ProACTIVE Planning has been invited to serve as panelists at the 2021 Banff Pipeline Workshop to share our experience working with pipeline operators and municipalities to implement CSA Z663-18 and to adhere to the class location regulatory obligations of CSA Z662-19.

The session, “Working Group 2 Session A – Class Location Changes: Regulatory Expectations and Impact of Standards”, is scheduled April 8th at 10:45am – 12:15pm. This collaborative session will also feature representatives from the Canada Energy Regulator and the Canadian Standards Association. This workshop is an incredible opportunity to explore how stakeholders are integrating their responsibilities set forth in CSA Z663 and Z662. 

“From our company’s inception, we have been driven to be the leading service provider for pipeline operators to monitor land use and predict class location changes through our comprehensive service model and proprietary solutions” says Russ Leedham, ProACTIVE’s President and Director of Operations. “Being invited to serve as panelists at the Banff Pipeline Workshop is a tremendous privilege. This is one of the biggest platforms in North America for pipeline operators to engage with service providers and regulatory bodies to advance their safety and sustainability objectives, and to explore emerging best practices.”
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To find out more about the 2021 Banff Pipeline Workshop, please visit https://www.banffpipelineworkshop.com/
Early bird registration ends on March 15th so register today!

ProACTIVE Planning is thrilled to announce a new project with the Canadian Energy Pipeline Association (CEPA), in partnership with the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) – ProACTIVE will be delivering education sessions for municipalities and planning institutions across Canada for effective land use planning in the vicinity of pipelines.

Based on the guidelines from CSA Z663-18: Land Use Planning in the Vicinity of Pipeline Systems, ProACTIVE will be providing online sessions to select municipalities and institutional audiences with CEPA member infrastructure within their boundaries. The goal of these sessions is to tell the story of development from the perspective of pipeline operators, and to provide municipalities and development stakeholders with a toolkit for addressing issues related to land use planning in the vicinity of pipeline systems.

“The issue of land use planning around pipelines is a topic that has been discussed by CEPA’s Damage Prevention Community of Practice for several years. Addressing the risks of land use planning around pipelines lead to CEPA being instrumental in the development of this standard. Since 2018, CEPA members have been exploring ways to increase awareness of the standard and educate municipalities on the shared responsibility of preventing damage to this critical infrastructure. CEPA is looking forward to working with ProACTIVE in engaging municipalities to promote an increased awareness of the standard and how it can be used to proactively reduce the risk of pipeline damage, which can have significant impacts on the public and environment.” Patrick Smyth, Vice President, Performance, CEPA. 

Looking at the year ahead, this strategic partnership with CEPA and CSA will enable ProACTIVE to reach municipalities across Canada to share the issues that currently exist in land use planning and development in the vicinity of pipeline systems and the key messaging and guidelines released in 2018 by the Canadian Standards Association. Ed Plant, ProACTIVE’s Municipal Relations and ROW Advisor states: “We feel highly equipped to do this work – we have three team members including myself who served on the CSA Z663-18 Technical Committee, we have an impeccable engagement record, and strong relationships with municipalities, as well as municipal and industry associations across the country. Municipalities and pipeline operators have long needed guidance for working together, and when CSA Z663-18 was released we knew there was huge potential, and now we need planners to implement it.” 

​On March 31st, ProACTIVE Planning presented to the Canadian Energy Pipeline Association’s (CEPA) Damage Prevention Community of Practice to share their innovations and solutions in the field of integrity and damage prevention in the pipeline industry. This unique and privileged opportunity came at an ideal time in ProACTIVE’s growth as a business.
 
CEPA is a world-class and world-renowned organization comprised of Canada’s leading pipeline companies and in the global pipeline community, Canada’s safety and pipeline integrity governance is routinely recognized. The Association’s ‘Integrity First’ program is devoted to “zero pipeline incidents” and “to help pipeline companies share and implement leading practices, keeping pipelines safe and communities protected”. CEPA’s Mission, goals and objectives align with ProACTIVE Planning’s vision, momentum and enthusiasm  contributing to the responsible growth and sustainability of Canada’s municipalities and transmission pipeline industry.
 
“Our work is about improving collaboration and sharing best practices across the industry to resolve issues of land use planning and development in the vicinity of pipeline systems. It was a privilege to be invited to the CEPA table to explore ways our company and the Association can collaborate on messaging, best practices, and potential joint programming opportunities.” - Russ Leedham, Director of Operations, ProACTIVE Planning
 
In Q1 2020, the ProACTIVE  team discovered significant instances of unaccounted for and unmonitored development near pipeline infrastructure. Mike Sullivan of ProACTIVE believes the inherent value of the company’s work simply speaks for itself: “It’s an issue that affects all parties -  municipalities, developers, and pipeline operators alike are enduring immeasurably financial and societal costs when development remains undetected. Addressing these issues in a cost-effective and sustainable way today will save pipeline operators from making multi-million dollar class upgrades in the future”.
 
