2021 Business Plan Ontario Clean Water Agency
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Ontario Clean Water Agency 2021 Business Plan
Table of Contents
Executive Summary ........................... 1 Submission of the Business Plan Error!
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Environmental Scan ........................... 3
Appendix A OCWA: An Overview..... 55
The COVID-19 Pandemic ....................3
The Economy.......................................6 Mandate ............................................ 55
Federal & Provincial Infrastructure Vision and Mission ............................ 56
Funding ................................................7 Governance ....................................... 56
Industry Trends ....................................8 Accountability .................................... 57
Federal & Provincial Legislation ........14 OCWA’s Operations and Activities .... 58
Provincial Government Priorities .......17 Appendix B 2020 Mandate Letter .... 60
Workforce Issues ...............................19
Appendix C Human Resources Plan 63
Business Transformation Program ....20
Staffing Overview .............................. 63
Strategic Direction............................ 22
HR Trends and Challenges ............... 64
Driving Business Growth by Delivering Key Human Resources Priorities ...... 64
Total Solutions to Clients ...................22
Enhancing Efficiency through Business
Appendix D Information Technology
Process Improvements ......................28 Plan ................................................. 66
Serving Client Communities and Appendix E Communications
Supporting Provincial Priorities ..........31 Strategy ........................................... 69
Ensuring the Health and Well-being of OCWA’s Audiences ........................... 69
our Employees ...................................35
Key Messages ................................... 69
2021-23 Strategic Goals and
Key Initiatives for 2021 ...................... 71
Performance Measures .....................41
Internal Communication .................... 71
2021 Initiatives & Performance
Measures ...........................................41 External Communication ................... 72
Risk Assessment and Management . 46 Appendix F Initiatives Involving Third
Parties .................................... 74
Business Plan Communication ........ 48
Aligning Services to Plan Goals...Error!
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Monitoring Progress.. Error! Bookmark
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Performance Measurement .........Error!
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Internal Communication of the
Business Plan .... Error! Bookmark not
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Business Plan & Annual Report
Communication Timelines ...........Error!
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Executive Summary
OCWA’s Business Plan for 2021-23 builds on the success of the growth
strategies and other initiatives that have been the Agency’s focus for a
number of years, with strategic initiatives that are grouped into four key areas
of focus:
Driving Business Growth by Delivering Total Solutions to Clients;
Enhancing Efficiency through Business Process Improvements;
Serving Client Communities and Supporting Provincial Priorities; and
Ensuring the Health, Safety and Success of our Employees.
In addition to these focus areas, the safety and wellness of its employees
Agency will continue to place an and other stakeholders.
emphasis on ensuring regulatory
compliance; providing clean, safe OCWA’s long-term growth strategy
drinking water to Ontario communities; continues to focus on maintaining the
and protecting and improving the Agency’s existing client base in Ontario,
environment, including the Great Lakes. expanding the scope of services
provided to these clients and attracting
The COVID-19 pandemic had a new clients. A core component of this
significant impact on OCWA in 2020. In strategy is the delivery of value-added
order to maintain the Agency’s services to clients that go beyond the
operations across Ontario and minimize delivery of operations and maintenance
the impact of the pandemic on the services and focuses on providing “total
Agency’s clients while protecting water solutions” at every stage of the
employee health and safety, OCWA’s infrastructure life cycle. This includes
workplace policies, procedures and supporting municipal infrastructure
health and safety protocols were renewal by assisting clients in managing
adapted as required. As the pandemic their assets and working with them to
progresses and the province works to plan, finance and ensure the long-term
reopen the economy and respond to a sustainability of their systems. OCWA is
second, and potentially subsequent confident that by focusing on and
waves of the virus in 2021, the Agency meeting client needs, the Agency can
will continue to modify its workplace not only maintain its existing business
policies and practices when necessary, and expand its client base over time, but
with a focus on ensuring the health,2
significantly increase its value to the its stakeholders and the public. Priorities
province and the public as well. include:
Finding efficiencies and becoming a Educating Ontario communities about
more productive and effective the value of water through OCWA’s
organization is one of the many ways in two signature public awareness and
which OCWA provides value to clients. education programs, the I Don’t Flush
Continually looking for better ways to public awareness campaign and the
manage operations and reduce the cost OneWater® Education Program
of service delivery to municipal clients
Supporting the development of
remains an ongoing priority. As part of
sustainable water and wastewater
the Agency’s commitment to finding
solutions for First Nation communities
organizational efficiencies and improving
the ways in which it does business, Refining the Agency’s emergency
OCWA will continue to enhance and response capabilities; supporting the
supplement the Agency’s information province and Ontario municipalities in
technology systems and better refine the creation of a wastewater-based
the Agency’s business processes. The epidemiology program for COVID-19;
Agency will also continue to implement and
enhancements to its procurement Supporting the province in developing
processes to ensure that clients receive and implementing a real time
the best value. wastewater bypass and overflow-
monitoring program for Ontario.
