Green Infrastructure Asset Management Plan

The Town's “green assets” include public natural areas and other public open spaces, including the trees and grass within them. These assets are recognized for providing essential and valued services, including flood control, outdoor recreation opportunities, and improved local air quality.

A well-established system for tracking and maintaining the Town’s “grey assets” (e.g., bridges, roads, sewers) already exists, and recently, the Town initiated the development of a Green Infrastructure Asset Management Plan to help integrate its green assets into this same system.

The degree to which the Town invests in maintaining and enhancing its assets is, in large part, informed by how much the community values and needs the services provided by these assets.

We want to know what you think about these assets and the services they provide!

Background

The Town owns and manages a wide range of assets that provide, or help to provide, various services on which the community depends. These include “grey infrastructure assets” (such as community facilities and parking lots, bridges, roads and sewers) and “green infrastructure assets” (such as parklands and treed areas). For simplicity, these are referred to as “grey assets” and “green assets” in this survey.

In the Town of Halton Hills, and for this project, “green assets” specifically include (see figure below):

“Natural (green) assets” such as forests, wetlands, meadows, shorelines, and ponds/lakes, and

“Enhanced (green) assets” such as street and park trees, manicured lawns, and garden beds.

Other green assets, such as watercourses and groundwater, are not being included in the Town’s Green Infrastructure Asset Management Plan but will be included in future versions of the plan.

Why is this Project a Priority?

The Town is committed to proactively managing its infrastructure assets (both grey and green) while providing a consistent level of service and improving the quality of life for the community. Integrated assets can be tracked, maintained, renewed, and replaced (as needed). The Town’s grey assets and some but not all of its green assets have already been fully integrated.

The purpose of this project is to complete the work needed to include all green assets in the Town’s systems to help ensure efficient and sustainable delivery of the valued services these assets provide.

This initiative is expected to help advance priorities identified in the Town’s Strategic Plan (2023 – 2026) related to both natural areas and infrastructure management.

This project will also help the Town comply with provincial regulations (i.e., Ontario Regulation 588/17) related to municipal asset management, which require consideration of green assets, and federal and international guidance that supports green asset management as a way to help ensure sustainable service delivery while also building resilience to climate change.

Next Steps and Other Engagement Opportunities

The project team issued a survey in April of 2025 as part of the first phase of the Green Infrastructure Asset Management Plan. Survey results are currently being considered as the team completes additional technical work and analysis with Town staff and Council. A Public Information Session, where key outcomes will be shared, is planned for the spring of 2026. Details to come, stay tuned!