Research and Knowledge Initiative

On this page

• Overview
• Completed projects
• Contact us

Overview

Launched in 2019, the Research and Knowledge Initiative (RKI) was a national merit-based contributions funding program from Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada that funds projects focused on key Government of Canada research and data priorities related to housing, infrastructure and communities.

Improving our understanding of housing and infrastructure, how they intersect and the dynamics that drive effective and responsive solutions in Canada, is essential to build and maintain livable, resilient communities. More and better research and data on housing and infrastructure can facilitate innovative approaches, empower citizens, as well as further community resilience and sustainability. Improved research and data can also inform national, regional and local decision-making and governance.

The RKI focused on applied research that tested or evaluated innovative and practical solutions for addressing Canadian housing and infrastructure needs. These included pilot initiatives, proof-of-concept analyses using robust methodology; investigations of replication or scalability across provinces, municipalities, communities or regions; application of new science, data, or technology; identification of lessons learned; and assessments of solution uptake feasibility.

Completed projects

The RKI has provided approximately $20 million in funding. Those interested in the completed projects are invited to consult the resources below.

Approximately $4 million was allocated to support two pilot projects:

• $600,000 to support the Institute of Fiscal Studies and Democracy (IFSD) with the development of a Canadian methodology for a jurisdiction-wide infrastructure assessment.
• $3 million to support the World Council on City Data (WCCD) to implement the Data for Canadian Cities Pilot Project, which aims to build municipal data capacity to plan and implement their public infrastructure investments.

A total of $6 million was allocated through the first call for proposals in 2021 to support 12 projects under the theme "Cultivating Community Data and Research to Inform Public Infrastructure Decision-making."

• $486,250 to support the Government of Prince Edward Island to develop province-wide coastal hazards information and floodplain maps through the Climate Hazard and Risk Information System (CHRIS) and to enhance the CoastaL Impacts Visualization Environment (CLIVE) geo-visualization tool to support infrastructure adaptation, reduce community vulnerability and increase resilience in a changing climate.
• $575,925 to support Dalhousie University update Nova Scotia's flood lines, including by conducting mapping, creating a Geographic Information System (GIS) database of historical flooding events and a shortlist of top flooding mechanisms by watershed or region, as well as publishing research papers to inform decisions regarding public infrastructure investments in climate resilience.
• $259,655 to support the New Brunswick Environmental Network to develop an online tool, benefits and costs for Nature Based Climate Solutions (NBCS), to identify areas suitable for natural and nature-based infrastructure conservation or implementation based on the net-benefits for climate risk mitigation.
• $250,557 to support Union des transports adaptés et collectifs du Québec (UTACQ) to develop an interactive online platform to measure the impact of regional public transit services on access to opportunities (such as hospitals, grocery stores, higher education) in three regions of Quebec representing different suburban and rural realities.
• $267,408 to support McGill University to assess the health and well-being impacts of the Energize Bridgewater program in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia, through community-wide surveys and a cohort study, as well as several research and technical reports amongst those found on Professor Mylène Riva’s website.
• $445,083 to support Ouranos to create an online prototype tool that estimates the probability of climate change hazards and their effects on infrastructure, as well as to develop 18 technical fact sheets and a methodology to calculate coastal water levels and precipitation.
• $600,000 to support the Canadian Urban Institute (CUI) to develop an online platform, Measuring Main Streets, that hosts research, case studies and interactive tools, including a Main Street Mapping Tool.
• $270,315 to support Toronto Metropolitan University to develop a Geographic Information System (GIS) online platform for infrastructure performance data sharing and collaborative deterioration modelling for Canadian municipalities, with a focus on roads, bridges, and sewers.
• $837,600 to support the University of Toronto's Positive Zero Transport Futures research on how transformations in transportation infrastructure can achieve shifts in travel behaviour that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve public health and enhance equity, which is contained within several research papers.
• $440,000 to support the University of Alberta to create a multidisciplinary methodology that connects wildfire, human behaviour, and transportation modelling to understand infrastructure needs in supporting emergency plans and movements. Further information can be found on the Wildfire Analytics website.
• $1,155,550 to support the University of Victoria to create a community-level decision-support tool hosted through the University of Winnipeg's Climate Atlas, along with videos and articles. The tool is based on a First Nations-led framework for understanding, assessing, and responding to climate risks facing built and natural infrastructure within First Nations communities and territories across the country.
• $320,700 to support Pitquhirnikkut Ilihautiniq / Kitikmeot Heritage Society to use sensors on Northern buildings to build a robust knowledge base for builders in the North, to apply designs and materials that support culturally-informed and effective building construction for northern climates that is energy efficient and clean.

