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Institutional GBA+ Capacity

Infrastructure Canada (INFC) is working towards developing a GBA+ culture and implementing GBA+ analysis in its daily activities. To this end, the Department has established a GBA+ Responsibility Centre.

The GBA+ Responsibility Centre:

• Provides GBA+ leadership and raises awareness across the department;
• Reviews, assesses, and provides guidance on Memoranda to Cabinet, Treasury Board Submissions, and Budget Proposals;
• Develops tools and resources, and organizes learning events to increase GBA+ capacity within the Department; and,
• Liaises with the Women and Gender Equality Canada (formerly Status of Women Canada) and the broader Government of Canada GBA+ Interdepartmental Network.

The GBA+ Responsibility Centre recently launched an internal website to provide resources and build capacity across the department. The GBA+ Responsibility Centre works in conjunction with INFC's Diversity, Inclusion and Official Languages Co-Champions to promote a workplace that welcomes and celebrates differences and breaks down barriers.

Overall, INFC is on track to improve the departmental culture with respect to the implementation of GBA+ and is committed to ensuring equitable outcomes of infrastructure investments for all Canadians.

Highlights of GBA+ Results by Program

Investing in Canada Phase 1 – Funding Allocations for Provinces and Territories

• The Clean Water and Wastewater Fund (CWWF) and the Public Transit Infrastructure Fund (PTIF) were commitments made in Budget 2016 to create and support economic growth and prosperity. These two funds support two core pillars of this commitment which included green infrastructure and public transit infrastructure investments.
• CWWF investments targeted at meeting immediate clean water and wastewater projects that will foster economic growth and support a cleaner and healthier environment for communities.
• Investments under CWWF are delivered through Bilateral Agreements with provinces and territories in which they were responsible for identifying projects, in collaboration with municipalities.
• The improvements to water and wastewater benefits Canadian communities and citizens by improving reliability of water, storm water and wastewater treatment systems.
• PTIF investments target transit sectors that meet immediate public priorities and the target population is communities served by a transit system.
• Investments under PTIF are delivered through Bilateral Agreements with provinces and territories in which they were responsible for identifying projects, in collaboration with municipalities.
• Contribution agreements under both programs have been signed and a majority of the funds has been committed. INFC is not approving new projects under these funds. At the time of development, gender-based considerations were limited. As such, no gender program level data is being reported.
• In moving forward with new programs, Infrastructure Canada will continue to assess where it can better integrate gender-based considerations and results.

Investing in Canada Phase 1 – Funding for Federation of Canadian Municipalities

• The $75 million Municipalities for Climate Innovation Program (MCIP) delivered by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), provides funding, training and resources to help municipalities adapt to the impacts of climate change and reduce GHG emissions.
• When MCIP was introduced in 2016, the Government's Gender-Based Analysis requirements at that time were met. As INFC delivers funding for MCIP through the FCM, it does not provide direct services to individual Canadians and thus does not collect statistical data at the individual, user level.
• The objective of MCIP is to strengthen the ability of Canadian communities and municipal governments to take stock of their needs and adequately assess climate-related impacts within their communities. As such, no one group will benefit more than others as part of this initiative.
• Final program data will not be available until March 2022.
• The $50 million Municipal Asset Management Program (MAMP), delivered by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) supports improved asset management and data collection for greater evidence-based decision making on infrastructure investments.
• When MAMP was introduced in 2016, the Government's Gender-Based Analysis requirements at that time were met. As INFC delivers funding for MAMP through the FCM, it does not provide direct services to individual Canadians and thus does not collect statistical data at the individual, user level.
• As part of the MAMP's 2019 program renewal, the FCM included Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA+). The FCM will take inclusion of a diverse range of communities into account in their program delivery. While the initial program design did not include GBA+, current data collection of outputs for awareness building and technical assistance will be provided in the program analysis.
• Final program data will not be available until March 2025, which could be analyzed for GBA+ considerations and lessons learned.

Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program

• The Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program is delivered through Integrated Bilateral Agreements (IBAs) with provinces and territories in which commitments have been outlined to report on Community Employment Benefits (CEB).
• The Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program provides funding for a broad range of assets, including infrastructure for effective public transit; clean drinking water and effective wastewater treatment; community, cultural and recreational infrastructure; and, remote and northern communities and is expected to benefit all Canadians, without biases.
• Investments made through this program in public transit, green infrastructure, community, cultural and recreational infrastructure and Indigenous communities are likely to positively impact marginalized groups, enhance mobility for women and lead to more resilient communities for improved health outcomes for vulnerable populations.
• In examining the performance indicators for ICIP, the evaluation looks at the number of projects which take gender into consideration during the design and/or construction phases. For projects approved in the 2019-20 fiscal year, there were 74 projects that took gender into consideration in the design/construction phase out of 113 reporting on CCR outcomes.

