Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Municipal Capital Works Projects: An Analysis Of Scheduling Delays And Cost Escalations, Doug Mackay

MPA Major Research Papers

This paper examines the primary reasons for the delays and cost overruns in municipal capital works projects in Ontario. Interviews with experts in municipal infrastructure projects – including employees from the municipal sector, the Ministry of the Environment, a conservation authority, and the Ministry of Transportation – were conducted. The findings reveal that there are numerous factors that have resulted in municipal capital works projects becoming increasingly difficult to deliver, but the primary factor was the introduction of the Environmental Assessment Act, which resulted in a lengthened schedule and added costs.