Municipal Natural Asset Initiative: Pilot for the Region of Peel

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1 Municipal Natural Asset Initiative: Pilot for the Region of Peel Natural Capital Workshop March 29, 2017 Tatiana Koveshnikova Senior Coordinator: Ecosystem Goods and Services

2 Outline Natural Capital and Its Civic Functions Municipal Natural Asset Initiative (MNAI): an overview Region of Peel MNAI Pilot: ü Project Background and Rationale ü Project Partners ü Scope of the Pilot: Area, Services and Assets of Interest ü Key Steps and Timelines ü Expected Outcomes ü Challenges and Lessons Learned

3 Natural Capital Natural Assets Generates Ecosystem Services Contributes to Health and Well-being Protection from floods Waste assimilation Water supply Air filtration Carbon storage Rivers Forests Wetlands Meadows Recreation Physical Mental Social Economic 3

4 Need for Municipal/Regional Natural Capital Asset Management: Grey infrastructure is under stress and needs investment Solution? A strategy to conserve and enhance natural capital by measuring and managing it within asset and financial management frameworks and processes This would: Reduce the risk, capital and operating expenses of related grey infrastructure (as some natural assets can deliver equivalent services at lower cost/risk) Improve infrastructure climate resiliency Assist in maintaining the desired level of service

5 Municipal Natural Asset Initiative (MNAI) The premise: asset management provides a new and powerful mechanism to measure and manage natural capital in a systematic manner and supports transparent, replicable and evidence-based decision making The goal: to support municipalities in recognizing, measuring and managing the contribution of natural systems to people and municipal service delivery using municipal asset management business processes Natural capital must absolutely be brought in to asset management business processes. Doing so will give municipal councils a more accurate and holistic picture of their assets, liabilities and opportunities (Wally Wells, Executive Director of Asset Management BC)

6 MNAI Pilots 4 Convening Partners: Brooke & Associates, David Suzuki Foundation, Smart Prosperity, and Town of Gibsons, BC 5 Pilot Projects: Region of Peel, Town of Oakville, City of Grand Forks, City of Nanaimo, and District of West Vancouver Funding Partners: Real Estate Foundation of BC, Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation, Salamander foundation + Contribution from Pilot Municipalities (Region of Peel) Timeline: April 2016 to December 2017

7 Region of Peel MNAI Pilot: Rationale MNAI team was looking for participants with demonstrated leadership and competency in both natural capital valuation and municipal asset management CVC s expertise and resources: - expertise in core areas ranging from hydrology modelling to economic valuation of natural capital - extensive database, including GIS, climate, water quality, hydrology and economic valuation data The Region of Peel s corporate asset management and state of good repair programs employing leading best practices Interest in producing results of analysis that could be Region-wide/watershedwide in scope vs. site-specific Interest in issues related to water quality and the linkage to water treatment plant operations (water quality loading at Lake Ontario) as well as water quantity, flood mitigation and erosion mitigation and the corresponding benefits to stormwater management infrastructure

8 MNAI in the Region of Peel: Partners Region of Peel: Public Works (Transportation, Water Division and Infrastructure Planning), Asset Management and Strategic Planning CVC: Watershed Knowledge (EG&S, Water and Climate Change Science, Landscape Science, Inventory & Monitoring), Watershed Management (Hydrology & Flood Risk Mapping, NH management), Corporate Services (Information Management GIS and Marketing & Communications), Watershed Transformation TRCA Area Municipalities (City of Brampton, Town of Caledon, and City of Mississauga)

9 Pilot Scope: Fletcher's Creek (urban) and East Credit (rural) Size of the Pilot Area Fletcher s Creek: 45 km 2 East Credit: 51 km 2 Scope of the Natural Assets Scope of the Services Wetlands, Woodlands, Other NAs Flood Mitigation, Water Quality and Quantity Need to test the model before scaling up

10 Region of Peel MNAI Pilot: Key Questions What is the value of the services in financial terms provided by selected natural assets with respect to avoidance of flooding/erosion, maintenance of water quality and water quantity? How will the observed climate change trends impact the natural assets and the services they provide? What are the management options with a view of maximization of these services?

11 Region of Peel MNAI Pilot: Expected Outcomes Determination of value of services provided by existing natural assets Understanding the value of the natural asset features in terms of avoiding a built (engineered) stormwater system Assessment of natural asset management and/or enhancement options to minimise local flooding, as well as address water quality and quantity issues Development of a process to incorporate natural assets into the Region of Peel s existing asset management process Understanding of O&M costs of management options for the natural assets under each scenario Understanding of how data from the pilot could support Stormwater Management Plans Determining communications and outreach material to engage local population in understanding the value of natural assets to promote behavioural change

12 Region of Peel MNAI Pilot: Tasks and Timelines Task Sub-tasks Timeline Data Preparation Model Set Up (EPA SWMM) Scenario Development Economic Valuation (Avoided Damage and/or Replacement Cost) MOU Work plan Communication strategy Assessment of data needs Inventory/classification of natural assets and services Modeling existing conditions Scenario discussion Scenario modelling: Climate change Scenario modelling: Management options Discussing results of hydrology model with MNAI team Economic valuation June-Dec 2016 Jan-May 2017 April-May 2017 May-Aug 2017 Sep-Nov 2017 Scaling up/expanding (beyond pilot) 2018 and beyond

13 Groundwater elevation (masl) Precipitation (mm) wetlands level modeled wetland level precip Calibration of Groundwater levels in the wetland using monitored data

14 Challenges and Lessons Learned Challenges High level of effort required given the pilot scope Tight timelines and the need to get feedback from many staff and partners on the key project documents and communication materials Other communication challenges (exchange of information, time zones, varying approval processes) Need for buy-in from staff in Pubic Works, Finance, etc. Gains Understanding of model limitations and proper use of pilot results to inform decision-making Gained insights into model selection for these types of projects Promotion of NA valuation approaches and relevance to asset management

15 Questions? Contacts MNAI Region of Peel pilot: General MNAI info: