Located in southern Saskatchewan, Kahkewistahaw First Nation envisioned developing land as a legacy for future generations. Leaders conceived a commercial development on their 16-hectare urban reserve in Saskatoon to attract and support First Nation businesses and entrepreneurs, diversify the Kahkewistahaw economy, and provide permanent jobs for their people. However, a number of complex challenges stood in the path of development.

Located close to Saskatoon’s John G. Diefenbaker Airport, strict zoning regulations governed development of the land. Building height restrictions to ensure safe runway approaches would need to be relaxed, but regulatory approval of new airport zoning regulations could take up to five years, delaying development.

The Kahkewistahaw First Nation retained Associated Engineering to provide project management, land-use planning, and engineering expertise to develop the land and help realize Kahkewistahaw’s vision for a business park near Saskatoon’s airport.

Project Manager, Bill Delainey, tells us, “Associated Engineering participated alongside leaders and members of the Nation to develop a project vision, learn the Nation’s goals, understand the limitations of the site, and agree on what could be built. In collaboration with the Nation, the team undertook site and infrastructure planning, including developing complex approaches to overcome regulatory aviation restrictions and infrastructure issues.”

City of Saskatoon infrastructure was needed to service the site, in particular, a stormwater pond, which was projected to take years for the city to design and construct. Furthermore, Associated Engineering determined that the neighbourhood pond could not service an area in the northeast corner of the site. As well, to comply with Transport Canada regulations, the stormwater ponds had to drain within 48 hours.

In addition, the project had to meet the expectations of the First Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN), which had purchased land on the site and were anxious to construct their new headquarters.

As lead consultant, Associated Engineering led communication and collaboration efforts with stakeholders to facilitate the approvals required for the project to proceed, as well as undertaking project management, planning, design, and construction administration. Our team engaged in consultation and negotiation with the City of Saskatoon, the Airport Authority, NavCanada, and Transport Canada, along with contractors, utilities, and other stakeholders, all the while keeping Kahkewistahaw fully informed and in control.

“To address the lack of municipal stormwater infrastructure, we designed an interim stormwater system that can easily be converted to eventually connect to the city’s permanent stormwater system, once constructed in the future. Advanced modelling was conducted to inform the design, and facilitate a successful transition to a future, permanent infrastructure network.”

The temporary ditch system can be filled-in without affecting any paved surfaces or buildings. The site was divided to store some of the stormwater by directing it to the northeast. A portion of the land was allocated to build a stormwater retention pond so that the area to be developed would be drained by ditches into the pond.

The Kahkewistahaw Landing Business Park opened in November 2022, delivered on time and within the Nation’s $4 million budget. Kahkewistahaw First Nation realized their dream for a business park that provides economic development opportunities, offering jobs and long-term economic security for their people.

The post Collaboration with Saskatoon Airport Authority, City of Saskatoon, and other stakeholders helped fast-track Kahkewistahaw First Nation’s commercial development first appeared on Associated Engineering.

Located 95 kilometres east of Calgary, Siksika Nation is growing quickly, and there is a shortage of safe and quality housing. Existing homes require significant work to bring them up to living standard, and more homes need to be built to accommodate the growing population. Many Elders and residents live in homes requiring repairs or renovations to address safety and health concerns.

The community prioritized Elders’ units and multi-generational homes in which Elders reside for the pilot project. Elders represent the most vulnerable members of the community. Focusing on Elders’ needs first improves safety and well-being for Elders and respects Elders who play a key role in Indigenous Communities, passing on their knowledge and cultural principles.

The Nation needed to identify what work needed to be done, create a strategy (with limited funds and need for transparency) to conduct the required maintenance, and manage the ongoing repairs.

The Siksika Nation Housing Department provides and maintains the Nation’s public housing for approximately 1,235 homes. In 2022, the Housing Department completed over 200 inspections of Elders’ homes with the help of home inspection firms, whose comprehensive reports detailed recommendations for repairs.

