Federal Government partnering with CCGA

The Government of Canada and the Canadian Common Ground Alliance (CCGA) are developing a new pilot project aimed at preventing damage to underground infrastructure.

The pilot project is a collaboration between Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) and the CCGA to coordinate notification processes before an excavation occurs on federal lands, as well as raise awareness for the protection of underground infrastructure across Canada.

“Our government is proud to work with the Canadian Common Ground Alliance to reinforce measures that will further ensure the safety of construction workers and Canadians while protecting the federal underground infrastructure," said Steven MacKinnon, Parliamentary secretary to the minister of PSPC.

This pilot project builds on the work the Honourable Grant Mitchell, senator for Alberta, and Lloyd Longfield, member of Parliament for Guelph, have done with the CCGA in supporting Bill S-229 and damage prevention for underground infrastructure across Canada.

The pilot project will determine what steps PSPC must take to notify and register their underground infrastructure with a provincial One-Call centre and to provide necessary information to excavators when buried facilities are nearby.

As part of the pilot project, PSPC and the CCGA will work with other government departments and agencies to promote a consistent approach to damage prevention for underground infrastructure that adopts the objectives of Bill S-229, an Act respecting underground infrastructure safety. These agencies include regulators with jurisdiction over underground infrastructure — Natural Resources Canada, Transport Canada, and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada — and agencies that manage Federal land — National Defence, Parks Canada, and PSPC.

PSPC and the CCGA will share the results with government agencies so that they can implement them.

While the pilot project adopts the requirements of Bill S-229, the project is an independent initiative.