Case Study
Case Study: Town of Fort Erie, ON
Fort Erie Transforms Disconnected Data into One Source of Truth
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The Town of Fort Erie, ON (~73,000 residents), manages over $2.16 billion in critical infrastructure. For years, they struggled to manage their assets with over 50 disconnected data sources, which slowed decision-making and complicated interdepartmental coordination, hindering long-term planning. To unify their operations, Fort Erie implemented Citywide Assets, Maintenance, and GIS in a phased rollout.
Centralized Asset Inventory
Gained a single inventory integrating asset condition and financial data, eliminating data silos.
Automated Workflows
Automated processes like scheduling, moving from manual tracking to efficient task execution
Empowered Staff
Staff now spend less time chasing data and more time managing assets effectively
Case Study: Town of Fort Erie, ON
Fort Erie Transforms Disconnected Data into One Source of Truth
Introduction
Nestled in the Niagara region and boasting over 45 kilometers of shoreline along Lake Erie, the Town of Fort Erie, ON is home to a population of 73,000 permanent residents. As a border town along a busy trade corridor, Fort Erie manages approximately $2.16 billion in infrastructure assets. These assets are crucial to delivering services such as road maintenance, water and wastewater treatment, parks and cemeteries upkeep, and the stewardship of natural assets.
Challenges
Fort Erie recognized early on that managing such a large and diverse portfolio of assets required more than just technology - it required trust, collaboration, and a unified approach across every department. For years, the municipality grappled with disconnected data sources and isolated information banks. With over 50 structured archives spread across various systems, key information was often difficult to access, share, or act upon.
The disjointed structure of the municipality posed challenges to preserving institutional knowledge, ensuring continuity, and promoting transparency in financial planning and budgeting. Each department managed data in its own way, which slowed decision-making and complicated interdepartmental coordination. Without a central system, records were scattered and difficult to align, and planning efforts lacked the consistency and shared vision that is necessary to support long-term sustainability.
At the beginning of its asset management journey, Fort Erie spent significant time aligning existing data and identifying the need for a single source of truth. Numerous one-on-one and group meetings helped map out departmental needs, build process charts, and envision how future improvements could streamline operations. Despite the effort, it was clear they needed help implementing a consistent and scalable system.
Solutions
The onboarding process was rolled out in phases:
Phase 1
Phase 2
Phase 3
Citywide Assets
Used to track the condition, financial status, and critical attributes of each asset. This module also supports FIR reporting and includes a customized 1-5 asset hierarchy used heavily by the Parks and Facilities departments.
Citywide Maintenance
Enables staff to plan and execute preventative maintenance, configure patrol routes, and log scheduled activities.
Citywide GIS
Maintains spatial accuracy and integrity across all mapped assets, with nightly updates to ensure consistency between linked fields and attributes.
Notification System
Alerts relevant staff based on changes or tasks, improving coordination and response times.
Microsoft Azure Portal Services
Serves as the main asset inventory and connects to other systems through custom-built APIs, closing the loop between asset condition, maintenance, and financial planning.
“
The Citywide Maintenance module was a game changer. What started as manually highlighting routes on paper is now automated with geolocation and scheduled reminders.
“
Pedro Serrano
Asset Management Analyst, Fort Erie, ON
Results
Today, PSD Citywide serves as a long-term solution for Fort Erie, helping the municipality manage its assets with transparency and ease. The system is widely accessible to all employees, but is equipped with robust security to remove access to other outsiders. Through ongoing updates and API integrations, Fort Erie ensures the system remains relevant and responsive to evolving needs. The seamless integration of GIS data and the ability to assign roles and permissions to onboarding staff has empowered departments to take ownership of the workflows and information.
“
Our operations and business processes have improved. Staff now have more time to manage and respond instead of chasing data.
“
Michelle Moore
Project Manager, Asset Management, Fort Erie, ON
While the journey required patience and persistence, Fort Erie’s asset management transformation proves that progress over perfection leads to meaningful and lasting results. With a centralized system at their fingertips, staff are now better equipped to manage stakeholder expectations, make informed decisions, and build a sustainable future for the community they serve.
Fort Erie now has a unified, transparent system that improves efficiency, enhances collaboration, and empowers staff to make informed, data-driven decisions for the community.
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