Purchasing, GIS, Risk and Asset Management

The team develops and delivers strategy, policy and programs supporting the city’s services and infrastructure. With a focus on financial integrity, the team ensures the responsible stewardship of public funds and oversees a comprehensive approach to risk and asset management planning while telling our stories through inter-active maps utilizing Geographic Information Systems (GIS).

Purchasing

Our bid / tender opportunities process is one of the many ways we're committed to providing a fair, open and transparent procurement process. Through these posted opportunities, we are ensuring the City obtains the best value for goods and services for our community.

The purchasing by-law outlines the framework that we follow when procuring goods and services.

The City frequently purchases goods and services from vendors through our online bid opportunities system. Our online system allows businesses to easily search for open, closed and awarded bid opportunities.

Third party contractors, consultants and service providers who deal with the public or other third parties on behalf of the City, must comply with the Accessibility for Ontarians With Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA"), in particular the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service, O. Reg. 429/07 as well as the Integrated Accessibility Standards, O. Reg. 191/11.

In accordance with the requirements of section 6 of the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service and section 7 of the Integrated Accessibility Standard, contractors, consultants and service providers shall ensure that all of their employees, agents, volunteers or others who deal with members of the public or other third parties on behalf of the City, or provide goods, services or facilities on behalf of the City, receive all training about the provision of goods and services provided to people with disabilities.

The City of Owen Sound Purchase Order Terms and Conditions apply unless other terms and conditions have been agreed to through a formal contract or formal purchasing process with the City.

When goods or property the City owns have been declared surplus, we attempt to dispose of them through public auction, On-line auction (www.govdeals.com) or by sale by tender. We do this to ensure that surplus is being disposed of in a cost effective and environmentally friendly manner and to provide the general public with the opportunity to obtain surplus goods, in a fair and equitable manner. Where no bids are received, the Purchasing Agent may dispose of the goods or property as deemed to be in the best interest of the city.

The City of Owen Sound currently has the following items listed.

Risk Management

If you have incurred financial cost for an incident you believe falls under our responsibility, you can make a claim.

However, we strongly urge you to begin by contacting your insurance company or broker. Depending on the type of property damaged, as well as your insurance policy, you may be eligible for greater compensation than you could legally recover from us or another party.

If you choose to make a claim against us, please keep in mind that in some situations, you must place us on notice within 10 days of the incident; and, according to the Municipal Act, we must receive notification in writing.

Please forward your claim to the following address:

Purchasing and Claims Coordinator
Owen Sound City Hall
808 2nd Avenue East
Owen Sound, ON N4K 2H4

Payment with respect to property damage or bodily injury is contingent upon the city being found legally liable for the incident.

Your notice of claim must contain the following information:

The name, mailing address, email address and telephone number of the person making the claim.
The contact name, mailing address, email address and telephone number of the person submitting the claim, if different from above.
The date, approximate time and exact location of the incident (address or closest intersection).
A brief description of the incident.
The type of damage or injury.
The name of any contractor involved (if known).

We will acknowledge your claim within one week of receiving the details. An investigation will then begin; you will be advised of the outcome when all relevant facts are determined.

If you questions about the claims notification process, please contact us at 519-376-4440 ext. 1242.

Fraudulent claims cost taxpayers. We will prosecute all fraudulent claims to the full extent of the law.

We will only compensate when we are determined to be legally liable for the damage sustained. This approach helps to reduce financial burden for taxpayers, who ultimately bear the costs of these claims.

You may wish to contact your own insurer regarding damages. If the insurer believes we are responsible for your damage, the insurer will seek compensation on your behalf, as stipulated in your insurance policy.

Whenever damage to city property is caused by a third party, our risk management division seeks recovery of the related costs from the responsible party.

Asset Management

We have a diverse inventory of assets that must be in good working order to provide the quality services you expect from us.

Our corporate asset management program helps ensure we are allocating enough funding to sustain our infrastructure assets for the long term and meet service-level expectations.

Our work is guided by our asset management strategy - an ever-evolving framework of practices and policies that focuses on asset maintenance, rehabilitation and replacement needs, and helps us prioritize our work in an open, transparent manner.

The strategy aims to balance the needs and costs for repairing, replacing and upgrading assets with our own financial capability.

Click here to view our 2022 Asset Management Plan.

Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

GIS is a computer based technology that captures, stores, analyzes and manages spatial information. This innovative web-based application allows citizens to easily access a range of geographic data and property based information.

We use geographical information systems (GIS) to connect data with physical spaces. This can be useful for displaying information and telling stories.

Geomatics Specialist: Kurtis Boyce (519) 376-4440 ext. 1264
Email: kboyce@owensound.ca

Purchasing and Claims Coordinator: Lauren Stewart (519)-376-4440 ext. 1242
Email: lstewart@owensound.ca

Capital Asset and Risk Management Coordinator: Sierra Patino (519) 376-4440 ext. 1253
Email: spatino@owensound.ca

Manager of Corporate Services: Bradey Carbert (519) 376-4440 ext. 1240
Email: bcarbert@owensound.ca