2018-19
Departmental Plan - Plans at a glance

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In 2018–19, Infrastructure Canada will support the Minister in carrying out his mandate^Footnote1 to achieve results related to the Department's core responsibility: public infrastructure.

Infrastructure Canada
Established in 2002, the Department helps build and revitalize infrastructure that supports modern, inclusive and diverse communities—and a strong Canada.

The Department works with provinces, territories, municipalities, Indigenous communities, the private sector and non profit organizations, and other federal departments and agencies.

To do this, the Department will focus on four priorities.

Priority 1: Implement Investing in Canada^Footnote2, a long-term infrastructure plan that will deliver significant new funding for provinces, territories, municipalities and Indigenous communities to support inclusive and sustainable economic growth.

The Minister of Infrastructure and Communities' overarching goal is to build Canada for the 21^st Century. This requires significant new investments in public transit, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and transportation infrastructure, and infrastructure for rural and northern communities. Taking existing infrastructure programs into account, along with investments made in Budget 2016 and Budget 2017, the Government of Canada is investing more than $180 billion in Canadian communities over 12 years. In 2018-19, advances are to be made on the following components of the Investing in Canada plan.

Integrated Bilateral Agreements with provinces and territories establish the terms and conditions by which $33 billion in new infrastructure funding will be delivered over 10 years to advance public transit, green infrastructure, rural and northern communities, as well as community, cultural and recreational infrastructure.^Footnote3 Starting in 2018–19, funding will be approved for new infrastructure projects.

The Canada Infrastructure Bank is a Crown corporation that is working with provincial, territorial, municipal, Indigenous and investor partners to transform the way infrastructure is planned, funded and delivered in Canada. It will invest $35 billion over 10 years into new revenue-generating infrastructure projects that are in the public interest, and seek to attract private sector and institutional investment to these projects. In 2018–19, Infrastructure Canada will provide support and oversight to this newly–created Crown corporation.

The Investing in Canada Plan
The Investing in Canada projects map marks the beginning of the Department's efforts to publicly communicate the results and outcomes of the Investing in Canada plan on behalf of all departments involved in delivering it.

With a few clicks of their computer mouse, all Canadians can now get street-level details on what's happening in their communities thanks to federal investments.

With $2 billion allocated over a 10-year period from Budget 2017, the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund will be launched in 2018–19 to help mitigate current and future climate-related risks and disasters triggered by natural hazards such as floods, wildland fires, droughts and seismic events.

Launched in 2017, the Smart Cities Challenge encourages communities of all sizes, including Indigenous communities, to come forward with their best ideas to improve the quality of life of their residents through innovation, data and connected technologies. Funding for this will begin in 2018-19 and will stimulate discussion among communities on important smart cities issues, including community connectivity, privacy, data ownership and security.

Priority 2: Advance the New Champlain Bridge Corridor project and the Gordie Howe International Bridge project to contribute to the efficiency and safety of Canada's major gateways and trade corridors.

The New Champlain Bridge Corridor project will support economic growth by improving network connectivity and ensuring the continuous and safe flow of people and goods. The Government of Canada is committed to completing the new crossing on time and continues to work with the private partner, Signature on the St. Lawrence Group, with the objective of delivering the bridge in December 2018, while also ensuring the existing bridge remains safe until the new one opens.

The Gordie Howe International Bridge will also support economic growth by improving connections between Windsor and Detroit—the busiest commercial land border crossing between Canada and the United States—to ensure the continuous and safe flow of people and goods. The Government of Canada is committed to completing the new crossing as early as possible and continues to work closely with the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority as it delivers this priority project in close collaboration with the State of Michigan and the U.S. Government. Significant preparatory work has already been undertaken on the project on both sides of the border and construction on the bridge itself is scheduled to begin in 2018.

Priority 3: Instill a strengthened culture of measurement, evaluation and innovation.

The Government of Canada is committed to using sound evidence for decision‑making, having a strong focus on results and fostering innovation. In 2018–19, Infrastructure Canada will support new research that enhances the capacity of municipalities and other partner organizations, such as the Canada Infrastructure Bank, to collect, develop, use and share high-quality data on infrastructure, which will help them connect evidence to policy-making. The Department will also monitor the impact of its investments, and promote innovation in infrastructure financing, planning and design. The Department will undertake an audit in 2018 of some elements of its new programming. This information will help the Department make improvements to its programs. Finally, planned evaluations will use innovative techniques, such as a thematic evaluation to assess the support provided to the Territories.

Priority 4: Strengthen human resources across the Department.

As Infrastructure Canada's mandate evolves and the Department transitions to a more stable and mature organization, its human resources management strategies must also evolve. Building on its strong foundation as a program delivery organization, the Department will develop its human resources so as to strengthen its understanding of Canada's infrastructure gap and deepen its commitment to finding appropriate policy responses. In 2018–19, the Department will develop and begin implementing a human resources management strategy that will focus on ensuring that Infrastructure Canada attracts people of diverse backgrounds with the right skills and competencies for the present and future, while providing them with opportunities to develop and grow in their careers. It will continue to foster a healthy, respectful and inclusive work environment where employees can thrive while delivering on the Department's mandate for Canadians.

For more information on Infrastructure Canada's plans, priorities and planned results, see the "Planned results" section of this report.