Key priorities

Lead federal housing policy and program development that is integrated with the infrastructure portfolio to increase housing supply and affordability overall, address housing needs, and support access to housing that is affordable, safe and strategically oriented near transit, employment, services and amenities to meet the diverse needs of all Canadians.

All Canadians deserve a safe and affordable place to call home. Families in today’s environment regularly report a struggle to afford housing, and vulnerable populations are unable to find an affordable place to live. Infrastructure Canada (INFC) is committed to ensuring that invested infrastructure dollars contribute to improved housing supply and affordability across Canada, as part of our approach to foster complete, sustainable, and inclusive communities.

The Government of Canada recognizes the importance of federal investment, paired with investments by provincial, territorial and municipal partners, to ensure Canadians can continue to access the critical services and benefits provided by public infrastructure, including opportunities to ensure future investments support national priorities. INFC is continuing to build on Budget 2023 federal commitments through evidence-based housing conditionality initiatives to ensure that future investments in infrastructure continue to support the development of complete, inclusive, resilient and transit-oriented communities. These investments will be designed to ensure that the Department and our key partners at the provincial and territorial, municipal, and regional levels work together to get results along multiple bottom lines: more housing supply and affordability, economic opportunity, resilience in the face of climate change and empowering communities. 

Moreover, the 2023 Fall Economic Statement reaffirmed the federal government’s intention to tie access to federal infrastructure funding to actions by provinces, territories, and municipalities to increase housing supply where it makes sense to do so. In recognition of this link, the Government has introduced legislation to establish the Department of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities (currently Infrastructure Canada). 

Going forward, the Department will ensure that this commitment to tie infrastructure investments to housing goals is reflected in the development and design of new infrastructure programs. Working together with CMHC, and leveraging their significant housing expertise, INFC will conduct qualitative and quantitative analyses and assessments to support collaboration with other orders of government, the development of policies and programs geared towards enhancing housing supply, as well as aligning broader housing policy objectives to the federal government's commitments on climate change and affordability.

In tandem with new program development, the Department will also leverage existing initiatives and programs to get more affordable housing options to more people. The Canada Community-Building Fund (CCBF) provides municipalities with predictable, long-term funding that enables the construction and rehabilitation of core public infrastructure. Provinces and territories can access this source of funding to support municipalities in aligning their housing and transit priorities. The 2014-2024 ten-year agreements will expire on March 31, 2024 and INFC is working towards implementing renegotiated CCBF agreements with the agreement signatories. New agreements will address the housing needs of communities by requiring signatories to take concerted actions that will add more homes and make them affordable.

Through permanent federal funding for public transit and active transportation, INFC will support cities and communities with long-term, stable funding commitments. Infrastructure Canada will continue to work to facilitate collaboration among all orders of government, Indigenous partners, transit agencies, and other stakeholders to develop and approach public transit and active transportation funding in a manner that offers the greatest benefits to Canadians from coast to coast to coast. Recognizing the link between housing and mobility, the Department will continue to engage with funding recipients to support better access to amenities for existing housing and influence transit-oriented community development. Through future on-going public transit funding, the Department will support increases to the supply and improved affordability of housing by enabling and incentivizing infrastructure projects that will better connect housing, transit and land use.

As Infrastructure Canada develops new funding programs, the availability of housing will remain an important focus and housing conditionalities will be applied in all appropriate funding streams. To this end, Housing Needs Assessments (HNAs) will be a critical component of INFC’s integrated, whole-of-portfolio approach to leveraging future infrastructure funding programs to drive housing outcomes in an evidence-based way. HNAs will provide the necessary data to ensure that infrastructure investments lead to the development of a housing supply that fits unique communities’ needs. In addition, INFC is partnering with CMHC to develop additional guidance for federal programming to standardize the approach for assessing housing needs across Canada and generating a baseline of data that can be used to develop robust and ambitious housing targets as part of long-term transit funding agreements.

The Department will further support housing with targeted investments in research and data, geospatial analytics, and economic analysis to guide evidence-based decision-making, advance innovation, inclusion and net-zero objectives, and drive effective solutions to housing and infrastructure challenges.

Continue investments toward zero emission buses, active transportation, and rural transit initiatives while preparing for the launch of new public transit programming, aiming to provide long-term funding and increase linkages to housing and environmental commitments, while also ensuring sustainable mobility and more prosperous, accessible, and transit-oriented communities.

