Community engagement activities

Multi-year plans for EPCOR’s water-cycle utilities in Edmonton were informed by public and stakeholder group input. The result was a proposed recalibration of performance measures, optimization of the planned capital program, and evaluation of the proposed plans against community priorities for funding infrastructure renewal.

The strategy and sequencing for addressing corrosion and odour issues within the Edmonton drainage network was informed by public opinion research that quantified and qualitatively described issues at a neighbourhood level and evaluated views toward funding improvements.

A new long-term plan for the facility was created based on Shared Outcomes and Design Principles developed collaboratively by EPCOR and community members. The plan modified operational priorities based on community feedback and made a long-term written commitment to preserve river valley parkland and keep future operations within the existing fenceline.

The risk weightings and plan policies for Edmonton’s nationally-recognized flood protection plan were made based on the public’s values and priorities for flood protection, which were evaluated through an award-winning research program.

We engaged with the community throughout the various stages of development for dry ponds across the City of Edmonton.  Engagement ranged from communications to consultation, and focused on the role of dry ponds, community input on recreation amenity changes, conceptual designs, final site design selection, identifying and addressing construction impacts, and timelines. Typically, at any one time, six dry ponds are in development.

The design for a new 12 MW solar farm was improved based on community input over a three-year period, including changes to the site footprint, the addition of trail easements to improve public access, modifications to plans to naturalize former pasture land, and long-term protocols for Indigenous monitoring and access.

We consulted with residents who had signed up for natural gas service to determine what hurdles were hindering them from getting their gas service energized in their homes. This work found gaps in the availability of the HVAC trades, and led to us providing more support to the HVAC community to help customers.

We worked with the community to develop a plan to reduce the impacts of water main renewal work along a busy road that provides access to resorts with high seasonal traffic levels. To minimize the economic impact to customers, we adjusted the timing of the work to limit disruptions during the tourism season and supported crews who would now perform the work during a period of hotter temperatures.

As we planned for this project that would maintain reliability and address growth in west Edmonton, we collected input from stakeholders to inform the selection of a route that would balance social, economic and environmental considerations. The regulator and stakeholders were supplied with information about the costs and benefits of underground and overhead line configurations.

In addition to consultation, we work to communicate clear and useful information to customers who will be impacted by major utility work. With drainage, water and electricity utilities all relocating utility infrastructure to make way for Edmonton's Valley Line West LRT, we coordinated notifications to approximately 13,000 customers on the route so that stakeholders were given advance notice of the work, and a single point of contact for any questions or issues.