Infrastructure Canada works closely with all orders of government and other partners to enable investments in social, green, public transit and other core public infrastructure, as well as to provide dedicated funding to northern and rural communities. The Department continues to focus on improving quality of life and a growing economy through innovative, sustainable and inclusive infrastructure in communities of all sizes⁠—from cities to rural communities.

Infrastructure Canada will continue to focus on the following three areas to deliver real results to Canadians in 2020-21:

1. Make investments that build stronger, more inclusive and resilient communities to improve quality of life while enabling local economic growth and creating good jobs
2. Support informed decision-making by strengthening capacity in data, analytics, research, and results reporting
3. Work collaboratively with partners to deliver on infrastructure priorities and to advance projects quickly

1. Make investments that build stronger, more inclusive and resilient communities to improve quality of life while enabling local economic growth and creating good jobs

Infrastructure Canada works directly with government and private sector partners to enable investments in economic and social and green infrastructure so that Canadians can benefit from world-class, modern public infrastructure. The Department also leads whole of government efforts to support rural economic development for strong and resilient rural economies.

Infrastructure Canada will continue to actively work with all orders of government and stakeholders by:

• Identifying priorities that result in a fair balance of provincial, territorial and municipal projects to benefit communities of all sizes⁠—from rural and remote communities to large cities.
• Implementing Rural Opportunity, National Prosperity: An Economic Development Strategy for Rural Canada to capitalize on economic opportunities in rural communities.
• Sharing best practices with international partners on leveraging infrastructure to contribute to innovation, resilience and a low-carbon future, supporting the creation of Canadian jobs and attracting infrastructure investments into Canada.
• Continuing to fund the construction of major bridges to support economic growth, create jobs and promote the efficient flow of people and goods.

2. Support informed decision-making by strengthening capacity in data, analytics, research, and results reporting

Communities should be guided by informed decision-making as they plan, build and maintain modern, resilient, sustainable, and inclusive infrastructure. Informed decision-making will support effective, efficient and productive investments to address the most pressing socio-economic and environmental needs across all communities to help improve the quality of life of all Canadians, no matter where they live. 

To support informed decision-making, the Department will undertake various research initiatives and partnerships to increase knowledge about infrastructure and community-building priorities. These include:

• Enhancing our tracking and reporting on the progress of our commitments to ensure transparent information about infrastructure investments is available for Canadians.
• Improving the availability of reliable data on the country’s infrastructure assets and level of investment, including capital and repairs, as well as their condition and performance through the Department’s partnership with Statistics Canada.
• Ensuring that Canadians have access to accurate and timely information about infrastructure investments in their communities, and working with Infrastructure Canada’s partner departments.  
• Engaging with other orders of government, academics, private sector experts, and key stakeholders to support local government capacity building and understanding of asset management while continuing to develop internal tools to help enhance Infrastructure Canada’s programs and policies.

3. Work collaboratively with partners to deliver on infrastructure priorities and to advance investments quickly

Infrastructure Canada is the federal department responsible for the horizontal coordination of the Investing in Canada plan and the delivery of key funding programs.

Infrastructure Canada is providing urban and rural communities across the country with significant funding to address their infrastructure needs through programs such as the Investing in Canada plan by:

• Working with other orders of government, Indigenous communities, not-for-profit and private sector partners to address barriers to timely delivery of infrastructure investments.
• Providing support to the Canada Infrastructure Bank for its core purpose of attracting private sector and institutional investment to expand the scope of public infrastructure investment in Canada, in line with the Government’s public policy objectives.
• Ensuring that proponents view projects through a climate lens to deliver cleaner and more resilient outcomes.
• Conducting horizontal federal collaboration and oversight to ensure a more coordinated approach to federal investments.

For more information on Infrastructure Canada’s plans, priorities and expected results, see the “Core responsibilities: planned results, resources, and key risks” section of this report.