Bernard Gaudreault
Director of Asset Management, Norda Stelo
Sophie Boisvert
Director of Asset Durability, Norda Stelo
One of Canada’s leading engineering firms is advancing an approach to infrastructure that’s grounded in asset durability, data-driven decisions, and long-term sustainability.
Canada’s infrastructure is aging rapidly. With only 55 per cent of core assets rated as being in “good” or “very good” condition and an estimated $300 billion needed for repairs and replacement, the situation is dire.
Norda Stelo, a purpose-driven engineering and consulting firm, champions a new approach to closing Canada’s infrastructure investment gap — one grounded in creating not just economic value, but also social and environmental value.
“Assets are reaching a point where failures can disrupt services, and that’s a big risk for our society,” says Bernard Gaudreault, Norda Stelo’s Director of Asset Management. “The cost of failure can also be 5 to 15 times the cost of doing the work before it fails.”
“We cannot build anew every time,” says Sophie Boisvert, Norda Stelo’s Director of Asset Durability.
Instead, the greatest value is found in extending the life of assets, acting early to avoid major failures, and preventing unnecessary replacements. This route has a significantly lower carbon footprint, supporting sustainability goals.
The approach is rooted in asset durability — infrastructure’s capacity to deliver reliable service throughout its lifecycle while meeting safety, resilience, and performance standards.
Data also plays a central role, and its quality and consistency are crucial.
“Data lets us assess risks in aging infrastructure and make smarter decisions and investment planning,” says Boisvert.
Closing Canada’s infrastructure investment gap isn’t about building more; it’s about better management through disciplined prioritization, resilient design, and long-term value-based decisions.
To learn more, visit norda.com/en/our-solutions/asset-management.