As a public Agency, meeting business
objectives is just one part of how OCWA OCWA will also work to build a safe and
defines its success as an organization. inclusive corporate culture by
Much of the value that OCWA brings to implementing programs and initiatives
its clients, its employees and the people that ensure the Agency is a diverse,
of Ontario comes from the work that the inclusive, equitable and respectful place
Agency does to protect the environment, to work. This includes having a well-
improve public health, promote water developed leadership pipeline, making
stewardship, support innovation in the employee health, safety and wellness a
province and provide opportunities for priority, and ensuring that employees
economic development and growth. In are engaged and contributing
2021 and beyond, OCWA will continue productively to the workplace, while
to support initiatives that bring value to helping the organization to achieve its
goals.3
Environmental Scan
Factors that will external factors internal factors
affect fiscal, operating & The COVD-19 Pandemic Workforce Issues
management The Economy Business Transformation
objectives 2021-23 Federal and Provincial Program
Infrastructure Funding
Industry Trends
Federal and Provincial
Legislation
The COVID-19 Pandemic
The most significant external factor that Agency’s Corporate Emergency
OCWA, like the rest of the world, has Response and Continuity of Operations
been dealing with throughout 2020, and Plans, emergency response plans are in
will continue to deal with in 2021 and place for each OCWA-operated facility,
possibly in the years beyond, is the including Critical Shortage of Staff
COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19, which contingency plans. These plans were
emerged in early 2020, has had a very successful in minimizing the impact
significant impact on the Canadian and of the pandemic on the Agency’s staff
Ontario economies, with lockdowns and and clients and maintaining the
restrictions in place to varying degrees operation of client water and wastewater
since March of 2020 impacting both treatment facilities across the province
travel and commerce. Since the start of with minimal to no disruption.
the pandemic, OCWA has made a
significant and successful effort to OCWA`s past investments in automation
maintain the Agency’s operations across and remote monitoring of alarm,
the province and minimize the impact of compliance and operational data
the pandemic on the Agency’s clients enabled the Agency’s operations staff to
while continuing to ensure a healthy and safely and confidently monitor facility
safe work environment for its operational processes off-site, which
employees. proved to be of critical importance
during mandated periods of staff
OCWA has had a comprehensive isolation and social distancing. Likewise,
Emergency Management program in the investments that the Agency has
place for many years. In addition to the made in mobile and remote network4
devices and systems over the past two Providing training and resources to
decades to provide staff with secure managers and staff on topics like
access to the Agency’s business personal hygiene, mental health,
application platforms have helped to managing remote workers and health
ensure that staff were ready and and safety protocols for Joint Health
equipped to work remotely from the and Safety Committees and staff;
beginning of the pandemic. The majority
Instituting regular calls with the
of corporate and operational support
Agency’s Executive Management
staff were able to transition seamlessly
Team, Senior Leadership Team and
to the new work model and with minimal
Emergency Action Group and the
disruption of the Agency’s business
Ministry of the Environment,
activities.
Conservation and Parks’ Senior
Additional actions undertaken by OCWA Leadership Team;
in response to the pandemic included: Providing regular update messages to
staff, including a weekly update from
Having employees work remotely the President and Chief Executive
where operationally feasible; Officer;
Implementing social distancing Placing the OCWA Emergency
measures and enhanced cleaning Response Teams on standby;
protocols in OCWA facilities;
Working with the Ministry of the
Postponing non-essential work and Environment, Conservation and Parks
staggering shift start times and lunch and other ministries to procure
breaks/times to minimize the potential personal protective equipment (PPE)
for employee contact; for OCWA staff and delivering surplus
Working with staff and joint health PPE to areas and outside institutions
and safety committees to adjust and that were experiencing PPE
communicate the Agency’s pandemic shortages;
contingency plans; Ensuring that OCWA facilities have
Minimizing the potential for the adequate stock of chemicals and
spread of infection by ensuring that other essential supplies on hand; and
facilities and other workplaces are Contacting suppliers regularly to
regularly cleaned; ensure that critical supplies such as
Enforcing health and safety practices, chemicals remain available.
with an emphasis on proper and As the pandemic progressed and many
frequent hand washing, and requiring areas of the province moved towards
all staff to wear appropriate personal reopening their local economies, the
protective equipment; Agency’s Operations staff began
returning to regular staffing levels and5
schedules, apart from those staff facilities are operated and maintained
working in the Regional Hub offices. effectively and in accordance with all
While Corporate and other office staff applicable regulations. While some
had not returned to their regular activities that were considered non-
workplaces at the time that this plan was essential in the short term, such as
written, plans have been put in place to major maintenance and capital
gradually reopen the Agency’s upgrades, were put on hold early in
Corporate and other offices once it is the pandemic so that staff could focus
considered safe to do so. on safely performing essential
activities, they have since been
While efforts are underway to restore as resumed to ensure that there are no
many of the Agency’s normal activities long-term process impacts at the
as possible, the pandemic is and will facilities. While the delay in major
continue to have an impact on the maintenance and capital activities led
Agency, its staff and its clients until to lower than planned major
conditions return to normal. Some of the maintenance revenues in 2020, the
pandemic impacts on the Agency that resumption of these activities,
are expected to continue into 2021 and combined with increased provincial
beyond include: and federal infrastructure funding is
anticipated to result in increased
Employee health and safety –
major maintenance revenues for
Ensuring the health and safety of the
2021, however, reduced municipal
Agency’s employees is OCWA’s
budgets resulting from the pandemic
number one priority with regard to the
may negatively impact major
Agency’s pandemic response. In
maintenance revenue in future years.
addition to implementing the health
and safety measures outlined above, Client service – Throughout the
OCWA will continue to monitor the pandemic, OCWA’s Operation and
impact that the pandemic is having on Business Development teams have
employee health and safety, including worked tirelessly to maintain
mental health, and take appropriate consistent and timely communication
action to address any identified with the Agency’s clients. This
issues. included providing regular updates to
the Agency’s Client Advisory Board,
Facility operations – Ensuring the
comprised of a number of Chief
effective operation and maintenance
Administrative Officers from OCWA
(O&M) of OCWA’s client facilities is
client communities, which provided
another key priority for the Agency.
timely feedback on the success of the
Throughout the pandemic OCWA
Agency’s pandemic response. Where
operations staff have continued to
in-person meetings were a challenge,
perform all essential operational
Agency staff were able to maintain
duties to ensure that Agency-run6
regular contact with the Agency’s OCWA’s Strategies for 2021-2023 on
clients through videoconferences and page 17.
