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Section II: Analysis of Program Activities by Strategic Outcome

Analysis of Program Activities

Infrastructure Canada's mission is to build world-class public infrastructure that contributes to Canada's economic growth, a clean environment and strong communities for Canadians.

In carrying out this Government of Canada priority, Infrastructure Canada manages a suite of funding programs, and works to build the policies, knowledge and partnerships to support them. The Government maximizes value for taxpayers' money by supporting infrastructure projects that adhere to best practices, leveraging investments from other orders of government and requiring all funding recipients to be accountable.

2007-2008 Strategic Outcome: Improving the sustainability of our cities and communities and Canada's local, regional and national public infrastructure to enhance the economic, social, cultural and environmental quality of life of Canadians.

Infrastructure Canada's Strategic Outcome in 2007-2008 identifies the organization's areas of influence and demonstrates how the department's efforts benefit Canadians and contribute to Government priorities. This Strategic Outcome is achieved by:

• Strategically investing and leveraging other investments in sustainable public infrastructure;
• Fostering effective, new and innovative types of partnerships;
• Providing federal leadership for infrastructure and community issues;
• Advancing policies, as well as building, connecting and sharing knowledge.

Infrastructure Canada had the following three Program Activities for 2007-2008:

• Infrastructure Investments: See section 2.1 for details.
• Policy, Knowledge and Partnership Development: See section 2.2 for details.
• Departmental Administration: See Section IV for details.

2.1 Program Activity 1: Infrastructure Investments

Table 1: Financial Resources ($ thousands)

Planned Spending	Authorities	Actual Spending
2,861,043	3,104,822	1,943,381

Table 2: Human Resources (FTEs)

Planned	Actual	Difference
144	144	0

During 2007-2008, in addition to the launch and creation of the federal government's new $33 billion Building Canada Infrastructure Plan, Infrastructure Canada continued to support important infrastructure investments across Canada through existing programs. Some $200 million was provided to top-up the MRIF to ensure continued support to communities across Canada during the transition to Building Canada. In 2007-2008, Infrastructure Canada provided close to $2 billion to support infrastructure priorities across Canada through existing programs.

In support of its priority to deliver or coordinate approved program funding, Infrastructure Canada manages and leverages investments in public infrastructure to improve the state of Canada's public infrastructure and, in turn, to promote economic growth, a clean environment and strong communities. The Department works in a coordinated manner with other federal departments and regional development agencies, provincial, territorial and municipal governments, First Nations and municipal associations to deliver approved program funding. Currently the six federal partners responsible for program delivery are: Western Economic Diversification Canada (for projects in the western provinces); Industry Canada (for projects in Ontario); Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (for projects in Quebec); the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (for projects in the Atlantic provinces); Transport Canada (for major transit and transportation-related projects under the Building Canada Major Infrastructure Component); and Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (for projects in the provinces that involve First Nations and projects in the three territories).

This Program Activity consists of all infrastructure programming delivered through transfer payments as well as the related program management and monitoring functions.

Building Canada Fund (BCF)

The $8.8 billion Building Canada Fund's Major Infrastructure Component and Communities Component have been designed to support a number of the Government's national objectives. First, the BCF builds on and at the same time simplifies current existing infrastructure programs, to provide greater integration and flexibility. Second, by focusing on results and value for money and clearly defining objectives and expected results, the BCF respects the Government's core priority of improving the accountability and transparency of government operations to Canadians. Through a series of framework agreements to be signed with each jurisdiction, the BCF will work in partnership with provinces/territories and municipalities. Third, by investing in core infrastructure, BCF will support the growth of Canada's economy. Fourth, public infrastructure can play a large role in achieving outcomes related to the quality of Canada's air, water, and land, so BCF investments will contribute to a cleaner environment. Finally, viable and resilient public infrastructure is essential to fostering stronger and safer communities, which in turn contributes to a high quality of life for all Canadians.

Additional information on the BCF is available at, http://www.buildingcanada.gc.ca.

Gas Tax Fund (GTF)

The Gas Tax Fund makes capital investments in environmentally sustainable municipal infrastructure to improve water and air quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Eligible investments include water, wastewater, solid waste, public transit, community energy systems, and local roads and bridges. The GTF combines predictable, long-term funding with local decision making and planning to enable municipalities to build and rehabilitate their core public infrastructure. Whatever the priority, the GTF program strives to meet the diverse needs of all communities while contributing to national environmental outcomes.

Additional information on the GTF is available at, http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/communities-collectivites/agreements-ententes/gas-essence_tax/index_e.shtml.

GTF Activities

In 2007-2008, $778 million³ of the GTF allocation ($790 million) was transferred to the provinces/territories, to be in turn allocated to their municipalities.