The Housing Department has limited funding and labour resources to meet the community’s needs, and also faces capacity constraints. The Department engaged Associated Engineering to assist with developing an efficient and cost-effective action plan, and provide project management support for the first phase of the Elders’ Homes Repair Program. In addition to assisting with the repair program, we helped the Housing Department with strategic planning, and developed tools to help build internal capacity to plan and budget future work.

Project Manager, Abu Waraich, tells us, “Our work included a significant data management component. The home inspection reports contained a large amount of information in text form. Converting this text to a useable form required creating programming scripts to extract and process over 5,000 recommendations from the inspection reports.”

The home inspection reports were completed almost two years ago. The reports assigned priorities to all of the recommendations, so risks to the safety of the residents could be addressed first. However, since the inspections, some of the information in the reports were outdated, and in many cases the condition of different components became worse.

Abu says, “With digitization of the data in the reports, the priorities assigned to different repairs could be modified as new information became available, allowing the project team to quickly pivot and allocate funds within the project budget to the highest risk homes and items. Items which had lower risk to residents could be assigned lower urgency and can be addressed in future phases.”

Our team worked closely with the Housing Department to ensure that they were involved in the development and rollout of plans and tools. When developing the costing spreadsheet to help operations staff estimate the cost of completing repairs and maintenance, Associated worked closely with Housing Department staff and a cost consultant so they could understand the new approach to costing and incorporated their feedback to make the tool as user friendly as possible.

During the repairs and renovations, Associated kept residents informed about the repair work. Project team member, Jorey Robin, says, “We worked hard to establish a rapport with residents. Along with the contractor and the Siksika Housing Department, we met with Elders to describe the work being completed on their homes and explained the phased approach.”

Associated is currently reviewing and organizing the various Housing Capital Programs and identifying where the Nation could improve their data management so that they can improve how they manage projects and funding/grant applications.

Our key personnel on the project are Abu Waraich, Jorey Robin, and Craig MacDonald.

The post Siksika Nation develops strategic approach to improve condition of housing supply first appeared on Associated Engineering.

Since 2022, Associated has been working on the design of Cultural Gathering Centres at Tachet and Wit’at for the Lake Babine Nation in BC.

Freda Leong, Associated’s National Leader, Indigenous Communities, tells us, “We are proud of the positive relationships we have built with the Nation and involving their steering committees and community members in every step of the design of two Cultural Gathering Centres. They have guided us through the design of these spaces which will support the communities. The designs are not twins, but are cousins. They are braided in intention, but include unique and special features – just like the people and the communities of Tachet and Wit’at.”

In 1876, the Federal government enacted the Indian Act, which gives the government the power to manage the affairs of Indigenous Communities and Peoples. The Federal government believed that Indigenous ceremonies like the potlatch prevented the assimilation/integration of Indigenous Peoples, and subsequently instituted an amendment to the Indian Act that banned the potlatch from 1884 to 1951. The loss of ceremony was crippling to Indigenous Peoples, as these ceremonies are deeply tied to their history, language, culture, community, and values.

Freda says, “During a visit to Woyenne, as part of our work on their Capital Asset Needs Assessments, conducted under First Nations Child and Family Services for Lake Babine Nation, we conducted a survey of the local Child and Family Services team and community members. Their responses will help determine the capital asset investments required to support child and family services through a prevention lens. What we heard from community members and Elders during our survey is that there is a need to bring back ceremony, culture, and language; to reconnect to the land, community, and spirit; and to heal through reconnection.”

While in Skidegate, Associated’s team met with the Skidegate Haida Immersion Program (SHIP) and attended an Open House to reach out to Elders and community members to gather their input and knowledge for the Child and Family Services Capital Asset Needs Assessment. One Elder told our team that their strength and sense of self was lost through colonization. Some spoke about the shame and fear of speaking their language when they were young and the punishment for practicing their culture, and how it was forced out of their lives. Elders spoke of the their healing through language and culture, and how they are regaining their strength.