other alternative communications
channels. This is expected to The Economy
continue throughout the duration of The COVID-19 pandemic has had a
the pandemic. significant impact on the Canadian
Sales and marketing – As with client economy throughout most of 2020.
communications, the Agency modified Public health restrictions enacted to
its sales and marketing activities to reduce the spread of the virus resulted
address the limitations caused by the in a significant increase in the
pandemic. In-person meetings with unemployment rate across the country
current and prospective clients and and an increase in government
attendance at industry conferences spending to mitigate some of the
and events were replaced with web- economic damage. While the reduction
based videoconferences and other of some COVID related restrictions in
virtual meetings. This approach has the second half of 2020 led to increased
worked well and will likely continue to economic activity, the negative
be utilized to supplement in-person economic impact of the pandemic is
meetings after the pandemic is no expected to continue into 2021 and
longer an issue, particularly in areas possibly beyond, depending on the
such as the north where geography progress of the pandemic and the time
can make regular in-person meetings that it takes to safely develop and widely
more challenging. OCWA’s administer a COVID-19 vaccine.
successful pandemic response has
also highlighted the additional value The January, 2021 Monetary Policy
that OCWA can provide to Ontario report from the Bank of Canada notes
municipalities and other prospective that that the Canadian economy is more
clients. secure than previously expected with
vaccines being rolled out earlier than
Provincial support – As part of the anticipated, strengthening the
Agency’s pandemic response, OCWA projections for medium-term growth.
has been working closely with the Despite that, the report notes that
provincial government to establish a “considerable economic slack remains
wastewater-based epidemiology in the economy, and a complete
program for the province that will recovery will take some time.” The Bank
enable the government to detect and predicts that after declining by 5.5
monitor the presence of the SARS- percent in 2020, Canadian real Gross
CoV-2 (COVID-19) genetic signatures Domestic Product (GDP) will grow by
in wastewater. OCWA’s role in this about 4 percent in 2021 and almost 5
initiative is described in detail in percent in 2022. The economy is7
projected to grow at around 2.5 percent resulting increases in Agency
in 2023. The Bank’s long-range outlook expenditures.
is somewhat more positive than the
forecast included in the September, Federal & Provincial
2020 Economic and Fiscal Outlook Infrastructure Funding
report from the Office of the
In recent years, both the federal and
Parliamentary Budget Officer for
provincial governments have made
Canada, which predicted a 5.2 percent
infrastructure investments a priority,
drop in Canadian real GDP in 2020,
providing a greater portion of funding on
followed by increases of 4.7 and 2.8
an allocation as opposed to application
percent in 2021 and 2022.
basis. This has allowed municipalities to
The Bank of Canada lowered its key plan better, knowing that a certain
interest rate from 1.75 percent at the amount of funding would be available
beginning of 2020 to 1.25 percent in each fiscal year. This infrastructure
early March and then again to 0.75 funding is expected to continue in the
percent later in the month in response to years ahead.
the COVID-19 pandemic. The Bank
The federal government’s commitment
again cut its key interest rate at the end
to invest more than $180 billion on
of March, this time to 0.25 percent,
public infrastructure over the course of
where it has remained until the time at
ten years, as initially set forth in its 2016
which this plan was prepared. The Bank
budget, represents a significant
has indicated that it will be holding the
opportunity for OCWA’s municipal
key interest rate steady until the country
clients, many of whom have been
achieves its sustained target inflation
historically challenged to address water
rate of 2 percent, which the Bank does
and wastewater infrastructure funding
not anticipate happening until sometime
needs. As part of this commitment, the
in 2023.
Government of Canada signed a
Overall inflation for the country, as bilateral agreement with Ontario on
measured through the Consumer Price March 14, 2018.
Index (CPI) has remained low
Under the agreement, Ontario is
throughout most of 2020, a trend which
responsible for project application
is anticipated to continue in 2021. While
intake, and in late 2019, the province
OCWA is impacted by fluctuations in
announced that approximately $200
chemical and other commodity prices,
million of federal and provincial funding
annual CPI adjustments included in
will be available to Ontario communities
existing client contracts and negotiated
with populations under 100,000 to help
procurement contracts for chemicals
them rehabilitate critical water,
and other major Agency purchases are
wastewater and stormwater
anticipated to offset some of the8
infrastructure. OCWA assisted 30 Industry Trends
municipal clients with their applications.
There are a number of significant trends
However, due to the large number of
that will impact OCWA and the rest of
applications received, the province was
the water industry over the next few
able to approve only a portion of the
years. Emergency preparedness is one
applications. In order to address the
of the top issues facing the
shortfall, future rounds of funding are
water/wastewater industry and
anticipated.
municipalities. One of the traditional
On October 28, 2020, the Ontario areas of focus with regard to emergency
government announced up to $1.05 planning has been on effects of severe
billion in federal-provincial funding weather events, such as flooding or
through the COVID-19 Resilience drought, brought about by climate
Infrastructure stream under the change and unanticipated infrastructure
Investing in Canada Infrastructure outages. However, in 2020 the COVID-
Program to build or renovate health and 19 pandemic further challenged
safety-related projects in long-term care, municipalities and other
education and municipalities that will water/wastewater operators to develop
help Ontario respond to the impacts of pandemic contingency plans covering a
COVID-19. This includes up to $250 wide variety of areas, including
million that will help municipalities to workforce scheduling and planning,
address critical local infrastructure capital project execution, procurement,
needs. and ensuring the continuity of safe
water/wastewater operations while
OCWA will continue to monitor these protecting employee health, safety and
funding opportunities and any new wellness.