In a time of uncertainty for the oil and gas sector, the need for enhanced technologies and innovation to keep up with an ever-changing market is becoming increasingly critical. ProACTIVE was excited to share their own contributions with CEPA’s influential audience, and demonstrate how they are bringing relief to their pipeline operator clients through the implementation of Z663. ProACTIVE Planning’s primary objective is resolving land use planning issues and the related challenges of development in the vicinity of pipelines, and “we are thrilled by the opportunities we’ve had in the last six months to share our solutions with our current and prospective clients, stakeholders, and pipeline regulators.”

Last month, ProACTIVE Planning was privileged to be invited by the Canada Energy Regulator to present to their Safety & Security Community of Practice.
 
The CER and Damage Prevention organizations alike have expressed a continued concern for the lack of awareness on issues of land use planning in the vicinity of pipeline systems, and ProACTIVE was excited to share its solutions and experience working with clients who have made addressing these issues an operational commitment.
 
“For us, it’s really happy news that we get to share with the CER”, says Mike Sullivan of ProACTIVE. “It’s an opportunity to speak one-on-one with an actively engaged regulator that worked on Z663 and show them how ProACTIVE has built the best land use monitoring tool in Canada. We’re proud of what we’ve achieved! And more so, we’re excited about how we can improve the industry as a whole. That has always been the end goal”.
 
ProACTIVE’s goal is to have all primary CER regulated companies equipped with its services by the end of Q4 2021. “It’s not a lofty goal”, Mike adds. “Land use monitoring is an ongoing, everyday area of operations where the transmission pipeline industry relies heavily on manpower and it’s challenging at the best of times. ProACTIVE Planning eliminates those struggles and delivers certainty 100% of the time.”

In their presentation, ProACTIVE gave an overview of the issues surrounding land use planning in the vicinity of pipelines, and how all stakeholders in the equation share a collective responsibility to improve communication, strategies and processes to address these issues. Blaise Fontaine, ProACTIVE’s Director of Engagement, also explored  concepts of “stakeholder psychology” and how classic approaches to engagement with municipalities can fall short for the widespread adoption of Z663.

ProACTIVE Planning had the special opportunity to provide an educational session to three major municipalities: Spruce Grove, Stony Plain, and Parkland County. These three municipalities have a unique interest in ProACTIVE’s work with pipeline operators, as they have significant amounts of pipeline infrastructure within their boundaries.
 
The session was focused on the best practices and recommended guidance of CSA Z663-18, and provided participants with a mini toolkit for collaborating with pipeline operators when planning new developments, and how to work with ProACTIVE for future development applications.
 
Municipal education sessions are just one objective for ProACTIVE’s overarching engagement strategy. There has been significant unaccounted land use planning and development in the vicinity of pipeline infrastructure, and the need for municipalities and ProACTIVE’s clients to work together more effectively provides immediate and long term benefits for all stakeholders involved.
 
If you’re a municipality or Indigenous community looking for an educational session on land use planning in the vicinity of pipeline systems, please get in touch with us at [email protected] and someone will be in touch with you very shortly!

The CCGA Damage Prevention Symposium is only one week away, and the ProACTIVE team is looking forward to presenting on how pipeline operators can create internal strategies for implementing the best recommendations of CSA Z663.
 
ProACTIVE Planning is proud to be a champion of CSA Z663, and we have woven this standard into the fabric of our entire operations. Our processes and technologies are developed specifically for this work, and we want to share our company’s best practices with all participants at the symposium so that Z663 can be implemented to its fullest potential.
 
For us, this represents a very exciting time for our company…this will be our first time presenting at a conference as ProACTIVE Planning, and doing so at the CCGA Damage Prevention Symposium is entirely an honour and privilege.
 
The reception we’ve received as an emerging start-up has been something we only ever dreamed of, and the client base we’ve been building has already far exceeded our wildest ambitions. Our team at ProACTIVE makes our work and our reach possible.  
 
Michael Sullivan has been alongside ProACTIVE since the beginning when our technologies were mere concepts, and our vision as a company was just coming together. Michael expresses that  “while this is probably something many have thought of in the past, ProACTIVE is the first to launch. Nothing else out there comes close to what ProACTIVE can do for the pipeline industry”.
 
