NEWSLETTER
EVENTS
Dig Safe Month
To prepare for the unification of services between ABCGA and AOC, the ABCGA is to provide two non-voting members to the AOC Board. Below is the process approved by the ABCGA Board of Directors on October 14, 2020.
There will be one position selected from the current Board of Directors and one position determined by a general membership election process.
a. Current Board of Directors to select one Board representative. ABCGA Board to hold nominations in November and vote, if necessary, to select a Board representative. It is recommended that buried infrastructure owners DO NOT qualify or would disqualify themselves from the nomination process as the AOC Board is comprised exclusively of these stakeholders. However, the Board selected representative could, in fact, originate from any stakeholder group based on an open nomination process conducted at the Board Meeting. b. General membership election for all current members to fill one Board representative. Call for nominations for each stakeholder group that does not represent buried infrastructure owners. Hold an e-ballot vote. Members of individual stakeholder groups will vote via e-ballot within their stakeholder category for their representative. If more than two stakeholder groups submit nominees, all ABCGA members will be entitled to vote for the nominees to select the one representative to present to the AOC Board of Directors. For example, Roadbuilders & Heavy Construction, Training Organizations and Locators all provide more than one nominee in their stakeholder category. An e-ballot vote will follow for each stakeholder representative. The successful representatives will then proceed to a membership wide e-ballot vote. The representative receiving the most votes will proceed to represent the ABCGA on the AOC board.
ABCGA Board to hold nominations in November and vote, if necessary, to select a Board representative.
It is recommended that buried infrastructure owners DO NOT qualify or would disqualify themselves from the nomination process as the AOC Board is comprised exclusively of these stakeholders. However, the Board selected representative could, in fact, originate from any stakeholder group based on an open nomination process conducted at the Board Meeting.
b. General membership election for all current members to fill one Board representative.
Call for nominations for each stakeholder group that does not represent buried infrastructure owners. Hold an e-ballot vote. Members of individual stakeholder groups will vote via e-ballot within their stakeholder category for their representative. If more than two stakeholder groups submit nominees, all ABCGA members will be entitled to vote for the nominees to select the one representative to present to the AOC Board of Directors.
For example, Roadbuilders & Heavy Construction, Training Organizations and Locators all provide more than one nominee in their stakeholder category. An e-ballot vote will follow for each stakeholder representative. The successful representatives will then proceed to a membership wide e-ballot vote. The representative receiving the most votes will proceed to represent the ABCGA on the AOC board.
Nominations are now open for the general membership board representative. If you are interested in participating as an AOC non-voting board member, please respond to this notice by emailing executivedirector@albertacga.ca by 4:30 p.m., Tuesday, November 17, 2020.
Stakeholder groups eligible for this board position are:
Damage Prevention Organization
Engineering/Land Surveying
Equipment Materials/Service Supply
Locators
Public Works/Municipal
Regulators
Road Builders/Heavy Construction
Training Organizations
An all membership e-ballot will be sent once all nominations have been received to allow the membership to vote on the general membership board position. On November 18, 2020, the ABCGA Board of Directors will be voting for the second non-voting board position, amongst current board members.
ABCGA stakeholder representation is key to the successful unification with AOC. We encourage you to consider seeking this position.
Below is a description of the time commitment to serve on the AOC Board.
Board meetings
The AOC Board of Directors is responsible for Corporate governance and the President is accountable and responsible for AOC operations. The Board holds 4 meetings annually – one each quarter – and an Annual General Meeting (AGM is held immediately in advance of the Q1 Board meeting). These days, all meetings are online; however, once the pandemic is in the past, meetings will be offered in-person at AOC’s Calgary office and online (Teams). The Q3 Board meeting is held in Red Deer, AB.
Reading materials, agenda and related attachments are circulated one week in advance of Board meetings and members are expected to be prepared for the meeting. At these meetings, the Board is presented with a quarterly performance table relative to objectives within the annual business plan.
Board Items
From time to time, the AOC Executive Committee and Board of Directors will be tasked with a recommendation and decision from the AOC President on a topic or matter that is either outside of his authority or shifts the direction of the Corporation. Unless the Item can be addressed during a scheduled Board meeting, these Items will require a special Board meeting.
From time to time, the President may seek Board counsel on operational matters.
Monthly Reporting
The President circulates a monthly report (usually 30 pages with attachments) to the Board outlining AOC Contact Centre metrics from the previous month, financials; i.e: cash on hand, variance report and analysis, revenue & expenses, payroll, etc., and other key points of interest and updates. Board members are encouraged to review the report.
