EPCOR proposal: Independent Assessment Results

At the June 15th City Council meeting EPCOR Utilities Inc. asked Council to consider transferring Drainage Utilities Services over to their operations. In response to this request, Council passed the following motion “That Administration complete an independent assessment of the EPCOR proposal, and be reimbursed by EPCOR for the cost of the assessment, and return to the October 25, 2016, City Council meeting with a full report, with the analysis to include:

• review of EPCOR's eligibility for Federal and Provincial grant funding

• confirmation on asset transfer decision making (roles of Council or Shareholder)

• how governance and responsibility around risk and liability, such as for flooding, climate change and other unpredictable factors would be managed

• implications of assets and liabilities reverting back to the City in the future

• comparison of EPCOR's proposal against known utility-type transactions in the marketplace

You can read my thoughts on this proposal and subsequent motion here 

Independent assessment results:

Here is the report outlining the results of the independent study which will be discussed at the upcoming November 8th City Council meeting. In advance of that meeting I encourage you to read the report and its findings and provide your feedback to myself and the rest of council. As the City would continue to be the sole shareholder of EPCOR and maintain 100% ownership of these assets, residents are urged to voice their concerns or support for the proposal.  Hearing from the public is always an important part of any decision making process, even more so when it comes to critical public infrastructure.