Infrastructure Standards
Purpose
Retrieve and interpret the correct Ontario and Canadian infrastructure design standards for a given question, asset type, or design scenario. Provide the authoritative standard reference, key requirements, and applicable design parameters. Do not perform the engineering design — provide the standard requirements that a designer needs.
Keep this skill narrow:
- Identify the applicable standard (OPSD, OPSS, CSA, MTO manual)
- Extract the relevant requirements and parameters
- Note exceptions, recent amendments, and jurisdiction-specific overrides
- Provide the standard reference for traceability
Use when
- A design question requires an Ontario infrastructure standard lookup
- Material selection needs OPSD/OPSS guidance
- Drainage design needs MTO manual parameters
- Bridge design needs CSA S6 requirements
- A condition assessment references a standard that needs interpretation
Do not use when
- The task is to assess existing asset condition (use
infrastructure-assessment)
- The task is to produce a final engineering design (outside scope — requires P.Eng.)
- The task is a planning or zoning question (use planning skills)
Inputs
{
"project_id": "uuid",
"query_type": "standard_lookup | material_selection | design_parameter | specification_check",
"asset_type": "storm_sewer | sanitary_sewer | watermain | bridge | culvert | manhole | catchbasin | road | sidewalk",
"query": "What is the minimum cover for a 600mm storm sewer under a municipal road?",
"context": {
"municipality": "Toronto",
"road_classification": "local | collector | arterial | expressway",
"design_flow_m3s": null,
"pipe_material": null,
"span_m": null,
"conditions": []
},
"condition_assessment_path": "condition_assessment.json (optional)"
}
Required fields:
query_typequery (natural language question or standard reference number)
Optional fields:
asset_type (improves lookup accuracy)context (provides design scenario details)condition_assessment_path (links to upstream assessment)
Outputs
Produce standards_lookup.json.
{
"project_id": "uuid",
"lookup_timestamp": "ISO datetime",
"query": "original query",
"applicable_standards": [
{
"standard_id": "OPSD 802.010",
"title": "Bedding and Cover for Flexible and Rigid Pipes",
"category": "OPSD | OPSS | CSA | MTO",
"version": "November 2019",
"requirements": [
{
"parameter": "Minimum cover — rigid pipe under roadway",
"value": "1.2 m",
"conditions": "Measured from top of pipe to finished road surface",
"exceptions": "May be reduced to 0.6m with engineered concrete encasement"
}
Reference Router
Load only the reference file relevant to the query:
| Query Topic | Load This Reference |
|---|
| Pipe standards, manholes, catchbasins | ../infrastructure-assessment/references/opsd-standards.md |
| Bridge and culvert design | ../infrastructure-assessment/references/csa-s6-bridge-code.md |
| Drainage design, hydrology, stormwater | references/mto-drainage-manual.md |
| Multiple topics | Load only the relevant files — never load all |
Workflow
1. Parse the query
- Identify the asset type and design scenario
- Determine whether the question is about a specific standard number or a general design requirement
- If a standard number is provided (e.g., "OPSD 701.010"), go directly to that standard
- If a general question, identify the applicable standard category
2. Identify applicable standards
Follow the Ontario infrastructure standards hierarchy:
| Priority | Standard | Scope |
|---|
| 1 | Municipal design standards | Local overrides (Toronto, Peel, etc.) |
| 2 | OPSD (Drawings) | Standard details and dimensions |
| 3 | OPSS (Specifications) | Materials, construction methods, testing |
| 4 | CSA Standards | National performance and design standards |
| 5 | MTO Manuals | Design methodology and parameters |
| 6 | TAC Guidelines | Transportation Association of Canada guidance |
Municipal standards override provincial where they exist. Always note when a municipal override applies.
3. Extract requirements
For each applicable standard:
- State the exact requirement with units
- Note conditions and exceptions
- Identify the standard version and date
- List related standards the designer should also consult
- Flag any recent amendments
4. Check for municipal overrides
Common Toronto-specific overrides:
- Toronto Wet Weather Flow Management Guidelines (supersedes MTO for SWM)
- Toronto Green Standard (additional requirements beyond OPSD/OPSS)
- Toronto Development Infrastructure Policy and Standards (DIPS)
- City of Toronto Road Classification System (affects design parameters)
5. Note design parameters
When the query involves design calculations, provide the applicable parameters:
For drainage:
- Manning's n values by pipe material
- Rational method C values by land use
- IDF curve references for the municipality
- Minimum pipe grades by diameter
For structures:
- Design loading (CL-625 for bridges)
- Clearance requirements
- Barrier and railing standards
6. Flag jurisdictional nuances
- Note when standards are in transition (e.g., metric conversion issues)
- Flag differences between MTO standards (provincial highways) and municipal standards
- Note when CSA standards have been adopted with Ontario-specific modifications
Quality Bar
- Always cite the specific standard number and version
- Never provide a requirement without its source standard
- Distinguish between mandatory requirements ("shall") and recommendations ("should")
- Note when multiple standards apply and which takes precedence
- Flag when a standard is under review or recently revised
Stop Conditions
Stop and return a partial artifact when:
- The query is outside Ontario/Canadian infrastructure standards scope
- The specific standard cannot be identified from available references
- The query requires engineering judgment beyond standard lookup (flag for P.Eng. review)
- The municipality has unpublished standards that override provincial ones
Reference Files
| File | Description | Key Topics |
|---|
../infrastructure-assessment/references/opsd-standards.md | Ontario Provincial Standard Drawings for pipes and manholes | OPSD 701, 702, 704, 802 series; dimensions, materials, installation |
../infrastructure-assessment/references/csa-s6-bridge-code.md | CSA S6:19 Canadian Highway Bridge Design Code | CL-625 loading, evaluation, clearances, barriers |
references/mto-drainage-manual.md | MTO Drainage Management Manual | Storm sewer design, Manning's equation, IDF curves, rational method |
Read only the reference file relevant to the current query.
External References
