Alberta Municipalities Wastewater Innovation Task Force White Paper

Contributing Members: Jennifer Massig, P.Eng. | Jennifer Trzok | Jessica Letitzia, MEDes

After conducting a survey of its members, Alberta Municipalities (AB Munis) found that municipalities in Alberta were facing challenges with increases in environmental regulation, increases in wastewater capital costs, and they were facing an increasing financial burden related to their wastewater operations. As a result, AB Munis requested that MAGNA act as a Wastewater Innovation Task Force, with the ultimate goal of providing their members with recommendations for red tape reduction surrounding wastewater innovation, and to provide a model for sustainable wastewater funding.

The project team conducted engagement sessions with key parties and assessed low risk policies in other jurisdictions before developing a policy map that showed how government ministries contributed to the existing wastewater policies. This allowed the Project Team to gain a holistic perspective on existing policies and created an opportunity for the Project Team to identify opportunities to streamline processes related to wastewater innovation while ensuring necessary regulation stayed in place.