application-based funding
announcements and continue to assist OCWA’s well-developed Emergency
municipal and First Nation clients in Management and Continuity of
identifying projects and preparing Operations plans have been essential in
applications. The Agency will also helping the Agency to maintain
continue to work with clients to develop compliant operations and minimize the
comprehensive water and wastewater impact of the pandemic on client water
asset plans that prioritize their and wastewater facilities throughout the
infrastructure needs for the next decade pandemic. OCWA has also been
and beyond working to support the provincial
government in its response to the
pandemic, as noted previously, by
working in collaboration with the Ministry
of the Environment, Conservation and
Parks and other stakeholders to detect9
and monitor the presence of the SARS- maintenance systems and develop long-
CoV-2 (COVID-19) genetic signatures in term asset and capital plans that enable
wastewater and proactively identify the them to identify and plan for their future
existence or increased prevalence of water and wastewater needs.
COVID-19 in Ontario communities.
OCWA is also working to assist clients in
The need to replace and retrofit aging finding new and innovative ways to fund
water and wastewater infrastructure and water and wastewater projects,
the corresponding need to raise the including investigating options to provide
funds required to make a significant financing in partnership with public and
investment in long-term capital repair, private sector stakeholders. In 2018,
replacement and upgrades continues to OCWA initiated an internal Municipal
be a major challenge for most municipal Client Loan Program for client projects
clients. While there have been of $1 million or less, made in
significant increases in the availability of conjunction with a contract renewal. The
federal and provincial funding for Agency also provides turnkey and
infrastructure upgrade projects in recent design-build services for smaller
years, most funding programs still infrastructure projects. These small
require municipalities to contribute 10- projects may also include an OCWA
50% of total eligible costs. Furthermore, financing component, allowing OCWA to
for municipalities to be able to effectively provide a one-stop shop for smaller/mid-
tap into funding programs and garner size municipalities. In addition to these
optimized funding, “shovel readiness” initiatives, OCWA is working to find new
has become a point of focus. client funding avenues through
collaborative discussions with potential
OCWAs goal is to be able to support partners like the Canada Infrastructure
clients by connecting them with Bank (CIB), with which OCWA has been
applicable funding sources to address in discussions to assess the potential for
their long-term infrastructure needs. In CIB to provide loans to OCWA clients for
order to access some of the funding green infrastructure projects, along with
available, municipalities will need to potential CIB funding opportunities for
invest in the planning and development First Nation communities.
of shovel worthy projects to move these
projects to a “ready to construct” state Tied with the need to replace aging
that includes project definition and infrastructure is the need for
detailed scope, constructability analysis, municipalities to develop comprehensive
environmental impact assessments, and asset management plans and practices
legal requirements. To assist clients in that will ensure the long-term
achieving this state of project readiness, sustainability of their water and
OCWA works closely with them to wastewater infrastructure. The provincial
implement asset management and Asset Management Planning for10
Municipal Infrastructure regulation under OCWA is well prepared to assist its
the Infrastructure for Jobs and municipal clients, the majority of which
Prosperity Act (O. Reg 588/17) requires are small and rural, in developing
Ontario municipalities to develop effective asset management plans that
comprehensive asset management meet the requirements of the provincial
plans for all municipal infrastructure, regulation. Over the past few years, the
including water and wastewater Agency has developed a
systems. These plans, which factor in comprehensive quality management
the full lifecycle costs of municipal framework for asset management and
assets, are required to be in place by worked hard to improve asset
July of 2021. management knowledge and expertise
across the Agency by providing asset
The Leveraging Asset Management management training to staff. OCWA
Data for Improved Water Infrastructure continues to support clients by providing
Planning report prepared by Public rate studies, financial plans, capital
Sector Digest, the Canadian Water planning and other value-added
Network, and the Canadian Water and services as required and offer these
Wastewater Association notes that half services to potential clients as part of
of the Canadian municipalities that they the Agency’s long-term growth plan.
surveyed indicated that they had formal
asset management plans in place, with Electronic data management and
some additional municipalities indicating analytic tools are becoming critical
that they were in the process of necessities to develop comprehensive
developing them. The report also asset plans and manage municipal
indicated that “many of the surveyed infrastructure. These “smart” systems
municipalities/utilities had limited enable municipalities to take the data
assessed condition data in their asset generated by operational, process and
databases and rely more heavily on asset management systems and use it
subjective condition data” and that to make decisions that help to extend
“twenty-two percent of survey the life of their assets, reduce energy
respondents — primarily smaller and chemical use and provide better
municipalities with a population under client service, ultimately leading to more
80,000 — indicated that a completely strategic asset management and cost
reactive approach is used to prioritize savings.
investments”. Larger municipalities were
found to collect data using more OCWA is working to help clients benefit
objective methods and expressed from the use of these “smart” systems
greater confidence in their data by developing data analytics and asset
reliability. management services that
municipalities can use to optimize their
investment in water and wastewater11
infrastructure. This includes providing while severe winter storms can lead to
work management system hosting power outages that impact the operation
services and associated maintenance of treatment facilities and pumping
advisory services to municipalities that stations. Other climate change impacts
don’t have the capacity to implement an include significant seasonal increases in
electronic work management and asset lake water levels that increase the
maintenance system on their own. potential for flooding, increased nutrient
loading in local waterways that results in
This increasingly important role played algae blooms, and increased water
by information technology in managing temperatures, which can negatively
municipal water and wastewater impact water quality.