Freda says, “Through wonderful programs such as SHIP, Elders are reconnecting, gathering strength, and passing on their culture, language, and ceremony to community. Today, we see the celebration of language and culture. Language and culture are healing. Gathering is healing. The new Cultural Gathering Centres for these communities will support and advance healing.”

The post Collaborating with Lake Babine Nation identifies unique requirements for new cultural gathering centres first appeared on Associated Engineering.

Associated Engineering is pleased to be a supporting sponsor of this year’s Asssociation of Engineering Companies British Columbia‘s Transportation Conference, taking place in Vancouver, BC on February 14th and 15th. On the opening day of the program, we’re proud to feature two speakers from our local office, as they each share their experiences working on important projects in the province. We also welcome the online attendees to visit our virtual booth to learn more about our transportation sector services.

1:00pm (Stream #2)
Project Update – Granville Connector
Co-presenter: Matteo Agnoloni

Matteo is a structural engineer with nearly 10 years of experience consisting of bridge rehabilitation design, pedestrian bridge design, contract administration, construction supervision, bridge condition assessment, and project management. He is currently working as the Deputy Project Manager and Contract Administrator for the Granville Interim Connector and North Loops Reconfiguration, which is a major active transportation improvement project for the City of Vancouver.

3:30pm
The Significance of Indigenous Knowledge and Wisdom on Projects
Co-panelist: Freda Leong

Freda has over 28 years of experience in the planning, management, assessment, design, and construction of water and wastewater treatment, civil infrastructure, subdivisions, and community buildings and has been working with Indigenous communities since 2005. She currently works directly on projects in BC and the territories. As the National Leader, Indigenous Communities, Freda collaborates with staff across the company to provide input and advice on Indigenous Community projects across Canada.

The post Associated presents at ACEC–British Columbia Transportation Conference 2024 first appeared on Associated Engineering.

assists in operating and maintaining water, wastewater, and municipal infrastructure. A member of the Associated Engineering group of companies, ATAP offers technical support, operations, troubleshooting expertise, and infield and classroom training by highly experienced operators.

The Government of Manitoba Indigenous Reconciliation and Northern Relations engaged ATAP’s Water System Circuit Riders to provide water systems support to northern communities. Circuit Riders provide operators with tailored water treatment education and hands-on support to improve the efficacy and efficiency of their water system operation and maintenance. The intent is for communities to achieve compliance with facility licensing and meet applicable regulations and environmental acts.

Launched in 2021, the initial phase of the program involved six communities (Duck Bay, Camperville, Berens River, Barrows, Comorant, and Sherridon) and focused on addressing the prolonged boil water advisories ordered in these communities. The Water System Circuit Riders currently supplies water system operational support and water system operator training services to the communities of Berens River, Pikwitonei, Thicket Portage, Wabowden, Cross Lake and Nelson House. These six communities are all governed by elected mayors and council under the Northern Affairs Act. A collaborative effort, facilitated by the collective expertise of our Water Circuit Rider team and our extensive network, yielded positive results, enabling five of the communities to independently manage their water systems.

“The aim of the Water System Circuit Riders initiative is to enable operators to effectively manage their community water systems and ensure the availability of clean, fresh drinking water.” – Mark Keller, ATAP Manager

A strong collaboration between operators, ATAP trainers, and government staff results in the creation of a tailored plan which aids operators in acquiring their certification registration and prepares them for in-person training specific to their community water systems.

For operators who have already obtained their certifications, the Water System Circuit Riders assist them in developing standard operating procedures to maintain their systems and ensure they meet their regulatory and operational requirements. The Water System Circuit Riders travel to these remote communities, providing hands-on mentoring and training for essential operational tasks, such as daily water quality monitoring, sample collection and delivery to laboratories for analysis, equipment maintenance, record-keeping, and reporting.

In 2022, the project entered its second phase, encompassing six communities, including two distant northern communities with challenges, particularly in terms of limited access and resources to address issues concerning their water treatment systems. ATAP successfully secured the contract through a tender process. Mark shares, “The communities have struggled to maintain compliance with provincial drinking water requirements and regulations and their water systems have been subject to frequent/long-term water advisories.”

