b'LOCATESThe following is a rundown of the five core strategies. Pressure points: Another solution tabled during the symposium was to ease the backlog of locate requests Dedicated locator: One of the most promoted ideasthrough several steps. This includes standardizing to come out of the Ontario One Call event washow locates are managed, encouraging utilities and encouraging major infrastructure projects as well asmunicipalities to extend the locate validity periods to contractors to hire dedicated locators for their team.60 days, encouraging utilities and municipalities to The idea, says Simpson, is that having one personapply the same locate expiration date, and reducing the responsible for conducting locates will relieve stress onadministrative burden. the locates system and give contractors greater control over their projects. For example, says Simpson, If youEasing the systems pressure points also means run into a problem during a sewer and watermainaddressing industry misconceptions. Specifically, says project, that dedicated locator would be there andSimpson, One common misconception is that contrac-ready to take action to keep you working. You wouldnttors and their subcontractors cant be put on the same have to wait around for multiple locators to come inlocate request when, in fact, they absolutely can. Theres from their separate activities. a section in every request that allows people to put in the names of the subcontractors, and the Canadian Under this plan, utilities and municipalities would beCommon Ground Alliance provides information on responsible for the dedicated locator on their capitalsharing locates in Section 4-7 of their Best Practices. projects. As well, these individuals would not comeThe more people are aware of this, the more we can from existing locator staff, thereby freeing the pool ofeliminate duplicates in the system.locators up for other projects. Compliance / Enforcement: Ontario One Call Dedicated locators arent necessarily a new idea.acknowledges that there is confusion around the rules In fact, says Simpson, there are already examplesof locates. Moreover, it recognizes that its bylaws may of contractors using dedicated locators and, morerequire simplification to make the compliance process importantly, being given the leeway to include themeasier. To that end, Ontario One Call will provide as costs on the project: SWIFT, a rural broadbandgreater communication about the rules, compliance funding body, allows every excavator to put in the costprocess, and the roles and responsibilities of each of a dedicated locator, and its a totally acceptable coststakeholder, partly through its regular outreach and its for them. As more project stakeholders do the same,upcoming Professional Locate Administrator Course this will free up a lot of people. (PLAC) (see sidebar on following page).1-866-TOPLIFT Serving Canada toplift.comExperience thatworks togetherStoney Creek: (905) 662-4147 St. Laurent: (514) 335-2953 42 Pinelands Ave. 6557 Cote de LiesseStoney Creek, ON St-Laurent, QC Infrastructure - General Contracting Bolton: (905) 857-5200 Sherbrooke: (819) 612-543812343 Highway 50 6895 Boulevard Bourque Bridge - AggregatesBolton, ONSherbrooke, QCRENTALSSALESPARTSSERVICE www.sierraconstruction.caH 2 OSWCASpring 2020 23'