Infrastructure funding in Canada involves every level of government and numerous public and private stakeholders. It is also of major concern to all Canadians, because it directly affects their quality of life and enables their communities to function smoothly. As the federal government approached the halfway mark of its Investing in Canada plan, launched in 2016, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities decided to undertake a study on targeted infrastructure investments.

The witnesses the Committee heard described Canada’s current and future infrastructure needs and made recommendations to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of federal infrastructure programs. Many of them were grateful for these programs, but pointed out that funding remains insufficient to meet demand and called for more flexibility and long-term predictability. Some also noted that small communities often have trouble navigating application-based infrastructure programs because they do not always have the same institutional capacity as large communities.

A number of witnesses highlighted the impacts of climate change, including weather-related disasters, on infrastructure. They said that climate resilience should be a central focus of the debate on Canada’s current and future infrastructure needs.

In discussing infrastructure priorities, some witnesses mentioned the lack of efficient and affordable transportation options in remote regions, which contributes to the isolation of communities. Witnesses raised the issue of sustainable public transit funding as municipalities face serious financial challenges due to the COVID‑19 pandemic’s impact on ridership levels. In addition, some witnesses reported that the supply of affordable housing in their communities continues to be inadequate. They maintained that, despite the investments already announced, more must be done to end chronic homelessness in Canada.

Finally, the witnesses deemed access to broadband Internet in many Canadian communities an infrastructure priority. Although every order of government seems to have understood the value of broadband Internet, access to this service remains unequal in Canada and particularly affects rural households and First Nations communities. To reach the federal government’s goal of connecting 100% of Canadians by 2030—and ideally before then—some witnesses said that federal, provincial and regional initiatives need to be better coordinated.