Building strong communities and creating lasting economic, environmental and social benefits for Canadians

Minister Champagne highlights 2018 infrastructure accomplishments under the Investing in Canada plan

Ottawa, Ontario, December 18, 2018 — Investments in infrastructure create jobs and economic growth for the middle class, build inclusive communities and support a modern, resilient and green economy – leading to a higher quality of life for all Canadians.

The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, today shared an update on Infrastructure Canada’s accomplishments over the last year in implementing the Government’s more than $180 billion Investing in Canada plan.

Since the plan was launched in 2016, more than 4,700 projects have been approved to improve the lives of Canadians and more than 98 per cent are underway or completed.

In 2018, Canadians are benefitting from infrastructure investments in a number of ways including: 

• New long-term agreements with all provinces and territories that will allow communities to make investments in priority areas such as new water and wastewater, broadband infrastructure, community recreation centres and public transit projects.
• The Disaster Mitigation and Adaption Fund, a new program that will help communities invest in significant local projects to better prepare and cope with the impacts of climate related natural hazards such as floods, wildfires, earthquakes and droughts.
• The Smart Cities Challenge, which is supporting 20 finalists from across Canada to use innovative solutions to solve local challenges using data and technology.
• Working with its private partner, Signature on the St. Lawrence, attained significant construction milestones for the new Champlain Bridge, which will open no later than June 30, 2019, and with Jacques Cartier and Champlain Bridges Incorporated (JCCBI) implemented required measures to ensure the existing Champlain Bridge remained open and safe.
• Started construction on the new Gordie Howe International Bridge, which will improve the flow of travellers and the more than $173 billion in bilateral trade that crosses through the Windsor-Detroit border each year.  
• The new Canada Infrastructure Bank is investing in the Réseau Express Métropolitain in Montreal, Quebec that will link downtown Montreal and its surrounding suburbs with a 67-kilometre light-rail network.
• Improved data and information about Canada’s infrastructure assets and investments through Canada’s Core Public Infrastructure survey and the Infrastructure Economic Account.
• Introduced a new Climate Lens that will help communities to consider climate change impacts when assessing infrastructure investments and a Community Employment Benefits requirement to support training and job opportunities for under-represented groups and procurement opportunities for small-to-medium sized enterprises and social enterprises.
• Worked with the provincial and territorial governments on a progress billing pilot program that will ensure payments are made as construction takes place.