East Gwillimbury (EG) manages a diverse portfolio of assets that support the delivery of essential municipal services. These include:

  • Transportation infrastructure (Roads, bridges, sidewalks, streetlights, etc.)
  • Water systems
  • Wastewater systems
  • Stormwater infrastructure
  • Buildings and facilities
  • Fleet and equipment
  • Parks and recreational assets
  • Fire and Emergency Service infrastructure
  • Information technology systems
  • Library assets

These assets are essential to the health, safety, and quality of life of our community. Effective asset management helps the Town provide reliable services today while planning responsibly for future growth and infrastructure maintenance, repair, and replacement needs.

What is Asset Management?

Asset management is the ongoing process of planning, maintaining, renewing, and replacing the Town's infrastructure and assets throughout their lifecycle. It helps the Town make informed decisions about when to purchase, build, maintain, repair, replace, or retire assets to ensure they continue to meet the community's needs in a cost-effective and sustainable way.

Asset management is an ongoing journey of continuous improvement. By regularly monitoring asset condition, performance, and costs, the Town can make informed decisions that support sustainable service delivery and long-term financial planning.

Why is Asset Management Important?

Asset management helps deliver safe, reliable, and sustainable municipal services in a cost-effective manner. It provides a structured approach to managing infrastructure investments while balancing community expectations, financial resources, and long-term sustainability.

A strong asset management program enables EG to:

  • Maintain and improve service delivery for residents and businesses.
  • Make informed, evidence-based investment decisions.
  • Prioritize infrastructure renewal and replacement based on need.
  • Manage risks associated with aging infrastructure and changing service demands.
  • Use public funds responsibly and transparently.
  • Support long-term financial sustainability and future growth.

 Successful asset management requires balancing three key components:

  1. Levels of Service: Understanding the services residents expect and ensuring infrastructure supports those expectations.
  2. Risk: Identifying and managing risks related to asset condition, performance, safety, and reliability.
  3. Cost: Investing wisely to maximize the value of public assets while considering lifecycle costs and affordability.
Ontario Legislation and Regulations

Asset management planning is a legislated requirement for municipalities in Ontario and plays an important role in ensuring infrastructure is managed responsibly for current and future generations.

The Infrastructure for Jobs and Prosperity Act, 2015 establishes principles for infrastructure planning across Ontario. The Act encourages municipalities to make evidence-based decisions that support economic prosperity, job creation, environmental sustainability, resilient communities, and responsible investment in public infrastructure.

The Ontario Regulation 588/17: Asset Management Planning for Municipal Infrastructure, builds on these principles by establishing minimum asset management requirements for all Ontario municipalities. The regulation requires municipalities to manage infrastructure throughout its entire lifecycle, helping ensure assets continue to deliver reliable services in a financially sustainable manner.

Effective asset management extends beyond maintaining infrastructure. It supports informed decisions about investing, operating, maintaining, renewing, and replacing assets while balancing levels of service, risk, and affordability. To achieve this, the regulation requires municipalities to:

  • Develop and maintain a Strategic Asset Management Policy
  • Prepare and maintain an Asset Management Plan that includes all municipal infrastructure assets
  • Assess the current condition and performance of infrastructure assets
  • Estimate lifecycle activities, costs, and funding needs
  • Define current and proposed levels of service
  • Consider risks, population growth, and climate change impacts when planning for infrastructure investments
  • Monitor progress and continuously improve asset management practices

Municipalities must also report annually to Council on the implementation of their Asset Management Plan. In addition, both the Asset Management Plan and Strategic Asset Management Policy must be reviewed and updated at least once every five years to ensure they remain current, reflect changing community needs, and align with legislative requirements and municipal priorities.

EG is committed to meeting the requirements of Ontario Regulation 588/17 and applying asset management best practices. Through ongoing asset management planning, the Town is working to ensure that its infrastructure continues to provide reliable services and value to residents, businesses, and future generations.
EG's Asset Management Journey