An agreement for all of Ontario's unincorporated areas was signed in June 2007. (In Ontario, unincorporated areas represent those parts of the province without municipal organization.) Ontario's unincorporated areas will receive $5,742,000 in federal gas tax funding for public road improvements. Through the agreement, the Government of Canada will provide a total of over $3.1 million to the northeast region of Ontario and over $2.6 million to the northwest. In total, 196 unincorporated areas will benefit. Eligible projects include culvert replacements, brushing and clearing, ditching, road realignments, resurfacing, safety improvements and other improvements.

British Columbia signed the first extension agreement in March 2007. A second round of applications for pooled funding was issued in December 2007 and closed in April 2008.

The GTF also includes a capacity building component to help municipal jurisdictions to develop Integrated Community Sustainability Plans (ICSPs), which is a key component of each agreement. In 2007-2008, BC developed its ICSP framework, which included the launch of a new website and a guide for municipalities for the development of their ICSPs. Nunavut, Nova Scotia and PEI also finalized their ICSP frameworks for communities in 2007-2008.

An implementation evaluation of the GTF was completed in 2007-2008, which concluded that the GTF is a well-run program. The study found that the GTF helps to foster relationships between governments. Some of the other study findings were:

• The accountability framework for the program is appreciated by the jurisdictions, and the reporting requirements are appropriate given the size and context of the program;
• There have been instances of delay in the flow of money for some jurisdictions due to late submission of their Annual Expenditure Report;
• All of the key management systems are working well;
• The oversight management of the program is working well: meetings of oversight committees are occurring and issues that arise are being addressed;
• The enterprise data warehouse administered by Infrastructure Canada is being used for reporting by jurisdictions and no issues were identified.

In summary, the GTF is meeting the needs of recipients and of the Government of Canada. The design and delivery have been well implemented. There are a few minor issues that require attention, but overall, the GTF is producing positive results and benefits for communities across Canada.

Results Achieved

Due to the unique upfront funding mechanism of the GTF program, projects are reported by the jurisdictions for the previous year from which the reporting takes place. Therefore for 2007-2008, the results for 2006-2007 have been submitted to Infrastructure Canada.

The GTF allocation for 2006-2007 was $592,494,000⁴ of which $590.2 million flowed to the provinces and territories. In turn, the provinces and territories flowed $550 million to the municipal recipients. This equates to 1,967 new GTF projects. By 2006-2007, some 2,233 projects were funded through the GTF, benefiting more than 2,700 municipalities.

Since the funds are transferred upfront, the provinces/territories and municipalities are able to bank any unexpended funds and earn interest as long as the interest is used towards GTF investments. In 2006-2007, the provinces/territories and municipalities together earned over $13.1 million interest. As well, these recipients reported incurring administration costs of $2.6 million, which is easily offset by the interest alone. The limited administration cost compared to the interest earned has meant additional dollars for projects over and above provincial/territorial allocations.

Further financial information by province/territory can be found in Table 23 in Section IV.

In terms of spent and committed funds for projects, water and wastewater infrastructure is by far the largest investment category, followed by public transit and local roads. At the other end of the spectrum, investment dollars in solid waste, community energy systems and capacity building are among the least-accessed investment areas.

More than 85% of all GTF dollar investments from 2005 to 2007 focused on the renewal and expansion of existing infrastructure. New infrastructure represents a much smaller portion of investment dollars mainly in the areas of active transportation and recycling.

Table 3 provides a breakdown of the 2,233 committed projects 2005-2006 and 2006-2007, which is the latest information by category available for the program.

Table 3: GTF Project Funding by Category 2005-2006 and 2006-2007*

	2005-2006		2006-2007		Cumulative
National	Projects	Funds Committed ($)	Projects	Funds Committed ($)	Projects	Funds Committed ($)
Water/Waste Water	125	19,192,105	923	393,626,839	1,048	412,818,944
Public Transit	26	88,203,167	31	128,424,643	57	216,627,810
Roads and Bridges	78	5,865,404	708	141,261,196	786	147,126,600
Solid Waste	14	11,313,435	85	31,677,230	99	42,990,665
Community Energy Systems	9	677,470	107	10,345,941	116	11,023,411
Capacity Building	14	1,885,009	113	5,085,341	127	6,970,350
Total	266	127,136,590	1,967	710,421,191	2,233	837,557,781

* The most recent expenditure figures for the GTF are for 2006-2007. The information is based on the annual expenditure reports that the provinces and territories submit to Infrastructure Canada in September after their fiscal year ends. The figures for 2007-2008 will become available in September 2008.

