Not unlike the average homeowner, the Town of Innisfail owns property, vehicles, and equipment. Collectively, these are known as assets. But unlike the average homeowner, the Town also owns infrastructure, such as roads, pipes, and sewers. Without knowing the value of these collected assets - and the state of these assets - the Town's leadership doesn't have a clear picture of what is needed to maintain the services our residents expect.

The Town of Innisfail’s State of Infrastructure Report (SoIR) presents a comprehensive overview of the condition, value, and reinvestment needs of its municipal assets. With a total estimated replacement value of $334 million, these assets form the foundation for delivering high-quality services to residents and supporting sustainable community growth.

Overall, the Town’s infrastructure is in Good condition. However, many assets are in the earlier stages of their lifecycle, and without timely reinvestment, their condition will decline over time. The report identifies that Utilities and Fleet assets are currently in Fair condition, indicating a need for prioritized attention and reinvestment. Additionally, gaps in data – particularly in the IT Services and Enforcement & Emergency Services categories – highlight the importance of ongoing asset inventory and condition assessments.

As Innisfail continues to grow, the Town will need to balance the demands of expanding infrastructure with the need to maintain and renew aging assets. Doing so requires a proactive, data-driven approach to asset management—one that aligns with long-term financial planning and service delivery goals. In particular, asset categories with high replacement values, such as Municipal Properties, require increased and sustained investment to ensure their long-term functionality and overall sustainability. Allocating appropriate funding to these high-value assets is essential to mitigating future risk and maintaining service levels.

The SoIR serves not only as a technical tool to guide future capital investment decisions but also as a public-facing document that enhances transparency and accountability. The insights provided herein will support Council, administration, and residents in making informed decisions that ensure the Town’s infrastructure remains resilient, efficient, and responsive to the needs of the community – today and into the future.

Further impacting council's funding decisions is the reality that municipalities now receive less funding for infrastructure from other levels of government. This means that municipalities like Innisfail will increasingly have to fund infrastructure renewal from their own sources of revenue.

*Values are based on historical average capital budget. The above exercise is for illustrative purposes only.