Government of Canada provides communities with tools to make smart infrastructure decisions

The Voice of Canada News:

Communities across Canada need the tools and support to make evidence-based infrastructure decisions for healthier, safer and more resilient communities.

Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, welcomed the release of data on the state of Canada’s roads, bridges and tunnels through Statistics Canada’s Core Public Infrastructure (CCPI). The national survey, now in its second round, presents a statistically accurate and comprehensive national snapshot for 2018 of the stock, condition and performance of public infrastructure in Canada, building on the baseline 2016 reference year. The data supports all orders of government in making smart investment decisions with public dollars that deliver the clean water, transportation, sports and culture, environmental and housing infrastructure that Canadians want and need.

The CCPI survey is part of the Investing in Canada plan, which also includes funding for other data and research initiatives that will better inform how federal infrastructure funding programs are designed, implemented, tracked and reported.

The CCPI survey gathers information on asset management practices and nine categories of public infrastructure: roads; bridges and tunnels; potable water; wastewater; storm water; culture, recreation and sports facilities; social and affordable housing; public transit; and solid waste.

The roads, bridges and tunnels data are now available through the Statistics Canada website.

Quotes

“Local governments own and operate nearly half of Canada’s core public infrastructure and have been working incredibly hard to support Canadians through the COVID-19 pandemic. Evidence-based investments will deliver better results for our communities, create jobs, and help target key infrastructure decisions as Canada looks toward recovery. As a government we are committed to evidence and results in how we invest public dollars. Canada’s infrastructure plan invests in thousands of projects, creates jobs across the country and builds stronger communities.”- The Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities

Quick facts

• Canada’s Core Public Infrastructure survey is an Infrastructure Canada initiative administered through Statistics Canada. 
• This iteration of the survey was conducted in 2019-20, using 2018 as the reference year for responses.
• Provincial and territorial departments and ministries, Indigenous organizations, regional governments, municipalities, transit authorities and selected crown corporations completed the surveys and submitted them to Statistics Canada to be processed and analyzed. 
• In all, the sample included approximately 2,500 public infrastructure owners and operators, resulting in a response rate of over 90 percent and a very high statistical accuracy rating.
• The results of this survey build on the baseline survey from reference year 2016 and will highlight changes over a two-year period. Given changes in methodology and scope between reference years, comparisons of results are not always possible.
• Through the Investing in Canada infrastructure plan, the Government of Canada will invest more than $180 billion over 12 years in public transit projects, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and transportation routes, and Canada’s rural and northern communities.