Public transit is an important option for Canadians to get where they need to go, whether that’s to work or school, a healthcare appointment, or a social engagement with family and friends. When Canadians choose to take public transit, they expect convenient, dependable, and efficient travel. Infrastructure Canada’s investments make it easier for Canadians to access public transit and support sustainable communities by providing Canadians with environmentally friendly and sustainable transportation choices.

Through the Permanent Public Transit Program (PPTP), INFC will continue to move forward on the government’s historic investments in transit to ensure sustainable mobility, create jobs, and establish more prosperous and accessible communities. INFC will do so by accelerating future major transit and active transportation projects and supporting the expansion of large urban, rural and remote transit systems, as well as continuing to work with recipients to provide support throughout the lifecycle of projects and flow funds under the three direct-application funds of the PPTP: the Zero-Emission Transit Fund (ZETF), the Active Transportation Fund (ATF), and the Rural Transit Solutions Fund (RTSF).

The Department will also continue to provide yearly funding through the Canada Community-Building Fund (CCBF) to provinces and territories, who in turn flow the funds to municipalities. Communities have the opportunity to make strategic investments, and have historically used a significant portion of the funds for the enhancement of public transit systems and the development of active transportation networks, such as cycling paths and pedestrian walkways.

As well, as part of the over $33 billion Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP), the Public Transit Infrastructure Stream delivers on investments to support projects that invest in the construction, expansion, and improvement of public transit infrastructure. These projects improve the capacity of public transit infrastructure, the quality or safety of existing or future transit systems, and access to public transit systems. The Department will continue to work with provinces to implement projects approved under the program, while working collaboratively with territories to fully commit their remaining funding to priority projects by March 31, 2025.

Infrastructure Canada will continue to invest in Canada’s public transit systems by designing new programs that will support transit solutions through ongoing investments in predictable public transit funding. The core objectives of this funding are to increase the use of public transit and active transportation, increase housing supply and affordability as part of complete, transit-oriented communities, increase mobility options for Canadians to contribute to climate change mitigation and resilience, and improve access to public transit and active transportation for equity-deserving groups including persons with disabilities, low-income Canadians, Indigenous people, and others. Advancing progress towards these core objectives will contribute to economic growth and prosperity, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction and environmental sustainability, as well as a more inclusive Canada.

The integration of data, research, and analysis will be pivotal in shaping the trajectory of these initiatives. By leveraging data-driven insights, garnered via research and rigorous analysis, the Department will support transit projects that are ambitious and make the biggest difference for Canadians, fostering a sustainable and resilient public transportation ecosystem that benefits both the environment and the well-being of Canadians.

Invest in infrastructure by delivering programs that: enable the construction and rehabilitation of core, resilient, public infrastructure that moves Canada toward a net-zero carbon, climate resilient future; strengthen local economies; drive long term economic growth; protect our communities most at-risk; support housing goals and enhance the quality of life of Canadians.

Increasingly frequent, severe, and extreme weather events are impacting Canada’s infrastructure systems. People in Canada need to be able to trust that their infrastructure can withstand climate impacts for decades to come. Infrastructure Canada is investing in projects, such as seawalls, dykes, dams, fire breaks, and climate-resilient buildings, that will protect Canadians and communities from current and future climate conditions.

INFC is supporting communities in climate-proofing their infrastructure systems through programs such as the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings program, the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund (DMAF), the Natural Infrastructure Fund, and the Canada Community-Building Fund (CCBF). These programs advance the federal outcomes identified in the 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan, the National Adaptation Strategy and the Government of Canada Adaptation Action Plan by investing in public infrastructure that supports climate resilience and the transition to a net-zero economy.

Canadians need community spaces now more than ever to connect, engage, and support each other as we experience a rapidly changing climate. Community spaces need to be built in a way that aligns with Canada’s transition to net-zero emissions, combining different solutions to ensure they will withstand future hazards. By either investing in new building construction or improving the conditions of existing buildings, we can ensure that these energy-efficient, publicly accessible structures remain resilient and high-performing beacons of the community.

Infrastructure Canada will continue to protect our communities most at risk via engagement with DMAF-funded project proponents throughout their project lifecycle. These projects support the construction and rehabilitation of public infrastructure designed to reduce the impacts of climate change, disasters triggered by natural hazards and extreme weather events. The DMAF aims to strengthen the resiliency of Canadian communities through these investments by mitigating impacts on health and safety, protecting critical infrastructure, reducing disruptions to essential services, mitigating economic impacts and avoiding losses.