systems has led to a corresponding
increase in the need to ensure the With these severe storms and other
security of those operational information climate related events occurring with
technology systems. Cyber security has increasing frequency, OCWA is working
become an issue of rising importance with municipal clients to develop and
over the last decade, with instances of implement adaptation and mitigation
cyber-attacks and data breaches of strategies to increase the overall
companies and governments of all sizes resilience of their infrastructure and
and levels becoming more and more mitigate the impact of these events. This
commonplace. OCWA takes cyber is accomplished through the delivery of
security very seriously, putting in place municipal energy conservation and
stringent security protocols to protect waste diversion strategies, asset
the Agency’s network, data centre management and long-term
assets, and operational and other data. infrastructure planning services, and
identifying and conducting pilot process
Managing the infrastructure impact of studies to identify and implement the
severe weather events and other issues optimum technology solutions to meet
brought about by climate change is also client needs. Since 2014, OCWA has
a concern for many municipalities. assisted client in securing more than
Excessive greenhouse gas production $15 million in funding for a variety of
has resulted in significant changes to energy savings and other retrofit
the environment. Storm frequency projects as part of the Agency’s climate
curves, thought to be unchangeable and change strategy.
often based on over 100 years of data,
are now changing. The frequency and OCWA is also supporting clients in
severity of rainfall events can optimizing their water and wastewater
overwhelm municipal stormwater and infrastructure through the Agency’s
wastewater systems, leading to Facility Optimization Program (FOP),
basement flooding, increased sewer enabling them to defer expensive capital
overflows and plant bypass events, expansions, while protecting the12
environment and creating biogas production, recover nutrients
chemical/energy saving opportunities. from wastewater effluent, and promote
Over 20 small to medium size client innovation and clean fuels while
facilities have been optimized since the reducing greenhouse gas emissions in
FOP was introduced in 2017. client water and wastewater facilities.
They will also enable municipalities to
Municipalities, and the industry as a achieve or improve their financial
whole, are looking for better, greener sustainability over time through the
ways to manage their water and development of new revenue streams
wastewater systems. Climate change and/or offsetting of energy costs.
impacts and potential future regulatory
requirements have resulted in a move Both municipalities and the water
away from traditional approaches to industry recognize the need to expand
biosolids management, including land awareness of the criticality and value of
application and landfills. OCWA’s public water systems and services and
biosolids program works to identify the importance of delivering safe, clean
issues and gaps for municipal clients, water to local communities. Recognizing
including the key issues of biosolids that a better informed, more active
storage and sustainable biosolids community is an asset for water sector
management, and propose/develop teams and decision makers, many
solutions to address the issues, creating municipalities and water industry
opportunities for operating cost savings stakeholders are running public
and greenhouse gas reduction. awareness campaigns that highlight key
themes, including:
Many municipalities are recognizing that
there are significant benefits to taking The importance of replacing aging
the biosolids from wastewater treatment infrastructure;
plants, along with food scraps and other
Promoting behavioral changes to
organic materials, and turning them from
conserve water, and Indirectly
waste products into energy sources.
energy;
OCWA is working with municipalities
and other industry organizations to The importance of strengthening the
support the development and water sector workforce; and
implementation of technologies that Transparency in water and
optimize overall biosolids management, wastewater quality reporting.
enhance the production of biogases
OCWA’s education and outreach
from biosolids, and significantly offset
activities, including the Agency’s
the energy used to treat wastewater.
OneWater® education program and I
These organics diversion and resource
Don’t Flush awareness campaign, are
recovery initiatives are helping clients to
helping to educate the public about the
keep biosolids out of landfills, enhance13
value of water and how the public can plastic waste from marinas around the
play a role in protecting water and province using innovative plastic-
wastewater infrastructure, thereby capture technology, the largest initiative
increasing public trust in municipal water of its kind in the world to tackle plastic
and wastewater systems. pollution in provincial lakes and
waterways.
Contaminants of emerging concern
include pathogens, nutrients, metals, Achieving an appropriate balance
chemicals, medications, microplastics between the potential risks of these
and other things that have been, or will contaminants and the cost of
be, detected in wastewater effluents, for implementing treatment process
which the potential risks to public and changes and infrastructure upgrades to
environmental health are not yet fully address them will be a challenge that
understood. A national expert panel needs to be addressed by researchers,
report released by the Canadian Water water industry professionals and
Network in 2018, entitled Canada’s governments at all levels in the years
Challenges and Opportunities to ahead. OCWA is working in
Address Contaminants in Wastewater, collaboration with a number of
provides a detailed overview of the organizations, including the Canadian
environmental and public health Water Network, the University of
concerns associated with these Waterloo and the University of Toronto,
contaminants and what can be done to to investigate the implementation of
address them.The report notes that technology innovations to minimize the
contaminants of emerging concern impacts of emerging contaminants on
include “a wide variety of industrial and drinking water source water, wastewater
household chemicals, pharmaceuticals discharge, and biosolids.
and personal care products (PPCP),
endocrine disruptors and other Other areas of focus for the water
chemicals that were previously not industry include identifying and
recognized as a threat to public health developing plans to manage
or the environment”. Most are contaminants of emerging concern in
unregulated from a wastewater effluent wastewater and dealing with “flushable”
perspective. wipes and other waste materials that
can clog wastewater collection pipes
Recognizing the negative impact of and treatment equipment, leading to
microplastics on the Great Lakes, where costly repairs. Despite being labeled as
an estimated 22 million pounds of flushable, many disposable wipes do not
plastic pollution ends up each year, the break down in the time from when they
provincial government announced in are flushed to when they arrive at
October, 2020 that it would be providing wastewater treatment facilities. The
funding to Pollution Probe to collect accumulation of these wipes and other14
non-flushable materials can cause Federal & Provincial Legislation
blockages in and other damage to the
As part of the Agency’s commitment to
pipes, pumps and other equipment in
providing total water and wastewater
wastewater treatment and collection
solutions for clients, OCWA continually
systems. The clogs then need to be
reviews and assesses the impact of new
cleared and the damage repaired, taking
and proposed legislative, regulatory and
valuable dollars away from wastewater
policy changes on Ontario municipalities
treatment facilities that could be used for
and other clients and works with them to
more productive uses. Likewise, fats,
implement changes that will enable
oils and grease can cause significant,
them to meet the new requirements.
