Infrastructure Owners

Underground Infrastructure Owner Requirements

Ontario Dig Authority supports safe excavation by connecting people planning to dig with the owners and operators of underground infrastructure across Ontario.

If your organization owns or operates underground infrastructure, you may be required to register with Ontario Dig Authority within 30 calendar days and meet specific obligations under the Ontario Underground Infrastructure Notification System Act.

---

Who Is an Underground Infrastructure Owner?

Underground Infrastructure Owners, also known as UIOs, are entities that own or operate underground infrastructure in Ontario and are Members of Ontario Dig Authority.

This includes:

• Every municipality in Ontario
• Every gas distributor and gas transmitter, as defined in the Ontario Energy Board Act, 1998
• Every operator of a distribution system, as defined in the Electricity Act, 1998
• Every person or entity regulated under the Oil, Gas and Salt Resources Act
• Every person or entity that owns or operates underground infrastructure, including abandoned underground infrastructure, that crosses a public right of way or is in the vicinity of a public right of way

---

Responsibilities of Underground Infrastructure Owners

Once registered, Underground Infrastructure Owners are responsible for keeping their information current, responding to locate requests, and supporting accurate notifications.

---

Compliance and Complaints

Ontario Dig Authority’s Compliance team supports accountability under the Ontario Underground Infrastructure Notification System Act, its regulations, and Ontario Dig Authority’s By-laws.

If there is a concern about potential non-compliance, a complaint may be submitted for review. Complaints may include issues such as:

• Late locate responses
• Inaccurate locates
• Incorrect renegotiated completion dates
• Excavation without a valid locate
• Other potential non-compliance with legislative or by-law requirements

Underground Infrastructure Owners may also receive complaints related to their locate response obligations. If a complaint is received, UIOs are required to respond within the timelines outlined by Ontario Dig Authority.

---

Alternate Locate Agreements

An Alternate Locate Agreement (ALA) is an agreement between an Underground Infrastructure Owner and an excavator for specific, approved low-risk excavation activities where a traditional field locate may not be required.

UIOs may choose to establish an ALA when they determine that certain work activities present low risk to their underground infrastructure. These agreements must be arranged directly between the UIO and the excavator before work begins.

Once an ALA is in place, Ontario Dig Authority can assign a unique Contractor ID so eligible locate requests are processed according to the agreement.

---

Damage Reporting

The Damage Information Reporting Tool (DIRT) collects information about damages and near-misses involving underground infrastructure across Ontario.

Damage reporting helps the industry better understand damage prevention and supports safer outcomes for workers, the public, and critical infrastructure.

Consistent and accurate reporting plays an important role in:

• Safeguarding underground infrastructure and public assets
• Reducing legal liability and operational risk
• Identifying occupational health and safety concerns
• Improving worker and public safety
• Strengthening industry-wide data and insights to help prevent future incidents

The information collected through DIRT helps identify trends, understand root causes, and support continuous improvement across Ontario’s damage prevention industry.