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Joint Infrastructure Interdependencies Research Program

PSEPC and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), have joined forces for an academic research program to investigate infrastructure interdependencies. The Joint Infrastructure Interdependencies Research Program (JIIRP) is part of ongoing national efforts to secure and protect Canada's critical infrastructure.

Infrastructure interdependencies

Major infrastructures such as hydro and water utilities, communications, banking and transportation networks and hospitals have many complex interaction points and depend critically on each other to function properly.

The interdependencies issue has only recently been widely recognized and experts are still grappling with the severity of the problem and ways to solve it.

Increasing knowledge

JIIRP will produce new science-based knowledge and practices to better assess, manage and mitigate risks to Canadians from failures related to critical infrastructure interdependencies. The following new programs were launched in 2005:

• Jose Marti, University of British Columbia: $1,020,000 to study decision making for critical linkages in infrastructure networks
• Vincent Tao, York University: $586,500 to model interdependencies for emergency management using geographic decision support systems
• Wenjum Zhang, University of Saskatchewan: $462,048 to develop models that simulate critical infrastructure networks
• Benoit Robert, École Polytechnique de Montréal: $347,250 to study interdependencies and domino effects in life-supporting networks
• Tamer El-Diraby, University of Toronto: $310,000 to develop a model of infrastructure interdependencies through an analysis of stakeholder needs, risks, and competencies
• Edward McBean, University of Guelph: $256,000 to study ways to improve resilience of water infrastructure and health response systems against waterborne diseases

Partners

The projects have also received some $650,000 in additional financial support and $1 million in-kind assistance from a diverse group of private- and public-sector partners, such as municipalities, industrial associations, infrastructure operators and corporations. They are:

• Bell Canada
• British Columbia Transmission Corporation
• Canada Research Chair Funds
• Canadian Red Cross
• Centre de Sécurité -- City of Montreal
• City of Guelph
• City of Peterborough
• Consulting Engineers of Ontario (CEO)
• Devel-Tech Inc., Saskatoon
• Emergency Management Ontario
• EmerGeo Solutions Inc.
• Environment Canada
• Gaz Métropolitain
• Greater Toronto Sewer and Watermain Contractors Association
• Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD)
• Hinz Automation Inc.
• Hydro Québec
• Macquarie North America Ltd.
• Ministère de la Sécurité Publique du Québec
• Ministère des Transport du Québec
• Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food
• Province of British Columbia
• Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada
• SENES Consultants Limited
• Tecsult
• Telus Corporation
• Toronto and Area Road Builders Associations
• Vancouver International Airport Authority

Symposium

In November 2005, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada hosted the first annual symposium of the Joint Infrastructure Interdependencies Research Program (JIIRP). The objective of the Symposium was to present high-level summaries of the purpose, scope, timetable and status of the six research projects that make up JIIRP.

A detailed summary of the symposium and the researchers’ presentations are available below:

Note: These documents are only available in PDF

• Symposium report

Presentations

• Decision Making For Critical Linkages in Infrastructure Network (331 kb)
  Dr. Jose Marti, University of British Columbia
  Size:
• Modelling Interdependencies for Emergency Management (34.6 mb)
  Dr. Vincent Tao, York University
• Interdependencies and Domino Effects in Life-Supporting Network (817 kb)
  Dr. Benoit Robert, École Polytechnique de Montréal
• Developing a Model of Infrastructure Interdependencies (708 kb)
  Dr. Tamer El-Diraby, University of Toronto
• Models that Simulate Critical Infrastructure Networks (1.01 mb)
  Dr. Wenjum Zhang, University of Saskatchewan
• Improving the Resilience of Water System Infrastructures (mb)
  Dr. Edward McBean, University of Guelph