costly blockages in household plumbing
and wastewater collection pipes. OCWA The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted
is working to educate the public about in some temporary changes to the
the dangers of treating drains and toilets legislative and regulatory environment in
as garbage cans through the Agency’s which the Agency operates. The Ministry
highly successful I Don’t Flush public of the Environment, Conservation and
awareness campaign. Parks’ Permissions and Approvals
branches have put processes in place to
A final significant industry trend is the
allow owners and operators of drinking
ongoing industry-wide shortage of
water and wastewater systems to
qualified water operators, which is
submit applications for temporary
described in detail in Section 2.7
regulatory relief where required. The
(Workforce Issues). The industry has
Reopening Ontario (A Flexible
been and continues to manage the
Response to COVID-19) Act, 2020 also
impact of an aging workforce, with
provides the provincial government with
municipalizes of all sizes being
the power to continue temporary orders
challenged to attract, develop and retain
enacted during the emergency and
high performing managers and staff.
extend them for up to 30 days at a time.
While this is a challenge for OCWA, it
also represents a potential business Other recent and upcoming
opportunity, as smaller municipalities legislative/regulatory changes with an
that are struggling to replace retiring impact on the Agency are as follows:
certified operators may make the
decision to outsource to OCWA to The Ministry of the Environment,
ensure continuity of water and Conservation and Parks is developing
wastewater service delivery. a wastewater strategy to implement
commitments related to improving
wastewater and stormwater
management made in the provincial
government’s Made-in-Ontario
Environment Plan. The Ministry has15
indicated that it is aiming to requirements have also been added
commence voluntary electronic which may result in adjustments to
submission of bypass and overflow operational/maintenance practices.
events in early 2021. OCWA This includes new conditions with
participated in stakeholder regard to Harmful Algae Bloom (HAB)
consultations on a new online monitoring, which will be included in
prototype for the electronic reporting MDWLs for all surface water plants as
of municipal wastewater bypasses they come up for renewal. The new
and overflows and provided user- requirements are likely to have a
testing feedback. Other changes minimal impact for systems that have
include new requirements for historically experienced HABs in their
monitoring and reporting on overflows source water, such as those drawing
from wastewater collection systems from Lake Erie, as proactive
and stormwater systems. monitoring programs are already in
The Ministry of the Environment, place. For those systems that have
Conservation and Parks is developing not had any issues with HABs, this
a standardized, area-wide could result in increased sampling
Environmental Compliance Approval costs.
(ECA) for linear infrastructure The municipal asset management
(wastewater collection systems) using planning regulation under the
a similar approach to that already in Infrastructure for Jobs and Prosperity
place for drinking water systems Act requires municipalities to develop
under the Municipal Drinking Water comprehensive asset management
Licensing Program. It is expected that plans for all municipal infrastructure,
the consolidated ECAs will begin to including water and wastewater
be phased in starting in 2021. systems. The requirements are being
Under the Municipal Drinking Water phased in over a number of years,
Licensing Program, the authority to with the first milestone, now passed,
use or operate a drinking water having been the requirement to
system is provided through a develop a municipal strategic asset
Municipal Drinking Water License management policy by July 1, 2019.
(MDWL), which is valid for a 5-year The next milestone is the requirement
period. Through the current MDWL for municipalities to develop an asset
renewal process, the Ministry of the management plan related to the
Environment, Conservation and Parks current levels of service and
will be rolling-out updates to the performance for core municipal
standard conditions. Most of the infrastructure assets (roads, bridges
changes to the standard templates and culverts, water, wastewater and
are intended to clarify existing stormwater management) by July 1,
requirements, but some new 2021.16
The Canada-Ontario Action Plan for majority of the changes relate to new
Lake Erie under the Great Lakes watermain installations. While this
Protection Act includes over 120 may have some impact on services
actions that will help achieve 40 being provided by OCWA’s
percent phosphorus load reduction Conveyance Services group,
targets for the western and central OCWA’s involvement in these types
basins of Lake Erie (based on 2008 of projects is typically limited.
levels). Key actions included in the
OCWA is continuing to monitor the
plan that may impact OCWA-
status of small wastewater facilities
operated facilities include: the
(17
not yet been posted for consultation, In addition to monitoring new and
it is difficult to assess the potential proposed legislation/regulations, OCWA
financial impact to OCWA and its participates in Ministry of the
clients. Environment, Conservation and Parks
OCWA is also monitoring a number of working groups and water and
wastewater industry associations to
proposed regulatory changes or other
contribute to the shaping of future
issues with the potential to impact the
Agency and its clients in the future regulations and stay abreast of
regulatory change.
should they be enacted. These potential
changes include:
Provincial Government
Updates to the Procedure for Priorities
Disinfection of Drinking Water in The priorities of the provincial
Ontario and Groundwater Under government, as set forth in the 2020
Direct Influence terms of reference, provincial budget released on November
which could impact minimum 5, 2020, include responding to and
treatment requirements for some well- recovering from the health and
based municipal residential drinking economic impacts of the COVID-19
water systems; pandemic. Key priorities in the budget
Updates to the guidelines on operator include: protecting public health and
experience and the roles of Overall safety during the COVID-19 pandemic;
Responsible Operator (ORO) and ensuring that families, seniors,
Operator-in-Charge (OIC), which businesses and workers are supported
could result in increased staffing through the second wave of COVID-19
requirements to fulfill the role of ORO and beyond; and laying the foundation
in some locations; for future growth, renewal and economic
recovery.
