Stormwater Funding Feasibility Study

Please note the original deadline for survey submissions of March 29, has been extended to April 14, 2022.

The City of Greater Sudbury operates a complex stormwater management system that is essential for protecting your property and the environment from pooling, flooding, erosion and poor water quality due to stormwater runoff. The stormwater system is an extensive network of pipes, culverts, ditches, stormwater treatment ponds, creeks, and other natural and engineered infrastructure – all of which require an efficient source of funding to maintain, renew and upgrade.

The City is conducting the Stormwater Funding Feasibility Study to review and recommend a sustainable and reliable funding source to support the its current and future stormwater management program.

This study is looking at who currently pays for stormwater management and whether the City is currently funding its infrastructure at sustainable levels or creating a backlog for future generations. The study will:

• Evaluate current spending and funding sources;
• Determine an appropriate and affordable level of service for the City’s future stormwater program;
• Identify, evaluate and recommend a preferred funding option;
• Solicit feedback from the public and key stakeholders;
• Outline implementation requirements for the preferred funding option; and
• Present study findings and recommendations to Council.

Stormwater Management & Assets

Stormwater is the rain and melted snow that falls on and runs off lawns, pavement, and other hard surfaces on your property. It is the water that flows into our drains and ditches and out to our waterways.

If not managed properly stormwater can cause flooding and erosion, thereby damaging property, the natural environment and other important community assets such as roads and sidewalks. Stormwater can also negatively impact water quality as it carries pollutants from roads and other surfaces into our waterways.

The City’s stormwater management system protects the community’s health, safety and assets. It includes stormwater pipes, manholes, catchbasins, ditches, oil and grit separators, stormwater management ponds, watercourses and more – all requiring a funding source to maintain, renew (when it deteriorates) and upgrade.

Funding Required to Bridge the Gap

The City faces many stormwater challenges since it is required to use a lot of sand in the winter on roads which can negatively impact the City’s creeks and lakes and Greater Sudbury is spread out over a large area requiring an extended stormwater system for a relatively small population. Under current funding, the City is not able to address these challenges and keep up with identified funding needs. The Stormwater Funding Feasibility Study aims to bridge the gap.

Stormwater management is a service that keeps a low profile, but without adequate funding for maintenance and improvements, it can lead to serious problems that will only get worse unless we take steps now.

Recommending a New Funding Model

Currently, the City funds the stormwater system through property taxes. Homeowners and landowners across Greater Sudbury all contribute to stormwater management based on their assessed property value, not on how much stormwater their property produces.

To support the current and future stormwater demands, the City is exploring a more equitable and sustainable way to pay for stormwater management.

The preferred funding option is a stormwater charge which would be included on a monthly utility bill. The charge is based on the Equivalent Residential Unit (ERU) concept and considers the amount of impervious area on a property (an impervious area is a hard area that does not absorb water, such as pavement). With this funding model, all residential units would pay the same rate based on the average impervious area of all residential properties in Greater Sudbury. Non-residential properties would pay based on their measured imperviousness.

Learn more!

To learn more about stormwater management, the proposed stormwater charge and how it might impact you:

• Watch the introductory video
• Review the detailed Frequently Asked Questions FAQs
  
  

Please note the original deadline for survey submissions of March 29, has been extended to April 14, 2022.