Gas Tax Fund – Permanent Funding for Municipalities

• The federal Gas Tax Fund (GTF) is a permanent source of funding provided up front, twice-a-year, to provinces and territories, who in turn flow this funding to their municipalities to support local infrastructure priorities.
• The federal Gas Tax Fund delivers over $2 billion every year to 3600 communities across the country and in recent years has supported approximately 4000 projects each year.
• Communities select how best to direct funds with the flexibility to make strategic investments across the following 18 different project categories: public transit, wastewater infrastructure, drinking water, solid waste management, community energy systems, local roads and bridges, capacity building, highways, local and regional airports, short-line rail, short-sea shipping, disaster mitigation, broadband and connectivity, brownfield redevelopment, culture, tourism, sport and recreation.
• Though the federal Gas Tax Fund was not initially developed with the consideration of GBA+, the provinces and territories are accountable for reporting to the federal government on the projects that were funded and the benefits that were achieved.
• The federal Gas Tax Fund in supporting a broad range of infrastructure assets to all municipalities are expected to benefit all Canadians and support productivity and economic growth and strong cities and communities.
• In the short term, the construction of infrastructure projects is expected to carry more indirect benefits for men, who represent over 80 per cent of the total construction workforce. There will also be benefits for occupations related to the construction industry, such as architects and urban planners, in which women are strongly represented.

New Building Canada Fund – National Infrastructure Component

• The New Building Canada Fund – National Infrastructure Component was launched in 2014-15 to support projects of a national significance that had broad public benefits and that contributed to Canada's long-term economic growth and prosperity and reduce potential economic disruptions or foregone economic activity. The program is fully allocated.
• At the time of program development, gender-based analysis plus was not considered and as such there are no gender-based results to report on for this program.
• In moving forward with new programs, Infrastructure Canada will continue to assess where it can better integrate gender-based considerations and results.

New Building Canada Fund – Funding Allocations for Provinces and Territories

• The New Building Canada Fund – Funding Allocations for Provinces and Territories covers includes the New Building Canada Fund – Provincial-Territorial Infrastructure Component and the New Building Canada Fund – Provincial-Territorial Infrastructure Component – Small Communities Fund. Both were launched in 2014-15. No additional project proposals are being accepted under these programs.
• At the time of program development, gender-based analysis plus was not considered and as such there are no gender-based results to report on for this program.
• In moving forward with new programs, Infrastructure Canada will continue to assess where it can better integrate gender-based considerations and results.

Historical Programs

• Historical Programs at INFC include: the Border Infrastructure Fund (BIF), Green Infrastructure Fund (GIF), Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund (CSIF), Provincial/ Territorial Infrastructure Base Funding Program (PT Base), and the Building Canada Fund (BCF) – Major Infrastructure Component (MIC) and Communities Component (CC).
• Contribution agreements have been signed for Historical Programs and most funds have been committed to projects. At the time of program development, gender-based analysis plus was not something that was considered and as such, there are no gender-based results to report on for this program.
• In moving forward with new programs, Infrastructure Canada will continue to assess where it can better integrate gender-based considerations and results.

New Champlain Bridge Corridor Project

• The Samuel De Champlain Bridge corridor project is one of the largest infrastructure projects in North America. The corridor-wide project not only includes a Samuel De Champlain Bridge, but a new Île-des-Soeurs Bridge and reconstruction and widening of the federal portion of Autoroute 15.
• The Samuel De Champlain Bridge Corridor Project, as it will contribute to the efficiency of a trade corridor worth over $20B a year, will benefit all Canadians. Ensuring proper management of the project in the long-term will also benefit all Canadians as it will ensure value-for-money as well as help ensure the continued performance of the infrastructure as per the requirements of the project agreement.
• By offering more efficient transportation than the previous corridor and by dedicating the central corridor to public transit, the project offers more opportunities for efficient transit over longer distance for commuters, therefore potentially making some employment opportunities possible, particularly employment opportunities in downtown Montreal for South Shore residents and South Shore employment opportunities for Montreal Island residents.
• Infrastructure Canada works with a private partner – Signature sur le Saint-Laurent to deliver this project.
• As of March 30, 2020,
• 15% of Signature on the Saint Lawrence's employees define themselves as women.
• 21% of Signature on the Saint Lawrence's employees define themselves as a visible minority    

