Ontario Construction News staff writer
The Town of Collingwood has announced a significant restructuring of its engineering, public works and environmental services department, to address the growing demands of infrastructure development, large projects and increasing workloads associated with rapid community growth.
The restructuring also underscores the town’s focus on large-scale projects, such as the $270 million water treatment plant expansion, and the upcoming wastewater treatment plant expansion, which could be worth up to $300 million and extend into the 2030s.
To support these projects, the town is recruiting a new director of infrastructure to oversee the entire department. Slama will continue leading the department during the transition period.
“The pace of infrastructure growth and development, combined with large projects and budgets, requires additional resources,” said Sonya Skinner, chief administrative officer. “Council has approved the addition of a new leadership position and restructured the department to better align with the town’s needs, providing clarity, improved communication and faster customer service.”
As part of the reorganization, the department’s responsibilities will now be divided into four focused divisions: Growth and Development, Infrastructure Projects, Public Works and Water and Wastewater. Each division will have a specific focus to streamline operations and improve efficiency.
- The new Growth and Development department will focus on growth planning, master plans and the review and administration of development applications. Amber Leal has joined the town as manager of Growth and Development.
- Infrastructure Projects will be responsible for asset management, capital plans and overseeing major capital projects such as the $270 million water treatment plant expansion. Ken Kaden has been promoted to infrastructure project manager to lead this division.
- Public Works will manage the operation and maintenance of roads, active transportation, stormwater systems and sanitary laterals and mains. It will also oversee minor capital projects related to these services, utility locates and transit. Daniel Cole, who has been manager of Public Works for more than five years, will continue leading this team.
- Water and Wastewater: Peggy Slama, who previously served as director of Public Works, Engineering and Environmental Services, will take on the new role of manager of Water and Wastewater. She will also serve as project manager for the upcoming wastewater treatment plant expansion, a significant project set to begin with a Class Environmental Assessment (EA) study in 2025.
“These changes are designed to clarify authority for decisions, improve communication, streamline processes and speed up customer service,” noted Skinner. “We’re also creating new opportunities for professional growth within our team, as we continue to expand and become a more efficient organization.”
The restructuring is expected to enhance the town’s ability to manage its growing infrastructure demands while providing better service to residents and fostering a dynamic environment for the team.
