City receives $10K risk management award

Frank Cowan Company has presented Greater Sudbury with the Excellence in Municipal Risk Management Award, which is valued at $10,000.

The city received the award during the Federation of Canadian Municipalities Sustainable Communities Conference Award Ceremony on Wednesday in Ottawa.

The city received the award for implementing a new scoring process that puts more ownership on contractors to respond to concerns and complaints made by citizens, a news release said on Thursday.

“Contractors are now required to identify a person of authority who will respond directly to citizens’ claims and are graded on every job site, not just for their construction work, but for their consideration of the general public with respect to damage,” the release said.

“Due to the success of this initiative not only are there fewer claims being presented to the city but the time that was spent by the adjusters on contractor’s claims directed to the city has been greatly reduced.”

“I would like to thank the Frank Cowan Company for recognizing this innovative, low-cost program, which can be used to the benefit of municipalities across the country,” Greater Sudbury Mayor Brian Bigger is quoted as saying.

“We strive to provide quality municipal services to our residents, but also to find cost-savings and minimize risks to the organization. The Excellence in Municipal Risk Management Award is a testament to our hard work and dedication in continually improving services and savings throughout the organization.”

Frank Cowan Company is dedicated to assisting municipalities implement risk management practices that help reduce claims frequency and severity. This award recognizes the advancements of the practice of risk management in the municipal sector.

“As an MGA, we believe in providing an opportunity for all Canadian municipalities to share good risk management practices,” Larry Ryan, president of Frank Cowan Company, said in the release.

“If good ideas like the one created by the City of Greater Sudbury are implemented across the county we are able to create stronger, safer communities. I would like to thank all who applied and congratulate the City of Greater Sudbury on winning the 2016 award.”

The $10,000 award is open to every municipality in Canada. To qualify, a municipality needs to have recognized a risk within their operations and developed and successfully implemented a solution that prevents harm or injury to its assets or a third party.

The risk management solution must also have the potential to be adopted by other municipalities.