Project Coordinator, Milton Wood, says, “We work with the communities to ensure all regulatory and operational requirements are understood and travel to each location to provide on-site, in-person training to the local operators of the public works systems so they are able to meet the operating challenges and permit requirements consistently.” Training videos, designed for the transfer of knowledge, were also produced as an integral component of the services offered.

Water & Wastewater Systems Specialists, Phil Beaulac and Kevin Sutter, serve as the on-site trainers and are both highly experienced operators. Phil also has numerous years of experience and knowledge gained from working in northern communities. Kevin says, “Two communities are fly-in only, as no other access is available. Due to the remote locations, we stayed with locals.” Phil adds, “With the limited access to available materials, we worked with the operators to overcome issues related to the remote-working environments.”

Our Water Circuit Riders have completed six of nine visits to each community of the 18-month contract. The team members have fostered a mentorship relationship with the operators and have made themselves available around the clock to offer troubleshooting assistance and leverage their extensive experience in the field of water and wastewater management.

Effective communication with all stakeholders, collaborative efforts with the Government of Manitoba, and the participation of northern communities in the program are key components of our ongoing work and successful service delivery.

The post Circuit Riders support water systems and water supply for communities in Northern Manitoba first appeared on Associated Engineering.

Project teams are accustomed to developing solutions and support systems for all phases of project delivery. From identifying a need for new facilities, teams work together to plan and create documents and procedures for design, construction, and commissioning. However, in the lifecycle of a facility, the project delivery phase is only a small piece of a facility’s life. Its operation is much longer, potentially 25 to 30 years, or longer. As such, at the outset, project teams need to consider the facility’s operation for ultimate project success. This involves identifying what support is needed past the commissioning process, when the engineers, contractors, and suppliers, have typically long left the project.

Project teams should be considering the end user from start to finish. This may include:
– Considering ongoing system operation during the design process
– Getting regular feedback from those who will be responsible for the system
– Spending time with the operations staff to understand atypical things they are doing to keep the system running
– Using tools, such as 3D modelling (where appropriate), to improve information sharing and encourage feedback
– Including the operations team in meetings and on-site throughout the construction process
– Including operations in as much of the commissioning process as possible
– Considering additional training and documentation to support the operational transition from one system to a new one

For many systems, the transitional period can be the most difficult, highlighting the need for support during the warranty period. During this time, post-construction support needs to:
– Involve Operators to learn and develop new skills, through training and tools
– Provide tools for safe operations and ongoing maintenance, such as standard operating procedures and maintenance plans
– Identify which activities may require specialized services to support maintenance planning and budgeting
– Consider succession and training of new staff and operators

When considering who can provide support during post-construction activities, projects must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Regardless of who develops and provides the support, it is important for the project team to ensure they are included. Many communities already have transition programs and procedures in place to assist in achieving project success.

However, many smaller communities may not have the capacity to develop these programs as their operations and administration teams are already stretched. Coupled with staffing shortages affecting system providers of all sizes, external support may become even more important. As such, existing external support, such as circuit riders and other local resources, should also be considered at project initiation and included in all phases of the project, where reasonable.

Success is more than just engineering excellence, it is the combination of a well-designed facility and a well-supported operations team. Considering the operations staff throughout the design of the facility and soliciting appropriate feedback will help the team to create a facility that is sustainable and successful, even after the ribbon cutting. While there is a cost for this additional support, the value brought through the process will more than pay for the money spent up-front.

About the author

Robyn Casement, P.Eng. is a Water Engineer with 13 years of experience in analysis, planning, design and construction of municipal and Indigenous projects. She has worked as a Project Engineer and Process Designer for water and wastewater projects, from conceptual modelling to detailed design and construction.

The post [ViewPoints] Engineering-Operations collaboration is key to project success first appeared on Associated Engineering.