The City of Courtenay has received a $50,000 boost for its asset management efforts.

The funding was awarded to communities in several provinces through the Municipal Asset Management Program (MAMP), a new five-year, $50-million program designed to help municipalities make informed decisions about infrastructure investment. The program is delivered by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and funded by the Government of Canada.

In Courtenay, the funding will be put towards a Land Disposition and Acquisition Strategy.

David Allen, the city’s chief administrative officer, said the new funding will help offset costs for the project, which is already underway. “We’ve been working on the strategy since the spring, and the results are intended to help us develop a better understanding of all of our city lands and buildings so we can manage them in the most efficient, cost-effective manner,” advised Allen. “The news of this funding is a very welcome bonus as we work through this process.”

Earlier this year, Council approved the use of $150,000 in federal Gas Tax funds to develop the strategy. The MAMP grant will offset this amount.

As part of the strategy, the city is working with consultants at Urban Systems to create a detailed inventory of all land owned by the city. This inventory will evaluate the value of the land and improvements, and identify potential opportunities for Courtenay City Council.

Once this process has been completed – likely in November – Council will consider which properties or structures may be in excess of the city’s needs and available for disposition through an open and transparent process. The study will also identify any areas where the city may be potentially interested in acquiring property.

“We typically receive several inquiries each year from people interested in either buying city property, or selling or donating property to the city,” advised Allen. “With this new inventory, and following guidance from Council, we’ll be able to manage this process more strategically.”

The project is one element of the Courtenay’s overall asset management program, focused on “sustainable service delivery”: ensuring that current community service needs and how those services are delivered (in a socially, economically and environmentally responsible manner), do not compromise the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

For more background on asset management at the City of Courtenay, visit the Asset Management page.