The Department will also continue to provide yearly funding through the CCBF to provinces and territories, who in turn flow the funds to their municipalities. Communities have the opportunity to make strategic investments across a broad range of project categories, supporting productivity, economic growth, and clean environments. The 2014-2024 ten-year agreements will end on March 31, 2024 and the Department is working towards implementing renegotiated agreements with signatories.

Through the Green Infrastructure Stream, the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) supports climate change mitigation and resilience projects, including projects that support GHG reductions and structural and natural capacity to adapt to climate change impacts, natural disasters, and extreme weather events. INFC continues to work collaboratively with provinces to implement projects approved under the program, while also working collaboratively with territories to implement the program and fully commit their remaining funding to priority projects by March 31, 2025.

INFC is using every investment as an opportunity to increase the climate-readiness of Canada’s infrastructure. In the coming year, INFC will continue to build upon the Climate Lens, a key tool for assessing the climate impacts of infrastructure, to support infrastructure decision-makers in factoring climate considerations into infrastructure planning, design and delivery. Climate requirements designed to foster GHG emissions reductions and climate risk reduction will be developed and applied to new infrastructure funding programs.

The Department is also developing knowledge and data to design, construct and maintain infrastructure that is resilient and built-to-last. To support communities with planning and constructing low-carbon, resilient infrastructure, INFC will drive development and use of the best available data, standards and guidance, while also delivering asset- and hazard- specific guidance, to reduce climate-related risks for infrastructure. In the upcoming year, INFC will work to expand codes, standards, and guidance for climate resilient and low-carbon infrastructure. 

In addition, INFC will launch a suite of new tools and services designed to support communities as they consider low-carbon resilience in infrastructure projects. These services will be provided through an open-access online Climate Toolkit Platform, a Help Desk hosted at INFC, and a roster of climate and infrastructure experts. Canadian communities will have access to relevant datasets, guidance and direct technical support to assess climate risks and vulnerabilities. INFC will also help communities identify risks and GHG emissions reduction opportunities in infrastructure investments.

Continue to support communities, partners and other organizations through the delivery of programs that prevent and reduce homelessness, including chronic, Indigenous, and Veteran homelessness, through funding for communities, capacity building, and innovation and research projects.

Everyone deserves a safe and stable place to call home, but far too many people in Canada face the daily, unacceptable reality of homelessness. That is why Infrastructure Canada’s homelessness programming invests in preventing and reducing homelessness across the country. In the 2024-25 fiscal year, Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy will continue to provide crucial funding to urban, Indigenous, rural and remote communities throughout the country. This includes the provision of additional Reaching Home funding, which was provided through Budget 2022, in recognition of the unique pressures currently facing communities, the homelessness-serving sector, and those experiencing or at risk of homelessness. This funding will help organizations deliver vital services to individuals and families experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Funding in 2024-25 will also support capacity building and the implementation of Coordinated Access Systems in communities, as well as advance the development of innovative approaches to addressing homelessness.

Given the overrepresentation of Indigenous peoples among those experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness, Reaching Home will continue to fund and support Indigenous partners in their work to address Indigenous homelessness, including through the delivery of Indigenous-specific homelessness programming. Infrastructure Canada will work with Indigenous partners to identify and advance priorities that meet the unique needs of First Nations, Inuit and Métis individuals across Canada.

In 2023-24, Infrastructure Canada launched the Veteran Homelessness Program with a call for proposals. This program provides $72.9 million through the Services and Supports Stream to provide rent supplements and wrap-around supports (e.g., mental health, and substance use supports). In addition, the Capacity Building Stream provides $6.2 million in funding to support capacity building and research on Veteran homelessness. In early 2024-25, contribution agreements with selected recipients will be signed, followed by the first Veterans being served.

Budget 2022 allocated $18.1 million to conduct action research on identifying further measures that can contribute to eliminating chronic homelessness in Canada. Through the Action Research on Chronic Homelessness initiative, the Government of Canada is working with and supporting eight communities across Canada. Each site will be supported to identify and document persistent barriers, challenges and successes, as well as test potential approaches. A key objective of the research is to adapt and share findings to enhance approaches to ending chronic homelessness at the community level, as well as across provincial, territorial and federal governments. Ultimately, the findings will inform the development of a broader strategy and identify actions needed to end chronic homelessness.