Gordie Howe International Bridge Team

• The Gordie Howe International Bridge project has a robust Community Benefits Plan that will provide jobs and economic opportunities in the Windsor and Detroit regions, including workforce development programs and neighborhood improvements. Bridging North America, Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority's private partner for the Gordie Howe International Bridge, is responsible for delivering the Community Benefits Plan whereas Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority oversees the delivery of the Community Benefits Plan to ensure the commitments outlined in the Plan are achieved.
• In developing the Community Benefits Plan, it was key that community input helped inform the initiatives selected for implementation on both sides of the border and specifically focus on enhancing the communities of Sandwich and Delray. WDBA and its partners meaningfully engaged and empowered the Windsor and Detroit communities in all stages of development of the Community Benefits Plan. The approach to developing the Community Benefits Plan along with the initiatives to be implemented have been defined by the local communities on both sides of the border, including adjacent residents and businesses, community groups, public agencies, educational institutions, not-for-profit organizations, elected officials and workforce development agencies. The public consultation process was driven by the following principles: Openness and Inclusivity, Transparency, Clarity, Flexibility and Evaluation. A Local Community Group comprised of a variety of stakeholders from communities on both sides of the border, including local municipalities and Indigenous Peoples, has also been formed to provide input on the implementation of the plan.
• Diversity is addressed throughout the Community Benefits Plan. As part of the plan's Workforce Development and Participation Strategy, there are initiatives that focus on making the project accessible to equity seeking groups (for example, Indigenous Peoples, women, individuals that identify as minorities and Disadvantaged Business Enterprises). Since the launch of the plan in June 2019, Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority and Bridging North America have engaged with First Nations communities on the Community Benefits Plan and Local Community Group, project representatives' participation in events that engage women and minorities.
• Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority continues to apply a diversity and inclusion lens when developing its policies and programs and will continue to focus on this priority by defining diversity goals, based on the local community make-up and that of WDBA and implement the necessary strategies to maintain a diverse workforce. Based on this, WDBA is providing diversity, inclusion and unconscious bias training to all staff and will survey its workforce and establish the necessary goals.

Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Initiative

• Waterfront Toronto was established in 2001 by the Government of Canada, Province of Ontario and the City of Toronto to oversee and deliver the revitalization of Toronto's waterfront. The three orders of government each committed $500 million in seed capital and provided Waterfront Toronto with effective development control over government owned waterfront lands. Each government appoints a maximum of four members to Waterfront Toronto's Board of Directors.
• Waterfront Toronto is an equal opportunity employer, and supports equal representation in the workforce. Waterfront Toronto's Board of Directors is made up of 12 members – to which INFC plays a role in appointing four federal members. In 2019-20 three of the federally-appointed board members were women serving 3-year terms that they were originally appointed to in 2016 and 2017. One member departed the Board early in August 2019 to pursue other challenges.
• To make job opportunities related to waterfront revitalization accessible to local people who need them, Waterfront Toronto developed the Waterfront Toronto Employment Initiative (WTEI) which partners with organizations like the YMCA of Greater Toronto that help job-seekers and promote economic inclusion, and connect them with development partners and contractors as opportunities arise.