If you have any questions, please contact:
Earlier this month the ABCGA Board of Directors held their Q3 meeting and the main topic of discussion was the upcoming unification with Alberta One-Call (AOC). Mike Sullivan, President and Jeff Mulligan ABCGA’s transition representative provided the board with the following update.
When is the Unification Date?
The date for unification will occur on January 1st, 2021
Will the ABCGA still exist?
Yes, just in a different form. ABCGA as a legal entity and governance structure will cease to exist. The function, authorities, membership and mandate will all remain and will be implemented by AOC. AOC is going through a rebranding exercise and their profile and brand will be refreshed in early 2021. Until the rebranding process is completed and new organization unveiled, AOC and the ABCGA will continue to operate under their existing brands.
Is my membership still valid?
Yes. If you have purchased an ABCGA membership, it will be valid until your renewal date. Membership fees have changed. Unifying services with AOC, and allocation of AOC revenues toward traditional ABCGA operations, have enabled member fees to reduce. Fees within a stakeholder category may differ as they are influenced by the number of employees employed by a member. This fee structure is more consistent with other Regional Partners of the Common Ground Alliance in Canada and encouraged to attract additional members.
Below is a revised membership fee structure for 2021.
Number Employees
2021 Member Fee
50
$100
100
$200
250
$500
500
$1000
750
$1500
1000
$2000
>1000
$2500
Government Provincial
$550
Government Federal
$1100
Will the ABCGA Committees still exist?
ABCGA committees will continue to exist. One of the benefits of the unification is resource allocation. Committees will now have dedicated employees developing workplans and working with the volunteer committees to ensure priorities and objectives are implemented. Volunteer committee chairpersons will still exist.
What will happen with our pursuit of damage prevention legislation?
AOC is committed to the pursuit of damage prevention legislation. A Government Relations position has been posted.
How does unification impact the Training Standard Committee (TSC)?
The TSC will continue to operate. This committee continues to be busy throughout COVID-19. In order to meet the workplan deadlines, transition of operations to AOC will commence in November instead of January. Twila Reberger (ABCGA Auditor) has agreed to train new auditors to assist in the transition of operations. Michelle Finnigan will remain the TSC Administrator for the short term until AOC can fully understand the roles and responsibilities of this position.
ABCGA certification will still exist but will be managed under AOC. Future certification will still be represented by ABCGA.
Will ABCGA contract positions transition to AOC?
No. The role of Executive Director is no longer required and this position will cease to exist as of November 30, 2020. The communications advisor role will transition to current AOC staff. The administration and finance function will remain until December 31, 2020. As mentioned above, the TSC functions will remain. Michelle Finnigan will remain in the position until AOC can fully understand the role and responsibilities. New TSC auditors will be hired.
Will ABCGA stakeholders have representation at the AOC Board?
Yes. The AOC Board will consist of 2 non-voting ABCGA stakeholder members. These two members will participate in all Board functions, but they will not have voting powers. The election of these two Board members will occur as follows:
One member will be elected by the current ABCGA Board of Directors.
One member will be elected through a general membership voting process.
How do I submit my name for the AOC Board?
In early November, ABCGA will be sending an email to all members, accepting nominations for one of the 2 non-voting board positions. Any member in good standing is eligible to put their name forward. An e-ballot will be sent to all members for voting.
What is the time commitment to serve on the AOC Board?
Board meetings:
The AOC Board of Directors is responsible for Corporate governance and the President is accountable and responsible for AOC operations. The Board holds 4 meetings annually – one each quarter – and an Annual General Meeting (AGM is held immediately in advance of the Q1 Board meeting). These days, all meetings are online; however, once the pandemic is in the past, meetings will be offered in-person at AOC’s Calgary office and online (Teams). The Q3 Board meeting is held in Red Deer.
The President circulates a monthly report (usually 30 pages with attachments) to the Board outlining AOC Contact Centre metrics from the previous month, financials; ie: cash on hand, variance report and analysis, revenue & expenses, payroll, etc., and other key points of interest and updates. Board members are encouraged to review the report.
Funding / Revenue Structure
With regard to funding, the AOC Board of Directors is responsible for AOC’s revenue structure and setting notification fees. Data provided in monthly reporting, including financial tracking and Contact Centre metrics (example: notification / locate request ratio), is critical in determining whether or not AOC will meet revenue projections.
As a thank-you to Board members, AOC holds an annual golf tournament in Red Deer following the September Q3 Board meeting.
The Alberta Common Ground Alliance (ABCGA) is seeking to hire a contract communications advisor.
Interested applicants are invited to submit their resume and cover letter by Monday, March 10 at 4:00 MST to executivedirector@albertacga.ca.