Potential future changes to the
maximum acceptable concentration OCWA is committed to supporting the
for lead and manganese, following a province in achieving these and other
Ministry of the Environment, priorities. On July 23, 2020, OCWA
Conservation and Parks review of received its most recent mandate letter
updated Health Canada guidelines; from the Minister of the Environment,
and Conservation and Parks. The letter, a
Proposed Ministry of the copy of which is included in Appendix B,
Environment, Conservation and Parks outlines the Ministry’s expectations for
guidance to address odour issues the Agency in 2021. OCWA is working to
which could impact ECA achieve the specific objectives included
requirements for wastewater facilities. in the Agency’s 2021 mandate letter,18
along with the broader objectives of the delivery, process optimization, energy
province by: management and asset management;
Supporting the province in its ongoing Working with clients to enhance the
response to the COVID-19 outbreak; resiliency of their water and
wastewater facilities and improve
Continually looking for better ways to their capacity to prevent, withstand,
manage the Agency’s operations, respond to, and recover from floods
improve productivity, reduce costs and other disruptions;
and deliver better service to Agency
clients; Maintaining five specially-trained and
equipped emergency response teams
Supporting principled, evidence- that are available 24-hours a day to
based and strategic infrastructure provide emergency assistance to
planning by working with the Agency’s municipalities and First Nation
clients to develop comprehensive, communities across the province,
long-term asset plans for their water should the need arise;
and wastewater systems;
Protecting water and the Great Lakes
Assisting clients in finding new and by:
innovative ways to pay for water and
wastewater projects, including o Working with the Agency’s
providing financing in partnership with clients to implement process
public and private sector improvements and capital
stakeholders; upgrades that help prevent
phosphorus and other
Increasing waste diversion by damaging nutrients from
supporting the development and entering local water sources
implementation of resource recovery through wastewater effluent;
facilities that keep biosolids out of and
landfills, enhance biogas production
and recover nutrients from o Educating the public about the
wastewater effluent; importance of water and the
Great Lakes, as well as the
Supporting the effective planning, proper disposal of medications
development, construction and and other harmful waste
operation of municipal water and products through the Agency’s
wastewater systems by offering two signature education and
clients a comprehensive range of outreach programs, the I Don’t
value-added services that Flush public awareness
complement the Agency’s core campaign and OCWA’s
operations and maintenance services, OneWater® Education
including project management, capital Program; and19
Helping to improve drinking water for of individuals entering the industry are
indigenous communities by: very different from those starting as little
as 10 years ago. In recognition of this,
o Providing training and other
OCWA is continually monitoring,
support services, including
evaluating and developing strategies to
remote monitoring and
respond to ongoing changes.
oversight, to assist First Nations
operators in operating and There is significant competition for
maintaining the water and skilled and experienced operations staff
wastewater systems in their in the water industry, with demand for
communities; and new employees expected to grow over
o Supporting efforts to eliminate the next decade as current employees
long-term drinking water retire or leave the sector. Industry
advisories in First Nation organizations such as the American
communities in collaboration Water Works Association and the Water
with the Ministry of the Environment Federation have identified
Environment, Conservation and the shortage of experienced, qualified
Parks’ Indigenous Drinking operators as an ongoing issue across
Water Projects Office. North America and around the globe.
Workforce Issues To meet these challenges, OCWA is
partnering with colleges and universities
Several internal and external factors will
to promote awareness of career
have an impact on the Agency’s
opportunities in the water and
workforce in the coming years, including
wastewater sector and attract new
increased retirements, a shortage of
employees to the Agency through
qualified operators, increased diversity,
education, co-op and scholarships, as
including a multi-generational workforce,
well as focusing on enhancing the
and the evolving knowledge and skills
Agency’s succession planning and
needed to meet changes in the water
leadership development programs. For
and wastewater industry.
existing operations staff, OCWA is
In the last number of years, the water working to provide clear career paths
and wastewater industry has changed and incentives for achieving higher-level
significantly due to advances in certification. The Agency is also
technology, aging infrastructure, climate supporting post-secondary institutions in
change and the need for conservation. preparing students for future water
As a result, the role of a water or industry careers by providing co-
wastewater operator has and continues operative education job placements and
to evolve, increasing in complexity, providing feedback on the knowledge
accountability and knowledge of and skills required for students to
technology. The competencies required2
0
successfully write and pass certification Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) Strategy,
examinations upon graduation. approved by the Agency’s Board of
Directors, which was launched in 2020.
OCWA recognizes the value of diversity The Agency’s vision is to be an inclusive
in the Agency’s workforce. Almost three organization that is diverse, equitable,
in ten Ontarians identify as a visible accepting and respectful, that captures
minority, with approximately 200 the uniqueness of individuals and
different languages reported by creates a culture where everyone feels
Ontarians as their mother tongue in the safe, valued, and encouraged to reach
most recent census. Ontario is also their full potential. In addition to the
home to the largest Indigenous initiatives being rolled-out as part of the
population in Canada, 15.4 percent of D&I Strategy, which is described in
Ontarians report having a disability and greater detail in Section 3.1 (OCWA’s
it is estimated that as many as 1.25 Strategies for 2021-2023), OCWA’s First
million people in Ontario identify as Nations Strategy, Young Professional
LGBTQ2. In addition, the elimination of Network, employee experience surveys
a mandatory retirement age means that and strong health and safety culture,
some older employees are choosing to including psychological safety, are all
work longer while new generations contributing to the development of a
continue to enter the workforce. more diverse and inclusive culture
across the Agency.