Recognizing that homelessness is a shared responsibility and that the Government of Canada is not the primary funder of homelessness programming in many communities, Infrastructure Canada mobilizes community, municipal, provincial, territorial, and federal partners, as well as diverse stakeholders, to help address homelessness. In 2024-25, Infrastructure Canada will continue to regularly engage with stakeholders to inform homelessness policy and program design, ensure Reaching Home funding recipients leverage various federal funding opportunities, as well as support funding recipients in implementing Coordinated Access Systems.

Proactively engage with stakeholders, partners and Indigenous organizations and communities, as well as advance research and data to inform policy and program development, to build programs that are accessible to diverse communities of all sizes and incorporate inclusive and innovative planning to support local community growth and renewal.

As part of the Department’s role in making significant investments in public infrastructure, INFC will continue to engage in research and analysis to advance the Department’s understanding of infrastructure needs and strategic priorities in various sectors. Areas of focus include resilient infrastructure, community assets, water and wastewater systems, solid waste management, public transit networks, natural infrastructure, climate equity, and the climate impacts of infrastructure investments.

The Department is also an investor in research and data that enhances the overall knowledge base about housing and infrastructure across Canada and supports informed decisions. For example, the Research and Knowledge Initiative (RKI) is a national merit-based contributions funding program that funds projects focused on key Government of Canada research and data priorities related to housing, infrastructure and communities. The RKI will see a number of projects completed from its first round of funding that was initiated in 2021; and a series of new projects will be selected and launched in 2024-25 with an additional $10 million, to examine and test practical solutions to housing and infrastructure challenges, and respond to key concerns such as affordability, equity in access, and/or adaptability to changing needs, including climate change and demographic change. In terms of data, INFC works closely with Statistics Canada to produce core national data products such as Canada’s Core Infrastructure Survey and the Infrastructure Economic Account as well as innovative new measures such as Spatial Access Measures, which measures access to services and amenities using active and public modes of transportation.

As Infrastructure Canada monitors its suite of programs and explores ways to further advance infrastructure and housing priorities, proactive engagement will take place with all orders of government, as well as Indigenous partners. These engagement activities help inform policy and program improvements and ensure that programs support the development of communities that are modern, green, inclusive, innovative, resilient, and provide public mobility solutions, while also integrating and supporting housing outcomes and strategies.

As Infrastructure Canada continues to design the next phase of public transit funding, it will do so informed by the What We Heard Report published in July 2023. The Department will continue targeted engagement with all levels of government and stakeholders, including transit agencies, to ensure transit investments support the achievement of Canada’s goals of increasing housing affordability and supply, stimulating economic growth, enhancing climate resilience, and reducing emissions.

Infrastructure Canada remains committed to accessibility and to the goal of a barrier-free Canada by 2040. To this end, INFC will continue to ensure that requirements related to accessibility and disability inclusion are incorporated into application guidance for various programs as well as funding/contribution agreements, including program improvement initiatives. For example, many INFC programs continue to require that project applicants meet provincial/territorial building codes or municipal by-laws, and ensure the projects meet or exceed the Canadian Standards Association’s (CSA) highest published accessibility standard(s) that are relevant to the project.

INFC will continue to work with partners as part of implementing the National Adaptation Strategy and the Government of Canada Adaptation Action Plan. INFC is the overall federal lead for the development and use of climate-informed codes, standards and guidelines for resilient infrastructure in Canada. Through a collaboration between INFC, the National Research Council of Canada and the Standards Council of Canada, new or updated guidance will be developed, and its uptake promoted, to support climate-resilient infrastructure and buildings.

Infrastructure Canada will also continue to engage with partners and stakeholders to advance priorities and investments in infrastructure that contribute to a high quality of life for Canadians and support the Government of Canada's commitment to close the Indigenous infrastructure gap and advance reconciliation. These efforts will be supported in part through engagement at multilateral fora, including the Federal-Provincial-Territorial (FPT) Meeting of Ministers and Deputy Ministers of Infrastructure. Continuing engagement through these fora ensures that the realities and priorities of these groups inform policy and program development in support of complete communities, and also fosters positive relationships with provincial and territorial governments on other shared challenges such as homelessness.

Infrastructure Canada will continue engagement with Indigenous and non-Indigenous partners to better understand the nature of collaboration at the community level and identify opportunities that will further enhance community-level coordination on Indigenous homelessness. Alongside this, Infrastructure Canada will continue to collaborate with First Nations, Inuit and Métis partners to support the co-development of distinctions-based approaches to preventing and reducing homelessness, with a focus on service delivery and culturally appropriate supports.

Advance work on a National Infrastructure Assessment to identify Canada’s infrastructure needs and priorities, linking public investments with policy outcomes, and planning for a future that is green, inclusive and prosperous.

