Municipal Levels of Service: Finding the “Just Right” Balance for Your Community
We are all familiar with the cautionary tale of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, and that search for what is “just right.” For local governments, this pursuit defines the challenge of managing municipal levels of service (LoS). Finding the ideal balance—neither over-delivering services (“too hot”) nor under-delivering (“too cold”)—is a critical investment in your community’s long-term viability and financial health.
The LoS concept is internationally recognized, defined by ISO 55000 as the “parameters… which reflect the social, political, environmental and economic outcomes that the organization delivers.” Simply put, it’s a methodology that replaces gut feelings with data to determine an acceptable, cost-effective standard of public service.
The Three-Point Balance: Cost, Performance, and Risk
Successfully delivering a public service requires staff to continuously balance three competing elements. Think of this dynamic as the “Spinning Top” of service delivery:
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Cost: The financial investment required to deliver the service, often tied directly to the municipal tax base.
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Performance: The quality and efficiency of the service as experienced by the user, such as road rideability or the speed of water main repairs.
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Risk: The potential liabilities and consequences associated with service failure, impacting public safety and financial exposure.
Managing municipal levels of service involves understanding the trade-offs. For instance, increasing road “performance” through more frequent maintenance requires an increase in “cost” but simultaneously lowers the “risk” of accidents and liabilities. This framework empowers decision-makers to justify budget allocations by showing how every dollar spent impacts risk and quality of life.
Bridging the Gap: Community and Technical LoS Metrics
To ensure an LoS framework is effective, it must connect the citizen experience with the operational activities of staff. For Ontario municipalities, this structure is mandated under O. Reg. 588/17, which requires two tiers of metrics:
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Community Levels of Service: These are qualitative, public-facing descriptions of the service. They include items easily understood by citizens, such as a map outlining high-priority snow clearing routes or a simple description of the safety and accessibility of playground assets. This tier ensures clear communication with stakeholders.
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Technical Levels of Service: These are the quantifiable, staff-facing metrics used for internal management. For the playground example, the technical metric might be the percentage of municipal playgrounds that are in compliance with AODA standards. Other examples include the average time to repair a water main break or the Pavement Condition Index (PCI) for local roads.
By tracking these two tiers, municipalities establish a direct line of sight between what the citizen expects and what the operational teams are delivering and tracking.
The Path Forward: Using Levels of Service for Strategic Asset Management
The challenge of aging infrastructure and shifting public expectations makes a data-driven LoS approach essential. It allows local governments to make better decisions, whether that involves reprioritizing maintenance schedules or justifying necessary tax adjustments to fund capital renewal.
A Levels of Service framework provides the evidence needed to move away from reactive, emergency repairs toward a proactive, strategic maintenance plan.
How PSD Citywide Can Help
Successfully defining and tracking your Levels of Service requires specialized advisory expertise and integrated Enterprise Asset Management technology. PSD Citywide provides the specialized advisory services to help define your metrics and the Citywide Assets software to continuously track them. Book a demo today!
