Approximately $42.5 million in repair, maintain and replacement (RMR) projects have been conditionally approved for next year in St. Albert, covering everything from sidewalk repairs and potholes to wastewater.
The 41 projects, which are broken up into $23.4 million worth of municipal projects and $19.1 million worth of utility projects, received unanimous support during the July 6 council meeting with no amendments. The plans were first presented to the city's community growth and infrastructure standing committee on June 9.
The RMR budgets are the least likely to see changes or cuts to make sure the city's assets are in good health, but funds may be pushed back to future years or allocated to different items depending on lifecycle priorities.
For example, the $1.3 million planned for the city's back lanes program in 2021 was pushed back in favour of other areas needing more immediate attention next year.
"A piece of equipment could be on the slate for replacement this year, but if it looks like it could have a longer useful life, (staff) will make those amendments," explained Diane McMordie, the city's director of finance.
The capital RMR funding from taxpayers is at $3.6 million, with the rest coming from grants, capital reserves and lifecycle reserves.
Like most municipalities in Alberta, St. Albert uses the provincial municipal sustainability initiative (MSI) and the federal gas tax to ensure it can pay for its assets. With MSI set to expire in 2021-22, the city will have to draw more from depleting reserve funds and other grants to cover costs.
"If the reserves get too low, then we would have to use more grants in the meantime," McMordie said.
The RMR budgets were approved earlier than usual this year to give staff enough time to submit request for proposals (RFP) for slated projects, and get in grant applications early for next year, McMordie said.
Those budgets could still come back to council if any changes need to be made.
With the funds the city has, councillors will be able to approve up to $14.5 million for new capital projects when they consider next year's budget this fall.
RMR spending changes
Approximately $23.4 million was allocated for municipal RMR and $19.1 million for utility RMR.
Overall, around $4.3 million was taken out of the 2021 RMR budgets.
Taking a look at plans for roadways and sidewalks next year, no changes were made to the city's budgets for the rehabilitation of arterial roads and multi-use trails.
The sidewalk program did see a $247,000 drop to $500,000.
Bridge repair dropped by $5,000 to $275,000, and traffic signal maintenance dropped by $50,000 to $500,000.
Emergency equipment replacement for the fire department got a $67,000 bump for next year to $272,000.
Money used to replace aging transit buses in the city's fleet saw a $2.1 million drop, from $2.9 million to $758,000.
The municipal facilities repair and renewal budget saw the biggest increase, from $4.7 million to $6.2 million in 2021.
Not all facilities had undergone a condition assessment when that $4.7 million figure was first approved, so those costs were added in for next year, said Anthony Lake, director of public works and transit.
New items slated for 2021 included $140,300 for a pottery studio gas kiln upgrade, a LED lighting retrofit for Servus Place for $750,500, Fowler athletic park refurbishment for $250,000, and Larose Park court refurbishment for $470,000.
On the utility side, the pump station and Sturgeon reservoir rehabilitation program changed by $2.3 million to $200,000 in 2021.
That infrastructure will need to be completely replaced at a hefty price tag, and with cash flow concerns expected for next year, administration recommended to push the project back a year instead. The city's 10-year utility RMR list shows plans to spend $2.5 million on that project in 2022, followed by $21.7 million in 2023.
–with files from Hannah Lawson
