TRAN Committee Report

Supplementary Opinion

Liberal Party of Canada (David McGuinty, Ottawa-South):

As witnesses testified, it is clear that there is a gap in Canada’s current infrastructure assets in terms of what exists and what is required. It is also clear that significant investments are needed on the part of all levels of government to close it. Despite this well-accepted need for investment, there is no consensus on what Canada’s actual infrastructure gap amounts to in real figures. If the Government of Canada is to begin to seriously address this problem, it is essential that it work closely with its provincial, territorial, and municipal partners to establish precisely what Canada’s infrastructure gap is.

It is recommended that the Government of Canada convene all orders of government to create and implement a process by which an evaluation of Canada’s infrastructure assets could be completed so that Canadians would better understand where the most crucial infrastructure needs are and plan appropriately for the future.

Although the current government is quick to laud its infrastructure investments, it fails to explain that there are significant flaws in the ways in which funding is distributed. Currently, the federal government does not attach any specific criteria to its infrastructure funding. As an example, the government should look for specific guarantees with regards to job creation, economic impact, and sustainability. Considering the ever-evolving challenges which the global economy and climate change pose to Canada, it is important that the government support projects which are well thought-out, resilient and provide maximum long-term benefit to the communities in which they are built.

It is recommended that the Government of Canada attach specific criteria in the areas of job creation, economic impact, and sustainability when allotting infrastructure funding.

Canada, like all countries, is forced to deal with climate change. Jurisdictions such as the United States have made it clear that infrastructure projects must take in to account this ever-evolving challenge. Without a clear standard to which projects can strive to achieve or even compare themselves to, Canada’s infrastructure investments may not be anywhere near as effective as they could be in terms of their energy efficiency, water efficiency, sustainability of resources used in construction, etc.

It is recommended that the Government of Canada work with all orders of government to establish a sustainability rating system for infrastructure projects. Examples such as the Envision™ rating system in the United States haven proven to be effective and provide an excellent example for Canada to follow.