From Committee to National Influence: The Evolution of the Canadian Common Ground Alliance

Mike Sullivan, President – Utility Safety Partners

The Canadian Common Ground Alliance (CCGA) has grown from humble beginnings into a national force for underground infrastructure safety. As someone who lived through its earliest days, I can say with pride that the CCGA's journey is one of collaboration, persistence, and unwavering dedication to damage prevention and public safety.

Origins of a National Voice

The CCGA started as a loose committee of regional partners and interested parties, united by a shared concern for the safety and efficiency of buried infrastructure. As discussions matured and collaboration deepened, it became clear that Canada needed a national Common Ground Alliance—one that could coordinate efforts across provincial regional partners, industries, and government sectors. That realization marked the birth of the CCGA.

Championing 811 for Canada

One of our first major national initiatives was to secure 811 as a dedicated number for damage prevention. The CCGA was approached to lead this campaign and immediately launched a funding drive to hire legal counsel experienced with Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) applications. We raised $100,000 in a remarkably short time—an undeniable signal of national interest.

Todd Scott, who was the Chair of the CCGA at the time, and I began reaching out to provinces already using 811 for health services to understand its current usage and assess how it could be dual-purposed. We submitted a detailed application to the CRTC proposing shared use. While the process was complex, it resulted in a ruling that ultimately denied 811 to be used for both health services and damage prevention. As an “Option B”, I secured ClickBeforeYouDig.com believing (hoping?) that the future of locate requests would shift to the web someday. While the application process cost the CCGA and its stakeholders 100K to hire a lawyer familiar with the CRTC application process, securing the ClickBeforeYouDig.com URL cost $12.95 on GoDaddy.

Early Political Recognition

Senator Rod Zimmer played a key role in giving the CCGA early recognition on the national stage. Twice, he acknowledged DigSafe Month in the Senate and invited me to visit him in Ottawa, marking our first significant federal engagement.

Advocacy on the Hill

Our relationship with government deepened when the Canadian Gas Association invited the CCGA to appear before the Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources. Chaired by Senator Grant Mitchell, the committee was examining the safe transport of hydrocarbons. I presented the CCGA’s objectives and emphasized the case for pipelines over rail as the safer option for transporting hydrocarbons and introduced the One-Call element into the Committee’s dialogue.

The committee’s subsequent recommendations validated our mission. They called on the federal government to promote One-Call centers, require infrastructure location information before excavation, and establish a national access point for underground infrastructure data.

Second Appearance and Stronger Recommendations

Senator Mitchell invited me back to testify on the committee’s new study, Digging Safely: One-Call Notification Systems and the Prevention of Damage to Canada’s Buried Infrastructure. With support from the Canadian Energy Pipeline Assocation and the Canadian Gas Association, our testimony contributed to a 2014 Senate report that included four pivotal recommendations:

Federal reference to CSA Z247 in legislation.
Mandatory use of One-Call services for buried infrastructure on federal lands.
Federally-regulated facility owners must be One-Call members.
Conditional federal grants encouraging provinces to legislate mandatory One-Call participation.

Bill S233 to S229: Drafting Legislation

Over lunch, Senator Mitchell and I sparked the beginning of Bill S233. Parliamentary Counsel helped the CCGA draft legislative language. Though S233 was delayed by a federal election, this pause allowed us to revise the draft with public input—ultimately transforming it into Bill S229.

In May 2017, S229 passed third reading in the Senate. It was the first time such legislation was recognized and adopted at the federal level. MP Lloyd Longfield agreed to sponsor it in the House of Commons. As the House rose for the summer break, a potential roadblock emerged when S229 was deemed a "Money Bill," but the House Speaker ruled in November that it could proceed.

Unfortunately, after initial meetings with federal ministries, Longfield withdrew his support without explanation. The bill died after second reading.

A Partial Victory and Strategic Shift

In June 2018, Todd and I were invited to Gatineau for high-level meetings with federal MPs. Though we didn’t secure legislation, the CCGA signed an MOU with the Government of Canada to improve underground infrastructure protection on federal lands—a hard-earned consolation prize.

That same year, Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) reached out to me to begin registering buried assets in the National Capital Region—an important operational win stemming from our advocacy.

A Fork in the Road

In June 2019, the CCGA held a facilitated session in Edmonton to assess its future direction. Later that September, I stepped down as Executive Director, and Chair, Doug Lapp, transitioned the CCGA Board into a hands-on “Working Board.”

Then came 2020—and with it, the COVID-19 pandemic. The CCGA, like many organizations, had to quickly adapt its operations. Those were some hard years. The CCGA had lost considerable momentum on the legislation front and without the annual symposiums, revenues were drying up quickly.

CCGA’s new Executive Director,Todd Scott, takes the helm

For over five years, the CCGA has maintained the ‘working board’ dynamic, and during that time, Doug Lapp was instrumental in righting the CCGA’s financial cycle that was affected by the pandemic. That financial levelling has allowed the CCGA to secure a new dedicated Executive Director in Todd Scott.

Recently, the CCGA held a strategy session in Calgary. Board members discussed the CCGA’s future and leveraging elements where the CCGA can play a significant role. It also solidified what the CCGA does well and where it can improve. Deliverables like the DIRT Report, Harmonized Best Practices Manual and annual Damage Prevention Symposium shall remain the cornerstones of the CCGA but the Board sees opportunities to improve them and for the CCGA to reach a more nimble existence.

The CCGA’s story is far from over. Its evolution from a committee to a national authority on damage prevention is a testament to what can be achieved through collaboration, strategic advocacy, and a commitment to public safety. While not every battle was won, each step taken laid a stronger foundation for a safer Canada. 

Learn more on Episode 74 of The Safety Moment podcast