A total of $10 million was allocated through a second call for proposals in 2024 to support 18 projects under the theme "Research and Solutions for Canadian Housing and Infrastructure Needs." One additional project was selected in 2025 to respond to the Buy Canadian priority.

• $258,000 to support the University of New Brunswick to develop practical learning resources and guidance with respect to Infrastructure Master Plans (IMPs) to help municipalities identify major infrastructure investments needed to meet population growth targets, support affordable housing, and ensure their infrastructure is resilient to climate change.
• $493,007 to support Vivre en Ville to create a decision-support tool for municipalities to assess the potential of urban redevelopment, including an analysis of the opportunity costs of under-utilization of parking lots, with the objective of increasing the housing supply while limiting urban sprawl.
• $278,475 to support Polytechnique Montreal to develop a prototype of an open-source platform to help households and governments to assess the real affordability of housing locations by incorporating the cost of transportation, as well as help cities plan transit networks.
• $493,874 to support McGill University to develop the Canadian Housing Observatory, a national online platform that brings together diverse housing data sources, allowing for in-depth exploration and analysis of housing issues, to support decision-making.
• $235,730 to support McMaster University to explore approaches to modernizing the governance of the Canadian housing system, with a focus on multi-order partnerships.
• $172,400 to support Queen’s University in conducting large-scale proof-of-concept testing to generate evidence and insights that will help advance the adoption of 3D-printed concrete (3DPC) technology in Canadian housing construction.
• $1,692,000 to support the Canadian Urban Institute to develop mapping tools, case studies and a new method of identifying suitable locations for housing infill along transit corridors, which incorporated environmental, fiscal, social, and equity factors.
• $1,745,000 to support Archangel Ventures Inc. to develop tools to evaluate the feasibility of conversion of commercial office buildings into housing.
• $487,613 to support the Toronto Metropolitan University to conduct a detailed study on the impacts of transit investments on low-income and racialized tenants in Toronto in order to inform future transit decision-making and protect vulnerable communities.
• $280,000 to support the University of Toronto to develop an online platform to facilitate partnerships between developers, municipalities, and lenders for innovative mixed-use projects to promote affordable housing solutions through diverse collaborations including non-traditional funders.
• $109,113 to support BIMWorkshop Inc. to develop a directory of Canadian manufacturers, suppliers, assemblers, and distributors of construction products to respond to the Buy Canadian priority.
• $450,000 to support 5468796 Architecture Inc. to develop an approach and resources to support non-government social purpose organizations to develop new affordable housing on their under-utilized land and building assets.
• $539,757 to support PolicyWise for Children and Families to create models predicting youth homelessness and to pilot a community-based data approach with youth support organizations.
• $774,551 to support the BC Housing Research Centre to establish a knowledge infrastructure to accelerate the adoption of emerging best practices in building systems to meet Canada’s housing needs.
• $416,001 to support Nucleus Strategies Inc. in developing a tool to identify misalignments in policy, data, and governance, including a function to compare documents across municipalities, alongside a narrative-building platform that enables communities to create and share counter-data stories to inform decisions based on lived experience.
• $468,780 to support the University of British Columbia to develop an evidence-based implementation plan for a Tiny House Community in order to address local housing needs, affordability and homelessness prevention.
• $233,660 to support Light House Sustainability to examine the potential to replicate and scale efforts to preserve and relocate high-quality homes in British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario to provide affordable housing to communities in need, including First Nations and those in exurban areas.
• $480,820 to support Taylor Architecture Group to develop and test alternative housing designs that respond to the unique systems, environments, and infrastructure in remote and northern communities.

Links to outputs from the following project will be added as they become available:

• $358,224 to support Turner Drake & Partners Ltd. to develop a standardized approach to help communities of various sizes in completing Housing Needs Assessments (HNAs), enhancing analytical methods for effective policy responses.

Contact us

If you have any questions, please contact: RKI-IRC@infc.gc.ca.