Celebrating our Shared Successes
A few weeks ago, I was fortunate enough to attend the Ontario Regional Common Ground Alliance (ORCGA)’s Damage Prevention Symposium in Windsor, Ontario. ORCGA was the first regional CGA partner in Canada, and this year marks their 20th anniversary. Over 300 stakeholders and industry partners attended the Symposium where we celebrated two decades of working together through advocacy, education, and engagement to reduce damages to buried infrastructure.
The various informative sessions I attended highlighted the spirit of partnership and collaboration that the ORCGA fosters with damage prevention stakeholders. There were many conversations about Bill 93, Getting Ontario Connected Act, including the Dedicated Locator Program where a single dedicated locator marks all underground infrastructure notified on a one-call ticket. Best practices surrounding sharing locates and locator training programs were discussed. Innovations with digital data and technology were shared. The sessions were engaging and initiated interesting discussions about the future of damage prevention in Ontario.
Although the damage prevention process differs from province to province, and participants in each region are working toward their own initiatives and improvements, I noticed many similarities with the work being done in Alberta and Ontario. Ground disturbers, line locators, and facility owners in both provinces are experiencing similar challenges and are working together to find solutions that are suitable to regional practices and regulations. We all share an interest in improving utility safety and welcome the partnership and collaboration made possible through the CCGA’s regional partners. Everyone has a voice at the table and through this open communication, we have successfully refined and improved damage prevention practices across Canada. We have made great strides over the last 20 years and continue to work hard to improve best practices for all facets of utility safety. I am proud to be a part of this collective work and share in our collective successes.
Kassi Zaba - Member Services Liaison