Alberta Common Ground Alliance
The Alberta Common Ground Alliance (ABCGA) is the voice of buried facility damage prevention in Alberta. Its members, representing the majority of the province's damage prevention stakeholder groups, work to reduce damages to buried facilities through the consensus identification, verification and promotion of damage prevention best practices and proper ground disturbance procedures.
The ABCGA is an open membership non-profit Alberta society that provides the forum where stakeholders can share information and perspectives and work together on all aspects of damage prevention to produce stronger, more effective results through cooperation, collaboration and the pursuit of common goals. We actively seek opportunities to participate in the development and revision of regulations, practices and guidelines to ensure they are fair, reasonable, based on current best practices and reflect stakeholder consensus.
Communications Advisor Responsibilities
Reporting to the Executive Director the communications advisor will be responsible to:
Required Skills
The communications advisor must have:
Education/Experience
Conditions of Work
The incumbent will be expected to work independently on deadline specific tasks. Time requirements will depend on project requirements. Schedule flexibility is a requirement.
The incumbent will maintain an office that has suitable functionality to meet administration requirements.
Independence
The incumbent is an independent contractor and shall not be considered an employee of the ABCGA or entitled to any benefits that the ABCGA may provide to its employees.
The incumbent shall not be currently employed with a ground disturbance training provider.
Ownership of Materials
Final versions of all written documents produced by the administrator for the ABCGAs use shall belong to the ABCGA.
Confidentiality
The incumbent shall not disclose to any other person or party, other than the ABCGA any confidential or proprietary information contained in any training program applications for endorsement, restricted access documentation and/or any confidential business operations relevant to the ABCGA and TSC.
Compensation
Compensation shall be at an agreed upon rate per hour, both exclusive of GST.
The incumbent shall be reimbursed for travel and sustenance expenses related to the conducting of business on behalf of ABCGA at actual cost subject to the submission and approval of an itemized statement of expenses with receipts.
Use of the incumbent’s personal vehicle related to the conducting of business or attending meetings shall be reimbursed at the CRA’s current “reasonable per kilometre allowance” subject to the submission and approval of a vehicle log. GST shall not be added to this allowance.
The Alberta Common Ground Alliance (ABCGA) is seeking to hire a Contract Administrator for the Training Standards Committee.
Interested qualified applicants are invited to submit their resume and cover letter by Friday January 31, 2020 4:00 PM MST to executivedirector@albertacga.ca.
Training Standard Committee (TSC) Administrator
Reporting to the Executive Director the TSC Administrator will be responsible to:
The TSC Administrator must have:
The incumbent shall not be currently employed with a ground disturbance training provider during the term of their contract employment with the ABCGA.
Submit an Application:
A new issue of the Damage Prevention Process in Alberta has been released! Issue 6.4 further aligns the Damage Prevention Process with the Business Rules Alignment Group (BRAG) document, which standardizes business rules for the provision and use of notification services in the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
Download the Latest Issue
The following changes are included in this issue of the Damage Prevention Process:
When the State of Washington implemented damage prevention legislation, the hardest part for the departments and organizations involved was determining how that legislation would be enforced. They wanted a system that helped to change people’s behaviour around buried utilities, to prevent lines from getting cut, but they wanted it focused education, rather than penalties—and above all they wanted to ensure there was no fiscal impact on taxpayers.
Highlights:
The solution was to establish a safety committee with a panel of industry experts who hear complaints from all parties involved in ground disturbance incidents. The panel, which is composed of between three to five members, changes from one case to the next. The members who make up the panel are selected based on their similar work experiences and industry backgrounds to the parties involved in the incident, including contractors, locators and utility owners.
Don Evans, the executive director of Washington 811, says that by choosing panel members from the same industries ensures that those overseeing the case already possess the expertise to understand the case and the experience necessary to ask the right questions.
Evans says the greatest benefit of the safety committee’s panel is that contractors and locators have the opportunity to make their case and they know that when they do, they will be treated fairly, even when their complaint is against a much larger company. There are no lawyers involved in the process. Instead, all parties are given the chance to represent themselves. It’s peers talking to peers. The system works because each person’s peers are holding them accountable to the damage prevention process.
“When talking with people who know what they do, the nonsense falls to the side,” Evans says.
After hearing from each party, the panel decides whether any violations have occurred and prepares a recommendation which they send to the Utility Transportation Commission (UTC). The panel itself has no authority to enforce the legislation. Instead the UTC receives the recommendation and their investigator conducts an analysis. The commission then sends the recommendation, along with their findings, to an administrative law judge for penalty assessments.
