Facilities Management

Public Works

 

Gwajiing Nokiiwin

 

Public Works takes direction from Chief and Council and implements the Strategic Plan and Goals via the Chief Executive Officer. Each year, we develop an Annual Work Plan which includes bringing the roads to MTO Standard Grade and building, upgrading and maintaining infrastructure.

 

Nipissing First Nation maintains over 50 kilometres of roads linking 11 settlement areas across our 30 kilometre land base stretching from Duchesnay (near North Bay, Ontario) to Garden Village (near Sturgeon Falls, Ontario).

 

In addition to overseeing and completing road construction and maintenance, Public Works is also responsible for:

 

 

* 911 signs, garbage and recycle bins can be purchased at the Finance department, and picked up at Public Works, for the following costs: 911 signs ($83.90), garbage bins ($84.95) and recycle bins ($70).

 

Garbage & Recycling

 

Nipissing First Nation (NFN) provides on-reserve residents with weekly curbside garbage collection, and bi-weekly curbside recycling collection.

Public Works staff completes garbage collection on Mondays, unless there is a holiday (then collection moves to Tuesday). Recycling is collected bi-weekly on Tuesdays.

 

Recycling Program Highlights

 

NFN residents participate in a 2-stream recycling system (Fibers and Plastics) with a bi-weekly pick up.  Our recycling is processed by two Materials Recycling Facilities and new products are created from the materials that are recycled.

 

More than 150 tonnes of recyclable materials are diverted from our landfill every year.  Since the Recycling Program’s inception in September 2012:

 

 

Water & Wastewater

 

Facilities and Public Works manage Water & Wastewater treatment for the community, including waterline installations, well monitoring and pump house upgrades and maintenance.  Our staff also oversee operations and maintenance at our plants and pumphouses, repair hydrants, complete inspections, and adhere to Health Canada standards and practices.

 

Water Treatment

 

Our Water Treatment Operators are continually upgrading their licensing to enhance operations and installations. Daily inspections are performed at all of our pump houses to ensure that all levels are maintained within Health Canada guidelines for water quality.  Health Canada also performs weekly tests to ensure the best quality of water is delivered for our communities.

 

Wastewater Treatment

 

All processes at the Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) have been working very well. We have implemented the use of the Maintenance Management System schedule used every day to monitor certain pumps and valves to keep them running smoothly and extend their life span.

 

Planning Ahead

 

As part of our ongoing infrastructure and capital planning processes, we are investigating and addressing water and wastewater infrastructure across our communities.  We have positioned NFN to be the likely candidate to be the 1st First Nation in Ontario chosen to be part of a 10-year grant funding pilot project.  This flexibility will enable NFN to pursue new methods of financing major capital projects like water and sewer.

 

 

Infrastructure & Planning

 

The Facilities department completes Asset Condition Reporting Systems (ACRS) and other federal reporting for community buildings, as well as capital planning projects for NFN’s long-term infrastructure.  Capital planning and reporting includes new construction, renovations, water/wastewater systems, roads and bridges, and capital projects related to education, recreation/playgrounds, etc.

 

As part of our ongoing infrastructure and capital planning processes, we are investigating and addressing water and wastewater infrastructure across our communities.  Learn more here.

 

Community Assets

 

 

Maintenance & Services

 

Our Maintenance department consists of 5 full-time staff members who are responsible for ensuring the operational and maintenance needs of our administrative buildings and community facilities are met. Maintenance manages emergency signage, monthly fire extinguisher checks, HVAC systems, landscaping as well as interior and exterior cleaning and property maintenance for the Administration Building, Fitness Centre, Public Works, Natural Resources, Food Bank, Fire Halls, Culture Centre and other NFN-owned administrative properties.

 

Each year, a group of workers make up the Beautification & Maintenance Crew, which is responsible for a number of seasonal projects, including: public spaces and maintenance assistance for Seniors, and clean up of traditional grounds, cemeteries, beaches, playgrounds and recreational areas throughout the communities of NFN.