WINNIPEG — The Manitoba Heavy Construction Association (MHCA) and other industry groups have asked the minister of transportation and infrastructure to establish a utility locates working group as a way to accelerate the response for locates from utilities.
The proposed group would provide consensus-based recommendations within 120 days on solutions related to utility locate services, a release from the MHCA states.
Utility locates are mandatory before starting most construction projects in Manitoba.
“Delays in obtaining utility locates have been a long-standing issue, causing frustration and hindering project timelines,” the release reads. “Delayed locates lead to increased costs, safety risks and economic disruption.”
The proposed group could be composed of representatives from the Construction Association of Rural Manitoba, Manitoba Home Builders’ Association, MHCA and the Winnipeg Construction Association, as well as Manitoba Hydro, Bell MTS, other telecom and pipeline utilities along with a provincial department representative.
Review areas could include establishing utility locate service timeline-delivery standards; resourcing a locate/safety watch provision, especially for surges in development or with major projects; considering a third-party locate provider services for general application; introducing fees for locate services paid by industry to meet prescribed turnaround timelines; and accountability measures for non-compliance with timely locate response.
The request was submitted by the Construction Association of Rural Manitoba, Lawson Consulting & Surveying, MHCA, Manitoba Home Builders’ Association, Valley Fibre Inc. and the Winnipeg Construction Association.
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