When the UTC considers a recommendation, they are looking for an observable change in behaviour for those responsible for an incident. Along with monetary penalties, which begin at $1,000 for the first infraction and grow to $5,000 for a second infraction, there is also the option to attend education sessions or training courses.
Penalties are handed out based on infractions. multiple parties are at fault for an incident, each party is required to either pay fines or attend educational sessions. If someone wishes to appeal the case, they may also request a hearing in front of an administrative law judge.
Lynda Hollaway, damage prevention program manager with UTC, says that the process has produced unexpected benefits for the State of Washington.
“The UTC wasn’t used to receiving recommendations,” Lynda Holloway says. “But in some ways, it has saved us a lot of work.”
Because the safety committee is the first place that hears from all parties involved in an incident, it has reduced the number of small claims cases which the government has handled.
The panel is funded by utility companies and produces no fiscal impact on government or on taxpayers. The monetary penalties which the UTC receives are used exclusively to fund damage prevention initiatives and education. The State of Washington spent the money on damage prevention classes for excavators and utility locator classes, which they have been able to provide for free.
Since the committee was formed, Washington has seen a large drop in the number of incidents in areas where they have put on classes and done advertising campaigns. In turn, they have seen an increase in the number of people involved in damage prevention and eager to sit on the panel.
NIAGARA FALLS, ONT. (Oct. 9, 2019) – The Canadian Common Ground Alliance (CCGA) released the 2018 Damage Information Reporting Tool (DIRT) Report in Niagara Falls, Ontario on Wednesday during its annual National Damage Prevention Symposium. This report presents characteristics, themes and contributing factors leading to damages in Canada as reported via the DIRT system.
Download the Report
In 2018, there were 11,693 damages reported via DIRT for Canada; on average, 47 reported damages per work day (assuming 254 work days per year). The societal cost of these damages to underground infrastructure in Canada continues to be estimated at least $1 billion per year.
Among all damage reports with an identified and known root cause, 22% occurred because no locate request was made to a One Call Centre and 38% were the result of insufficient excavation practices.
While reporting damages in DIRT is voluntary, the data is critical for the CCGA to determine root causes and develop mitigating measures to reduce and eliminate them.
The complete 2018 DIRT Report is available to download at www.canadiancga.com. Stakeholders interested in submitting data to the 2019 report, or establish a Virtual Private Dirt account, should visit the DIRT website at www.cga-dirt.com.
The Canadian Common Ground Alliance (CCGA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing public safety, and increasing the integrity and reliability of Canada’s underground utility infrastructure through the development and implementation of effective and efficient damage prevention practices across Canada. As Canada’s unified voice on damage prevention, the CCGA attracts members from all Canadian national organizations and associations who share common damage prevention and public safety solutions. The CCGA and its Regional Partners welcome all stakeholders who wish to be part of the identification and promotion of best practices that reduce damage to buried utilities.
Mike Sullivan President – Canadian Common Ground Alliance
Media Inquiries: info@CanadianCGA.com
Know What's Below
The ABCGA and the BCCGA are pleased to announce that Global Training Centre have been endorsed to the Ground Disturbance 201 (British Columbia) Standard! Global Training Centre have been granted full endorsement of their Ground Disturbance Level II classroom training program as meeting the requirements of the Ground Disturbance 201 (British Columbia) Standard, effective as of Aug. 21, 2019. See our list of endorsed training providers.
Beginning September 16, 2019, all Contractor and Member locate requests must be submitted online. Following a three-month grace period, this mandate will be enforced January 1, 2020.
Locate requests submitted by phone are more likely to result in damage to underground infrastructure due to challenges associated with verbally relaying the precise location of proposed excavations. When a locate request is placed online through the web portal, however, precise dig site information is drawn on a map by the excavating party and relayed directly from them to the utility owner and/or their locating crew eliminating verbal description and interpretation challenges. In relation to this, Alberta One-Call Corporation examined all damages to underground infrastructure in Calgary and Edmonton between June 2017 and May 2018 and concluded a significantly higher rate of damage, respectively in those cities, when locate requests were submitted by phone rather than the web.
Emergency and Homeowner locate requests, and locate requests placed by satellite phone for ground disturbances in locations where there is no cellular service, are exempt from this rule.
The majority of Contractors and Members have already shifted the locate request process to the web. In June 2019, 90% of all locate requests from Contractors, and 93% of all locate requests from Alberta One-Call Members, were submitted online.
AOC hosts weekly web-training webinars. Sign-up for the next one HERE.
Please send questions to Info@AlbertaOneCall.com.
Thank you,
Mike Sullivan President Alberta One-Call Corporation
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