Buy-in Case Study:
Toronto, Canada
How Toronto Water in Toronto, ON Assessed Cost-Effective Solutions with the Bonar Creek Stormwater Alternatives Study
| Region | Canada | Principle | Envision |
| City | Toronto, ON | Best Practice | Understand the audience |
| Population | 2.9 million |
“There is value in conducting similar studies and deploying these modeling techniques to save costs, invite collaboration between departments and improve planning.”
–Matt Wilson, Senior Engineer
Project Description
The Bonar Creek Stormwater Alternatives Study was initiated to address the increasing costs associated with developing a stormwater management pond in the Mimico Creek sub-watershed. What began as a $10 million project ballooned to over $70 million during the planning period, which brought the project to a standstill. Toronto Water needed to find a way to manage 400 hectares of watershed. The Division implemented strategic modeling that showed the business cases for seven different options. Their analysis incorporated the estimated lifecycle costs of the projects over 50 years. They also considered the cost-savings of implementing green infrastructure and assessed co-benefits including mitigating heat and other opportunities for the pond lands. The implementation was projected to be over a 20-year period. The models indicated that a moderate green infrastructure plan could be delivered at a cost of tens of millions of dollars less than the original plan, and the Division chose that as the preferred option.
The greater Mimico Creek Watershed and the focused 400 HA study area. Draft Figure for Discussion Purposes. All planned infrastructure locations and scopes are subject to change.
Best Practices in Action
The success of the Bonar Creek Stormwater Alternatives Study can be attributed to Toronto Water’s openness to assessing alternative approaches and their cost-benefit analysis. By comparing plans for developing end-of-pipe and green infrastructure projects and elevating the non-quantifiable metrics of green infrastructure benefits, they were able to make a compelling business case for the city. The project required sophisticated modeling to show the advantages and disadvantages of the various proposals. The modeling measured additional benefits such as urban heat mitigation, educational opportunities, aesthetic improvements, and triple-bottom-line analysis.
Key Learnings
Understand the audience
Getting a sense of the priorities of the decision-makers will save time and money, and keep efforts focused on ensuring forward momentum.
Know what the audience wants
Focusing on the financial and political impacts and technical details proved effective in securing project approval.
Cost-benefit analyses
Integrating cost-benefit analysis into planning is essential for gaining buy-in and aligning goals between departments.
Other Recommendations
- Equip audiences to engage.