The Department continues to engage with key stakeholders and other orders of government to understand key infrastructure challenges. This work is a continuation of the initial public consultations that the Department conducted in 2021 and will inform the potential areas of focus for Canada’s first National Infrastructure Assessment (NIA), which will be an evidence-based, data-driven assessment that will help inform future infrastructure investment decisions. In addition, Infrastructure Canada will support the Minister to establish and set up a ministerial advisory body to lead the NIA.

Support the long-term construction and operations of major bridge projects to promote economic growth and the efficient movement of people and goods, while facilitating effective governance, collaboration and stewardship of our portfolio organizations.

The Government of Canada continues to allocate funds for the construction and long-term operations of significant federal bridges and projects. These endeavors aim to stimulate economic growth, provide value for Canadians, and prioritize safety, sustainable development, and urban integration. Investments encompass various projects such as the Gordie Howe International Bridge (GHIB) project, the Samuel De Champlain Bridge Corridor project, the Quebec Bridge Restoration project and infrastructure in the Montreal region managed by the Jacques Cartier and Champlain Bridges Incorporated, such as the Bonaventure Expressway Reconfiguration Project.

INFC also continues to provide oversight and support to Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority, a Crown corporation established to deliver the GHIB project through a public-private partnership (P3) as it progresses with construction and preparation for the operational phase.

INFC remains at the forefront of delivering the Samuel De Champlain Bridge Corridor project through a P3 model. While the Corridor has been operational since 2019, the much anticipated automated Réseau express métropolitain (REM) light rail system went into service in July 2023, making full use of the Samuel De Champlain Bridge Transit Corridor to move thousands of people each day. Infrastructure Canada will continue collaborating with its partners in 2024-25 as the Samuel De Champlain Bridge Corridor project transitions to the stable operational phase.

Finally, in alignment with the Government’s commitment, the Department will continue supporting the Minister of Transport in finalizing negotiations to repatriate and rehabilitate the Quebec Bridge, a landmark of strategic, economic and heritage importance. INFC will undertake the required due diligence activities before the acquisition of the bridge and will work with the internal and external stakeholders to plan for a successful transition of ownership.

Promote the consideration of alternative finance and delivery models and tools early and upstream in planning phases of projects to optimize the use of public funds, catalyze private investments, including by supporting the Canada Infrastructure Bank in delivering on its mandate.

INFC will continue to serve as a policy centre of expertise for the Government of Canada in alternative financing of infrastructure projects. Alternative methods of financing public infrastructure are vital to addressing Canada’s current and emerging infrastructure needs.

The Department will continue to bring together federal, provincial, territorial, municipal, Indigenous partners and private sector stakeholders to promote alternative finance models and optimize public funding, including working with the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) to support the delivery of alternative finance in practice. As part of these activities, the Department will facilitate the integration of alternative finance and private capital to help address infrastructure gaps within existing CIB priority investment areas and explore opportunities in other sectors (e.g., housing and infrastructure resiliency to climate change) in ways that deliver lasting benefits to Canadians while reducing the burden on government spending and taxpayers.

Infrastructure Canada will also continue to deepen its understanding of the priorities and challenges facing local and provincial stakeholders concerning infrastructure development in Canada, and continue to explore opportunities to promote alternative finance mechanisms where appropriate. INFC will also continue to enhance its knowledge of market trends in infrastructure financing and investment priorities of private and institutional investors to support policies that will attract private capital and innovation for Canadian infrastructure. Additional analysis will be done on project structures used internationally as well as activities of comparable infrastructure banks and international financing institutions abroad. 

Refocusing Government Spending

In Budget 2023, the government committed to reducing spending by $14.1 billion over the next five years, starting in 2023–24, and by $4.1 billion annually after that.

As part of meeting this commitment, Infrastructure Canada is planning the following spending reductions.

• 2024-25: $26,171,063
• 2025-26: $69,029,402
• 2026-27: $47,794,515
  

Reductions for INFC reach $11.3 million in 2027-28 and ongoing.

Infrastructure Canada will achieve these reductions by doing the following:

• Reductions in the INFC base Operating budget
• Reductions in contributions under the Smart Cities Challenge
• Reductions in contributions to the Permanent Public Transit Program

The figures in this departmental plan reflect these reductions.

Highlights

A Departmental Results Framework consists of an organization’s core responsibilities, the results it plans to achieve, and the performance indicators that measure progress toward these results.