the system.
TWO: Third- Party Review and Internal Incident Review
Understanding the root cause of the incident and improving our processes is essential to preventing similar failures in the future.
Once again, I found that our internal teams were reluctant to share information, because the full report from the consultant was not complete. It took effort to explain that absence of information makes it look like you’re hiding something. I was pleased to see a thorough update to Council a couple of weeks later, an update that put the public at ease that the maintenance work had been successful.
We’re still in the process of the independent third-party review that will allow us to learn any lessons we can.
THREE: Ensuring Infrastructure Safety
We prioritized identifying vulnerabilities in our network to protect against future incidents. And as a Council, we could clearly see what happens when you don’t invest properly in monitoring and maintenance. For that reason, the budget we passed at the end of November was an infrastructure budget. We invested in technology, maintenance, and proactive planning for redundancies in case of any future emergencies.
FOUR: National Focus on Aging Infrastructure
This isn’t just Calgary’s challenge – it’s a national one, and it requires national solutions. This is why we are all here today. Maintenance matters, whether it’s the large-scale industrial work you folks undertake or providing safe drinking water to Calgarians, or simply ensuring our roads are paved – and not just with good intentions.
This four-point plan guided our actions and will continue to shape how we think about infrastructure maintenance moving forward.
I want to express again that Calgary’s issues are not unique, and similar strategies for infrastructure maintenance should be in all places in all municipalities. Across North America, aging infrastructure has become a growing crisis. Cities like Atlanta, Denver, and Quebec City have faced similar water-related crises, and it’s only a matter of time before this challenge reaches others.
The truth is this is a legacy issue spanning decades. Maintenance and infrastructure investments have often been written off as “too expensive” or deprioritized in favour of other short-term goals. But neglecting critical infrastructure has serious consequences. These decisions don’t just delay problems – they exacerbate them.
In Calgary, we may have been fortunate to get our warning early.
And I had built enough relationships with experts in multiple industries who were able to help us address the issue quickly. During that time, I’m sure we gained insights from many AMCC member companies.
So yes, we may have been lucky this time, but luck is not a strategy, and hope is not a plan. This was a wake-up call for every municipality in Canada, every order of government and every business owner that has neglected infrastructure needs as too expensive or too time consuming.
Infrastructure is more than pipes and concrete – it’s the foundation of our quality of life. It supports public safety, economic growth, and community well-being. When we neglect it, we risk lives, livelihoods, and the very fabric of our communities.
The industrial maintenance sector plays a critical role in this work. Your expertise ensures that systems operate as intended, that small problems don’t become catastrophic failures, and that we build resilience into everything we do.
This isn’t just about Calgary – it’s about Canada. This isn’t just about water pipes, it’s about all infrastructure and ensuring it is maintained properly. It is an investment in our future.
All governments across the country need to address infrastructure maintenance with the seriousness it deserves.
The overarching issue for all governments is the same: our aging infrastructure demands investment, innovation, and leadership.
As a local government in Calgary, we took heed of the warning that was issued to us in the summer with the feedermain break. This November my council colleagues and I passed an Affordability Budget, which also placed significant focus on infrastructure funding.
In our city’s specific case, we find ourselves in a significant infrastructure deficit. Meaning, we are unable to keep up with critical maintenance and growth. This is because other orders of government are not pulling their weight or sharing their burden. So, you’ll hear me speaking out on this issue loudly and regularly. I will continue to advocate for proper federal and provincial infrastructure funding as I don’t want to continue leaving a legacy of infrastructure debt to future Calgarians.
I would encourage all of you to consider speaking loudly and regularly as well, I’d encourage anyone in the industry to advocate for the maintenance of infrastructure that drives the economy of this country. Because we know that advocacy works – especially when public and private sector partners work together.
I’ve spoken to leaders at the provincial and federal governments about this issue. We’ve discussed the need for partnerships and funding that support cities in their efforts to maintain and improve infrastructure.
But words must turn into action. No one can carry this burden alone. We need a national strategy that prioritizes maintenance as an essential investment in Canada’s future.
The alarm bells have been raised by many groups – various construction associations across Canada, the Canada West Foundation, the Rural Municipalities Association, and others – about the critical state of Canada’s infrastructure.
Reports such as Canada West’s “From Shovel-Ready to Shovel-Worthy” highlight the need for infrastructure investments that are not just immediate but also strategic, ensuring long-term value and alignment with community needs. Their point about investing in trade corridors and strengthened supply chain and logistics infrastructure was not lost on me.
Concerns have been raised about Canada’s ability to sustain growth. These calls to action stress that investing in infrastructure is not a luxury – it’s a necessity for economic resilience and national progress.
That’s why two years ago, I teamed up with our neighboring rural municipality, Rocky View County, to develop a plan for a new industrial hub on Calgary’s east side that’s connected by rail, called the Prairie Economic Gateway. We worked closely with CPKC from the beginning, which has earned us a top-tier rating for their North American rail investments. This partnership shows our commitment to building the essential infrastructure needed for this ambitious project. As a result, we are on track to become Canada’s leading inland port. Additionally, our Prairie Economic Gateway project will help protect us from potential disruptions at sea ports, reinforcing our role as a key trade route.
The work AMCC is undertaking is a significant step forward. By convening industry leaders, experts, and stakeholders, they’re shaping the future of infrastructure maintenance in Canada. These efforts provide critical insights, innovative solutions, and a framework for addressing challenges head-on.
It is of critical importance that we all raise the profile of the role that maintenance of industrial infrastructure plays in our economy and overall well-being.
I encourage this industry to continue pushing boundaries, challenging assumptions, and driving the conversation forward. Their expertise is invaluable, and their leadership will make a difference not just for Calgary but for communities across Canada.
As Calgary’s Mayor, I remain committed to advocating for our city’s needs while contributing to the broader conversation about infrastructure in Canada. I will continue to call on other orders of government to work collaboratively with municipalities and industry leaders. The current infrastructure maintenance deficit needs to get the attention it deserves.
Together, we can turn the lessons of today into a legacy of innovation and sustainability for future generations.
Thank you to the AMCC, their members, and all of those who dedicate their lives to critical infrastructure and construction – the backbone of the places we live, work, and play. Your commitment, your expertise, and your vision drive us all. I look forward to continuing this important work.