Employees are more engaged when
diversity, equity and inclusion is an Business Transformation
organizational focus. This means
Program
workforces capture the uniqueness of
individuals and create an environment OCWA has made a significant
that values and respects them. Studies investment in upgrading its information
have also indicated that organizations technology (IT) systems and operational
that are committed to diversity, equity processes over the past decade. Moving
and inclusion are 80% more likely to forward, the Agency is committed to
provide great customer service, develop making continual investments in new
innovative solutions, and work and improved technology and other
collaboratively to achieve their goals. operational support services, building a
Additionally, a 2015 study conducted by resilient network with high availability of
McKinsey found that diverse workplaces computing systems while ensuring the
tend to out-perform industry averages security of the environment, data and
by 35%. information.
In recognition of the importance of
organizational diversity, equity and
inclusion, OCWA developed a multi-year21
To achieve this, OCWA established a
program, known as the Business
Transformation Program (BTP), which is
focused on making strategic
investments in OCWA’s business
practices, IT systems and infrastructure
to sustain and grow the Agency’s
business. The program, which is
described in detail in Section 3.1
(OCWA’s Strategies for 2021-23) will
enhance and supplement the Agency’s
current IT systems and better refine the
Agency’s business processes to ensure
that OCWA has the capacity to deliver
total solutions to clients, both now and
for years to come.
BTP will better integrate OCWA’s
operational and information
management systems, leading to better
analysis and utilization of the data that is
gathered continuously about the
operation of client facilities. Recognizing
that significant time and resources will
be required to implement all of these
objectives, BTP is being implemented
using a phased approach, with the most
critical undertakings implemented first.
BTP represents a significant investment
for the Agency, both financially and in
terms of staff resources, which is why a
program management office (PMO) has
been established, reporting directly to
the Agency’s Chief Executive Officer.
The PMO is responsible for keeping the
program on track and for the planning,
tracking, governance and oversight of all
BTP activities.22
Strategic Direction
OCWA’s Strategies for 2021-2023
Throughout 2020, OCWA’s Board of Directors and Executive Management
Team met to review the Agency’s overall strategic direction and refine the
strategic priorities for the Agency in the coming years. At these sessions,
there was consensus that the Agency should continue with its current
strategic direction in 2021-23, building on the success of the growth
strategies and other initiatives that have been the Agency’s focus for the past
few years.
These initiatives have been grouped into includes assisting clients in managing
four key focus areas: Driving Business their assets and working with them to
Growth by Delivering Total Solutions to plan, finance and ensure the long-term
Clients; Enhancing Efficiency through sustainability of their systems. OCWA is
Business Process Improvements; confident that by focusing on and
Serving Client Communities and meeting client needs, the Agency can
Supporting Provincial Priorities; and not only maintain its existing business
Ensuring the Health, Safety and and expand its client base over time, but
Success of our Employees. significantly increase its value to the
public as well.
Driving Business Growth by
Delivering Total Solutions to Maintaining and Expanding OCWA’s
Clients Operations and Maintenance Client Base
OCWA’s long-term growth strategy Maintaining and expanding the Agency’s
continues to focus on maintaining the base of core O&M service clients is an
Agency’s existing client base in Ontario, essential component of OCWA’s long-
expanding the scope of services term strategy for growth and
provided to these clients and attracting sustainability. Over the past few years,
new clients. A core component of this OCWA has successfully retained more
strategy is the delivery of value-added than 97 percent of clients whose
services to clients that go beyond the contracts have come up for renewal.
delivery of O&M services and focus on This includes the Agency’s four largest
providing “total water solutions” at every clients: the Region of Peel; the Region
stage of the infrastructure life cycle. This of Waterloo; the Lake Huron and Elgin23
Water Supply Systems; and the City of Soliciting regular feedback from
Kawartha Lakes, the majority of which clients through client satisfaction
renegotiated contracts ranging in surveys and the Agency’s Client
duration from 10 to 20 years. Advisory Board, which is comprised
of 12-15 Chief Administrative Officers
OCWA’s timely and effective response from OCWA client communities;
to the COVID-19 pandemic has had a
Communicating on new services and
positive impact on the Agency’s
relationship with its current clients and innovation in the Agency’s operations
through local “water talks”,
overall reputation in the industry. Having
quickly implemented the Agency’s conferences and regular client
meetings;
Emergency Response and Continuity of
Operations plans at the beginning of the Recommending innovative solutions
pandemic, OCWA was able to that support plant operations and
consistently maintain compliant save money, including grant
operations in all of the facilities that it applications; and
operates on behalf of its clients,
Supporting local community activities.
demonstrating the value that OCWA
brings to clients as their water and In addition to retaining the Agency’s
wastewater operator. existing O&M client base, acquiring new
clients is critical if the Agency is to
From 2021-23, OCWA is targeting a achieve its ambitious revenue and net
renewal rate of 97 percent or higher, income targets for 2021 and beyond.
based on both number of clients and This includes pursuing opportunities in
annual revenue, with a goal to extend new markets such as the mining sector
contract terms and expand the scope of and looking at partnerships with
services provided where possible. engineering firms and First Nations to
Actions being undertaken to meet these further enhance the Agency’s
targets include: knowledge and experience in this area.
Building and maintaining strong OCWA will achieve its new business
relationships between OCWA and target by:
client decision makers at all levels
(Mayors, Councils, Chief Maintaining Key Performance
Administrative Officers, Public Works Indicators for Regional Hub
officials, etc.); Managers/Business Development
Managers (in addition to sales
Demonstrating value to existing
targets);
clients and providing excellent
performance reporting, particularly to Developing and disseminating
decision makers; marketing materials that focus onYou can also read
