Investments in Canada's public infrastructure create jobs, economic growth and provide a high quality of life for families in every city and community across the country.
Since 2006, our Government has made unprecedented investments in over 43,000 projects to build roads, bridges, commuter rail and other important public infrastructure.
As a result of our investments, we have brought the average age of Canada's core public infrastructure down from a peak of 17 years in 2001 to an estimated 14.4 years in 2011. It is now lower than the historical average over the last 50 years.
Economic Action Plan 2013 builds on our investments and announces a new Building Canada plan – the largest investment in job-creating infrastructure in Canadian history.
The new Building Canada plan has three main components:
- Community Improvement Fund - $32.2 billion consisting of an indexed Gas Tax Fund and the increased GST Rebate for Municipalities to build roads, public transit, recreational facilities and other community infrastructure across Canada that will improve the quality of life of Canadian families.
- New Building Canada Fund - $14 billion to support infrastructure projects of national, regional and local significance.
- Renewed P3 Canada Fund - $1.25 billion to continue finding innovative ways to build infrastructure projects faster and provide better value for Canadian taxpayers through public-private partnerships.
In addition, $6 billion in federal support will be provided to provinces, territories and municipalities under current infrastructure programs in 2014-15 and beyond.
Over the next 10 years, the Government will also make significant investments in First Nations infrastructure and in federal assets.
- Approximately $7 billion over 10 years in First Nations infrastructure such as roads, bridges, energy systems and other First Nations infrastructure priorities.
- Over $10 billion in investments in federal infrastructure assets, including bridges, fishing harbours, ports, military bases and departmental accommodations across the country.
Overall, the new Building Canada plan, combined with other federal infrastructure investments will result in $70 billion in federal infrastructure funding over 10 years, the largest federal investment in job-creating infrastructure in Canadian history.
Since 2006, the Government of Canada has invested more than $7 billion in infrastructure funding for the Province of Quebec, including more than $2.5 billion for the Greater Montreal Area. Here are some examples:
- Lachine Train Maintenance Centre ($25 million)
- Montreal Museum of Fine Arts ($13 million)
- Outremont Rail Switching Yard Redevelopment ($30 million)
- Quartier des spectacles ($40 million)
- Autoroute 30 ($704.5 million)
All told, the Government of Canada has made unprecedented infrastructure investments across the country since 2006. Economic Action Plan 2013 provides a new long-term commitment to strengthen public infrastructure in Canada for years to come.
The Government of Canada is building a new bridge corridor to replace the existing Champlain Bridge in Montreal. It will span the St. Lawrence River to connect the Island of Montreal to the South Shore. This is the busiest crossing in Canada for cars, trucks and buses, and is vital to the regional and national economies.
