Barbara A. Robinson, M.A.Sc., P.Eng., has been a professional engineer specializing in all aspects of sewer systems, for 31 years. Barbara established Norton Engineering Inc. in 2015 following two years as a city engineer. Norton provides boutique engineering services to dozens of municipal governments across Canada, as well as provincial and federal governments and agencies, assisting them with finding solutions to the issue of I/I in both existing and new sewers, on each of the public and private sides. Norton also works for other consultants, developers, lawyers, and contractors.

Norton has published two background documents on the issue of I/I in new construction, and two Manuals of Best Practice to Reduce the Risk of this I/I (Public Side and Private Side; 2019 & 2020). Norton’s publications involve working with hundreds of engaged municipal professionals across Canada interested in improving the status quo for all. Norton has an extensive contact list and consults obsessively with everyone to discover and examine better practices in all things sewer. Norton, working with ICLR and Engineers Canada, proposed the need for, and delivered to Standards Council of Canada (SCC), the Foundational Document, “Reducing the Risk of I/I in New Sewer Construction” (November 2019). This document attracted substantial interest across Canada and the US and has recently been awarded to BNQ (a standards development organization) to be developed into a National Standard of Canada.

Norton and ICLR recently developed a second foundational document for SCC, “Guideline to Developing an Efficient and Cost-Effective I/I Reduction Program”, to be published spring 2021. This document has also attracted a great amount of interest.

Norton also works with the National Research Council on sewer standards issues (particularly as related to the building codes). Barbara chaired the national CSA committee that developed “CSA Z800-18: Basement Flood Protection and Risk Reduction Guideline” (June 2018). Barbara is solicited to author, contribute to, or review most national I/I and urban flood protection documents.

Barbara has worked as a paid infrastructure columnist for CBC Radio since 2016, speaking on the morning shows on a wide range of infrastructure and engineering issues. She frequently provides background for, or appears in, other print, radio and TV media speaking to infrastructure issues.