Building stronger communities and improving quality of life for all Canadians

Concrete results and benefits achieved through the Investing in Canada infrastructure plan

OTTAWA, May 9, 2019 /CNW/ - Infrastructure investments create well-paying, middle-class jobs and set the stage for long-term economic growth that benefits all Canadians. They also make communities better places to live, resulting in a higher quality of life for all Canadians now and for future generations.

The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Canada's Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, today provided an update on the Government's progress in renewing the nation's public infrastructure through the over $180-billion Investing in Canada plan. These investments are creating jobs for Canadians, attracting talent and investment, supporting innovation, addressing climate change and its impacts, and increasing opportunities for all Canadians while strengthening communities across the country.

Since 2016, more than 48,000 infrastructure projects, worth a total of $42.3 billion, have been approved. Of these projects, almost all are either underway, or already completed.

These investments are already making a significant difference in the lives of Canadians by:

    --  Providing employment opportunities to over 100,000 Canadians on average
        each year;
    --  Providing public transit users with 100,000 additional seats to help
        them get to their destinations by funding more than 8,500 new or
        refurbished buses;
    --  Providing more Canadians with cleaner water and a healthier environment
        by funding more than 2,800 water and wastewater management projects;
    --  Lifting more than 80 long-term drinking water advisories on First
        Nations reserves;
    --  Providing more affordable housing for Canadians most in need by building
        or renovating more than 174,000 low-cost housing units;
    --  Renewing research labs and training facilities at universities, colleges
        and polytechnic institutions across Canada by funding more than 300
        projects;
    --  Establishing an extra 40,000 new child-care spaces by 2020 by creating
        accessible, affordable and high-quality facilities for early learning
        and child care;
    --  Building communities where more Canadians can live, work and play in a
        global and digital economy by installing more than 19,500 kilometres of
        fibre-optic cable to provide high-speed internet connections in more
        than 900 rural and remote communities; and
    --  Promoting the values of openness, diversity and inclusion by building,
        improving and repairing over 1,600 community centres, recreational
        centres, cultural facilities and community spaces.

Details of the many accomplishments are outlined in a new report released today called Building a Better Canada: Progress Report on the Investing in Canada Plan 2016-2019. This report demonstrates how the Plan's goals are being met: achieving steady, long-term economic growth, improving the resilience of communities, and creating an economy and society that work for all Canadians so that they can build a better future for themselves and their children.

Quote

"We can be proud of the tremendous progress we have made to date in delivering our Investing in Canada plan. We have approved over 48,000 projects across the country, and I have seen firsthand how our investments in infrastructure are helping ensure access to clean water, protect the environment, help hard working Canadians move throughout their communities more efficiently, and create good middle-class jobs. These are historic investments which are connecting Canadians through modern, green and resilient infrastructure for the 21(st) century."

The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities

Quick Facts

    --  Through the Investing in Canada infrastructure plan, the Government of
        Canada is investing more than $180 billion over 12 years in public
        transit projects, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and
        transportation routes, and Canada's rural and northern communities.
    --  The initial phase of the Investing in Canada plan focused on providing
        short-term investments to upgrade and repair existing infrastructure.
    --  The focus of the Plan is now on providing funding for longer-term
        transformative projects that position Canadian communities for sustained
        economic growth, support a low carbon, green economy, and build
        inclusive communities.
    --  Infrastructure Canada is one of 14 federal departments and agencies that
        are delivering over 90 infrastructure funding programs under the
        Investing in Canada plan.

Backgrounder

    --  Backgrounder: Building stronger communities and improving quality of
        life for all Canadians

Related Product

    --  Building a Better Canada: A Progress Report on the Investing in Canada
        Plan 2016-2019

Associated Links

Investing in Canada: Canada's Long-Term Infrastructure Plan:
http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/icp-publication-pic-eng.html

Investing in Canada Plan Project Map:
http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/gmap-gcarte/index-eng.html

Funding Delivered under the Investing in Canada Plan:
http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/funding-financement-eng.html

Funding programs administered by Infrastructure Canada: http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/prog/programs-infc-summary-eng.html

Smart Cities Challenge
http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/cities-villes-eng.html

Canada Infrastructure Bank
http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/CIB-BIC/index-eng.html

Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund
https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/dmaf-faac/index-eng.html

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SOURCE Infrastructure Canada