2019-20
Departmental Plan - Ministers' Message

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We are pleased to present Infrastructure Canada’s Departmental Plan for 2019-20. This plan outlines Infrastructure Canada’s ongoing commitment to build communities and economies that work for all Canadians.

The Department’s priority is to deliver the modern, green and resilient infrastructure that Canadians need to thrive in the 21^st century.

Significant progress and concrete results have already been achieved in implementing the Government’s $180-billion Investing in Canada plan to renew the nation’s public infrastructure.

This long-term plan benefits Canadians by:

• Improving public transit and roads so that Canadians can spend less time in traffic on their way to work and more time with their families.
• Renewing and expanding facilities for culture, sports and recreation that enable Canadians to stay active and connect with their friends and families.
• Improving water systems that result in healthier and cleaner communities for Canadians to live.
• Upgrading the infrastructure of rural and northern communities, including extending faster, more reliable Internet services to better connect our communities.  

To date, Infrastructure Canada has approved more than 4,700 projects worth a total of $18 billion. More than 90 percent of these projects are either in progress, or already completed.

Thirteen other federal departments and agencies are also making investments to renew the nation’s infrastructure. Progress achieved on the delivery of these investments can be tracked through an interactive map.

Infrastructure Canada will also celebrate major milestones in 2019. In the spring, the inaugural competition known as the Smart Cities Challenge is scheduled to conclude. Four winning communities will be selected to put into action their proposals for using data and connected technology to improve the lives of Canadians.

By June 2019, Montreal’s new Samuel De Champlain Bridge Corridor will open to traffic. And construction is underway on the Gordie Howe International Bridge, which will support economic growth by improving connections between Canada and the U.S. and enabling the continuous flow of people and goods through a safe, secure and efficient Windsor-Detroit trade corridor.

In a country as vast as Canada, public investment alone cannot possibly meet the sizeable infrastructure need that exists without placing an unsustainable burden on taxpayers. That’s why the Canada Infrastructure Bank will continue to use its $35 billion in federal funding to increase the participation of private-sector investors in transformative, revenue-generating infrastructure projects that will benefit Canadians and help public dollars go farther.

Now more than ever, communities need support to adapt to the frequent and intensifying weather events that are associated with climate change. Through the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund, communities across Canada are receiving the support they need to help them build infrastructure to better withstand natural hazards, such as floods, wildfires, earthquakes and droughts.

Throughout 2019-20, Infrastructure Canada will continue to work with Statistics Canada to promote a more evidence-based approach to the development of infrastructure policies and programs. The goal is to better equip leaders at all levels with the information they need to make sound decisions about managing existing infrastructure assets, while planning for new ones.

Over the next year and beyond, Infrastructure Canada will focus on meeting the unique yet diverse needs of small, rural and remote communities. In particular, the Department will lead the development of a rural economic development strategy that will create jobs, support growth and ensure that the rural way of life in Canada remains vibrant for generations to come.

All of this work is delivered by an exceptional cadre of civil servants. There is much work left to do and expectations are high. We can and will meet them. It is crucial that the Department continue to operate at a high level with a full complement of human and other resources necessary.

Having toured a number of projects across the country, we have seen firsthand how investments in 21st century infrastructure create jobs and attract the talent and investment needed for Canadian communities of all sizes to compete with the rest of the world.

At a time when global companies can source their talent, goods and services from anywhere in the world, having high-quality infrastructure gives Canada an advantage in fostering economic growth. That’s how investments in public infrastructure create more opportunities for all Canadians to participate fully in the life of the nation and share in its prosperity.

The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Infrastructure and Communities

The Honourable Bernadette Jordan, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Rural Economic Development

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