Michael believes that ProACTIVE “is setting the bar for managing land use planning near pipeline systems…using automation and technology as a fresh set of eyes on an age old challenge for pipeline operators”.
 
The guidance of ProACTIVE’s advisors helped shape our greatest asset, the ProACTIVE Portal, our web-based platform capable of managing all aspects of land use planning in the vicinity of pipelines. Michael explains that “the ProACTIVE Portal provides clients with a full spectrum window of all activity in the vicinity of their assets - directly where their view needs to be. From this early vantage point, ProACTIVE's clients can plan and manage capital projects long in advance without burden or risk to operations and without consequence to neighbours”, further protecting our clients’ social licence  and reputation, as well as contributing to the field of damage prevention in unprecedented ways.
 
We’re looking forward to ProACTIVE’s milestones ahead! We have a lot in the works after the CCGA Damage Prevention Symposium, and along with some other strategic growth initiatives, Michael envisions that ProACTIVE “will expand into the United States in the very near future”.
 
Looking forward to seeing familiar faces in Niagara Falls next week, and just as excited to meet some new ones. Be sure to check out our session on Thursday at 9:45am!

​ProACTIVE Planning is thrilled to announce that Blaise Fontaine and Russ Leedham will be presenting at the Canadian Common Ground Alliance’s 2019 Annual Damage Prevention Symposium in Niagara Falls this October!
 
This exciting opportunity for ProACTIVE comes during an even more exciting time for our company. As we continue to grow and gain traction in the industry with our innovative technologies, we will have the chance to share more about our internal strategies related to stakeholder engagement, and how we designed our Engagement Framework for the specific purpose of creating widespread implementation and adoption of CSA Z663-18.
 
The Canadian Standards Association (CSA) Z663-18 is a key foundational document that was made possible through the collaboration and hard work of many industry experts who had a vision of addressing land use planning and development issues in the vicinity of pipeline systems. This document has gained recognition in the pipeline industry as the new “go-to-guide” for formalizing roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders involved in this enduring and complex issue.
 
ProACTIVE’s session is titled “Implementing CSA Z663-18: Addressing the limitations and gaps in stakeholder awareness and engagement”, and during our discussions we will share stakeholder engagement theories, strategies, and tactics that we employ in our day-to-day operations that help all development stakeholders and pipeline operators implement this critical standard into their companies and organizations.

​ProACTIVE Planning answered the call to help pipeline operators implement Z663-18 by providing comprehensive solutions for understanding land use planning in the vicinity of their infrastructure.
 
Watch our latest video and learn more about how we collaborate with clients, municipalities, and developers to address one of the most enduring issues in the industry!

Ed Plant is ProACTIVE’s Executive of Regulatory, Damage Prevention, and Municipal Relations. He joined our team in January 2019 when the formation of our Executive Team took place over a late lunch in Edmonton with nothing more than a handshake to move forward. Ed represents half of our Edmonton based team, and brings over 34 years of experience in Right of Way Management, Municipal Relations and Oil & Gas to the ProACTIVE Team.
 
Ed joined ProACTIVE because he believes that “the way ProACTIVE has come together is the way the developer, municipal, and pipeline processes are meant to work – through collaboration.”
 
Upon our first meeting with Ed, he enthusiastically agreed to provide his expertise in the formation of our company. He shared his excitement about joining our group of “dynamic professionals to further collaborate on this exciting Canadian initiative” and to “radically change how developers and municipalities interact with pipeline companies as it relates to land use planning around existing pipeline corridors.”
 
Ed explains that “ProACTIVE’s processes take what they did in the CSA Z663 Technical Committee and puts in into practice for real world applications,” and he envisions ProACTIVE proving our concepts and processes while “honouring the intent of CSA Z663-18”.
 
Not unlike the rest of our team, Ed sees ProACTIVE’s applications and processes as a “total game changer”.  He goes on further to explain that “pipeline companies are often left out of stakeholder engagement until late in the land use planning and development process – and that creates difficulties for developers, landowners, and others.  By having one company being that liaison for all land use proposals between the pipeline company and the municipality makes it easier for both parties.”
 
Our entire team is dedicated to making our land use planning solutions for pipeline operators more accessible, straight forward, innovative, and affordable than ever before. From Ed’s perspective, “ProACTIVE’s platform is the next step in bringing the parties together at appropriate stages of planning and development…making our solutions easier, faster, and more comprehensive” than ever believed possible.
 
As ProACTIVE enjoys our exciting growth as a new company in high demand, our team believes our growth and opportunities are virtually limitless. Ed envisions ProACTIVE’s technologies, applications and team members to reach new levels of opportunity and eventually branch out to other industries, sectors, and international markets.