Title
Regional Collaboration Program Grant - Contaminated Sites Consultant
Proposed Motion(s)
1. That Council direct Administration to participate and submit a Regional Collaboration Program (RCP) Grant application for a Contaminated Sites Consultant.
2. That Council direct Administration to proceed in partnering with the City of Spruce Grove, the Town of Stony Plain, and the Summer Village of Seba Beach who would jointly use this consultant.
3. That Council designate Administration as the project lead for the Regional Collaboration Program Grant application for the purposes of receiving, administering, allocating, reporting and accounting for the grant and funds on behalf of the partners.
Body
Administration Recommendation(s)
Administration supports the Proposed Motions.
Purpose
A Regional Collaboration Program Grant would help fund the cost of implementing the new Public Sector Accounting Board Standard 3260 Liability for Contaminated Sites. Partnering with the City of Spruce Grove, the Town of Stony Plain, and the Summer Village of Seba Beach will result in a consistent approach taken by the municipalities as well as possible cost savings due to economies of scale.
Summary
The Public Sector Accounting Board (PSAB) is the body responsible for setting accounting standards for public entities, including municipalities, within Canada. The PSAB has released a new standard that requires all municipalities to quantify liabilities for contaminated sites and present this information in the audited financial statements. As a result, municipalities are required to inventory all assets to identify where contamination may exist. Once this is completed, municipalities will need to hire a consultant to test the assets suspected to have contamination in order to determine if there is contamination and if it exceeds an environmental standard. There is also a requirement to monitor these assets to determine if the contaminants are increasing or decreasi...
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