CANADIAN MUNICIPAL BENCHMARKING AND BEST PRACTICES INITIATIVES: WHAT'S THE CONNECTION?

INTRODUCTION Canada has taken up the challenge to develop municipal benchmarking and best practices initiatives for continuous improvement of our water and wastewater utility operations. A number of key national and provincial initiatives have been implemented that are providing municipal managers with innovative new tools to assist in their quest for superior performance. The National Water and Wastewater Benchmarking Initiative, Ontario Municipal Benchmarking Initiative, Ontario Municipal Performance Measurement Program, National Guide to Sustainable Municipal Infrastructure and Ontario Centre for Municipal Best Practices are leading edge programs that are helping Canadian municipalities achieve higher and higher levels of service excellence. But what is the connection? How do these various benchmarking and best practices fit together in the continuous improvement process for water and wastewater operations? More importantly, how do utility managers, when faced with limited time and resources, determine what is the right program for them?