Smart Cities Challenge

• The Smart Cities Challenge was launched in 2017 under the Investing in Canada Plan.
• The Smart Cities Challenge received 130 applications from 225 communities of a variety of sizes, from every province and territory. Overall, approximately 62% of Canada's population was captured in a Smart Cities Challenge submission.
• The design of the Smart Cities Challenge left the areas of focus for community projects open; communities had to define their own challenge statement and demonstrate that the issues they sought to address were rooted in community engagement. As a result, proposals touched on a broad range of themes and social inclusion priorities were prominent in many cases. Specifically, social inclusion and demographic pressures made up 16.2% of total proposals.  Economic development, employment, and skills development (14.6%); Child and Youth well-being (6.9%); Mental and Physical health (6.9%); Reconciliation and Indigenous Culture (3.1%); Seniors (2.3%); Civic Engagement and Access to Local Services (4.6%). These themes were not mutually exclusive and were often coupled with other contributing thematic areas.
• Four winners of the first round of the SCC were announced in the spring of 2019.
• The Town of Bridgewater (Nova Scotia) was awarded the $5 million prize
• The City of Guelph and Wellington County (Ontario), and Nunavut Communities (Nunavut) each received a $10 million prize
• The City of Montreal (Quebec) received the $50 prize.
• By March 2020, 2/4 Contribution Agreements (CAs) were approved and signed while two others were in negotiation.
• CAs with winning communities each include expectations for Community Employment Benefits (CEB) strategies to be developed and reported. CEB strategies includes setting specific targets for providing economic opportunities and benefits to at least three of the following target groups: apprentices; Indigenous peoples; women; persons with disabilities; veterans; youth; recent immigrants; and, small-sized, medium-sized and social enterprises in the approaches used in recruitment, training and procurement aspects of the Project's implementation.
• The City of Guelph and Wellington County, ON identified three target groups among which employment would be encouraged through their Smart Cities Challenge project. This includes:
• Newcomers (specifically women and youth);
• Small and medium enterprises (SMEs); and
• Social enterprises, which focus on not-for-profit and Indigenous-led enterprises.
• All four winning projects broadly support social inclusion and empowerment and address the social, economic, and psychological wellbeing of their residents.
• Bridgewater's project aims to lift residents out of energy poverty, focusing on low-income households.
• Nunavut's project aims to reduce the risk of youth suicide in the territory, in part by enabling accessibility of peer support networks and educational and creative resources.
• Guelph/Wellington aims to create an inclusive circular food economy that will increase access to nutritious and affordable food.
• Montreal will improve access to food, particularly for vulnerable people, and is also innovating and improving mobility in the city in ways that enhance equitable access to services broadly.
• SCC actively measures a number of key outcomes which continue to be validated through various methods of data collection and monitoring. This is primarily reflected in the outcomes-based CAs signed with winning communities– an innovative funding tool which aligns funding to project outcomes and milestones for achieving them.

Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund

• The $2 billion Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund (DMAF) is a national, merit-based program that supports investments in large-scale infrastructure projects to help communities better manage the risks of natural disasters. Eligible applicants includes provinces and territories, municipalities, Indigenous organizations and private sector organizations (for-profit and not-for profit) and all the individuals living in those communities.
• The DMAF aims to reduce the socio-economic impacts of climate change, disasters triggered by natural hazards and extreme weather events on Canadians by focusing investments on communities at risk of infrastructure failure that result in:  threats to health and safety; threats to critical infrastructure, including interruptions in essential services; significant disruptions in economic activity; and/or increasingly high cost for recovery and replacement. This will result in the reduction or avoidance of service disruption and damages as well as improve the resilience and quality of life of vulnerable populations that would be disproportionately affected, such as women, seniors, youth, Indigenous peoples and persons with disabilities.
• Further, the Community Employment Benefits (CEB) reporting framework is applied to all DMAF projects to encourage project proponents to increase employment opportunities in the construction industry and related sectors for targeted groups, including women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, recent immigrants, youth, veterans and apprentices as well as to increase procurement opportunities for small- and medium-sized enterprises and social enterprises.
• As of March 31, 2020, a total 59 DMAF projects representing a federal contribution of over $1.7 billion were approved and announced. All 59 projects include the CEB reporting framework, which will help foster inclusive economic growth. Project proponents will report on their CEB progress annually with final program results being made available in March 2028.

Research and Knowledge Initiative

• The Research and Knowledge Initiative (RKI) program aims to build the capacity of infrastructure decision-makers through funding research and data projects to enhance and disseminate infrastructure-related knowledge, and facilitate knowledge-based collaborations and partnerships among infrastructure stakeholders.
• The Data for Canadian Cities Pilot Project (DCCPP), from the Word Council on City Data (WCCD), is a three year project funded through the Research and Knowledge Initiative (RKI). The DCCPP aims at certifying 15 municipalities on an international data standard (ISO 37120 – Sustainable Development of Communities – Indicators for City Services and Quality of Life) in order to increase city data capacity and enhance the use of data in municipal decision-making.
• The data standard is made of 104 indicators, several of which include GBA+ elements. Among these are:
• 6.Education
• 6.1 Percentage of female school-aged population enrolled in schools (core indicator)
• Question ED6.1.a5.1: Is there a stated goal, mission or policy associated with gender equality and/or the empowerment of women?
• 11. Governance
• 11.2 Women as a percentage of total elected to city-level office (core indicator)
• 11.3 Percentage of women employed in the city government workforce (supporting indicator)
• 12. Health (Potentially GBA+)
• 12.5 Number of nursing and midwifery personnel per 100,000 population (supporting indicator)
• 14. Safety
• 14.5 Violent crime rate per 100 000 (supporting indicator)
• The 15 municipalities across Canada will report on each of these indicators and the WCCD will hold this data.

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