It used to be said that the old British Imperialists of the 1800s thought in terms of centuries, but now, as businesses plan not on how to maximize profit in the future, but how simply to pay off their quarterly debts, any sense of future-proofing construction is thrown out the window. The latest Calgary Bearspaw water main break is a sign of this fact.
This is the second time that the Calgary Bearspaw water main has broken, the last time happening only a year-and-a-half ago in the summer of 2024. Like then, this is a product of the inability of the oil barons who run the show in Alberta to fund the maintenance of critically endangered infrastructure, but it also signifies the need to shift away from capitalist construction philosophy.
The Bearspaw water main was built out of concrete in 1975, which is where the issues begin. Concrete, although relatively cheap, only has a lifespan of 50 years. While this is pretty short itself, concrete also simply cannot be repaired, and it can be difficult to tell if it needs replacing if cracks aren’t showing on the surface. This is simply a recipe for disaster, but it also means that to be safe, massive amounts of infrastructure would need to be wholly rebuilt every couple of decades.
These building practices are a symptom of the short-term and stingy way that capitalist construction is done. Long-term function matters less than getting things done so debts can be paid and profits reaped. Not only do we need proper investment in infrastructure maintenance, but we need to build infrastructure that will last longer than the career of a Calgary city councilor in the first place, neither of which the capitalists are able to provide.
-Cayden R., Edmonton