Some of the GTF highlights are as follows:

• The $3.34 million in Gas Tax funding received by Kamloops will buy 23,500 curb-side recycling containers and 12 split-body collection trucks that can simultaneously pick up solid waste and recyclables. The project is expected to reduce landfill by 3,000 tonnes per year and cut down on greenhouse gas emissions through the use of the more-efficient trucks;
• Chateau Heights, just north of Fredericton, stands on volcanic rock that forces water to circumvent the community completely. The small settlement has no potable water. Like many other very small communities in New Brunswick, residents depend on weekly deliveries of water in a tank truck. New Brunswick is investing $42 million over five years to alleviate water supply issues in Chateau Heights and other unincorporated areas. Examples include the extension of municipal services from Caraquet to help nearby residents who have been having a problem with salt water intrusion into their water supply, a study to find a solution to flooding and well water contamination in Point-du-Chêne and repairs to the water distribution system near Hanwell;
• The Province of Nova Scotia will receive $145.2 million in Gas Tax funds from 2005 to 2010. Halifax Regional Municipality is expected to receive over 40% of the 2005-2010 GTF allocation for Nova Scotia, or $63.7 million. From 2005 to 2007, municipalities invested 45% of funding in solid waste projects. Another 48% was split between water/wastewater and public transit projects with much of the remaining funding going toward roads and bridges;
• Nunavut also has a 2.1% capacity building fund for the development of integrated community sustainability plans. From 2005 to 2007, 82% of funding was invested in water and wastewater projects while the remaining 18% went to solid waste projects;
• The program supported the Hamilton Street Railway's purchase of a new fleet of eco-friendly hybrid buses. The fleet is composed of 12 diesel/electric hybrid buses – including seven 60-foot articulated buses – the first of their kind in Canada. These new, quieter buses will help lower greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality and increase capacity for public transit users in Hamilton. The hybrid buses are part of an $18 million bus fleet purchase using $6 million in federal Gas Tax funds, $3.4 million of the provincial Gas Tax and Ontario Transit Vehicle Program (OTVP) funds, and $8.5 million from the City of Hamilton;
• The program supported the investment in the first 15 of 40 new CTrain cars for Calgary Transit. The $158 million investment was made possible by funding contributions from the Government of Canada, the Province of Alberta, and the City of Calgary. The investment in 40 new CTrain cars raises the capacity of Calgary's CTrain system by more than 30% and will allow CTrain frequency to increase to every three minutes from every five minutes during peak periods;
• The City of Gatineau, Quebec, will receive $11,848,869 under the federal-provincial agreement on the transfer of a portion of federal gasoline excise tax revenues and the Government of Quebec's contribution. This is the first payment for the City of Gatineau, which will receive a total of $37,027,716 over the next four years for major infrastructure projects.

Public Transit Fund (PTF)

The PTF provides $400 million, allocated over two years, to support projects that provide better and more flexible public transportation options for Canadians, thereby reducing congestion, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, reducing airborne pollutants and improving the quality of the environment. Funds are transferred to municipalities or other eligible recipients through agreements between Canada and the provinces and territories. Allocation in most jurisdictions is based primarily on transit ridership.

Results Achieved

All PTF funds flowed to provinces and territories between 2005 and 2007. By the end of 2006-2007, $190 million, or nearly half of the $400 million total allocation, was spent on projects.

Table 24 in Section IV provides the expenditures spent on the PTF for 2006-2007 by the provinces and territories. The numbers are an approximation as not all annual expenditure reports had been received by the end of the fiscal year.

• Nova Scotia – The $11.7 million investment is being shared among several transit systems including Halifax Regional Municipality's Metro Transit, Kings Transit in the Annapolis Valley, Cape Breton Regional Municipality's system and five systems in rural communities across the province. The money is made available through the Canada-Nova Scotia Agreement on the Transfer of Federal Public Transit Funds;
• Windsor, Ontario – A new downtown multi-modal bus terminal is being made possible through partnership funding from all levels of government. The federal government contributed $2.7 million through the federal Public Transit Capital Trust. The Government of Ontario contributed $3.2 million in transit expansion and provincial gas tax funding to the City of Windsor. The City of Windsor has contributed $1.6 million, including $300,000 from the City Centre Revitalization Program, and $100,000 from the Windsor Accessibility Committee;
• British Columbia – Small towns and rural communities in British Columbia are benefiting from $1.5 million for new and expanded transit services. BC Transit will receive this funding from the federal Public Transit Fund. The funding will help link rural communities and small towns to regional services. More than 16 communities will benefit from this new funding, which will be leveraged with other funding partners. Areas that will enjoy the benefits of these transit systems will include the city of Merritt, the town of Golden, and the Regional Districts of Thompson-Nicola, East Kootenay, and Cariboo;
• Northwest Territories – Over $1.27 million in funding is being provided for community public transit infrastructure projects. The projects receiving funding include: a minibus for Elders in Gameti; public transit vehicles in Sachs Harbour, Lutselk'e and Hay River; bus shelters, secure bike racks, signage for cycling trails, and pedestrian walkways in Yellowknife; a trail system in Fort Smith; as well as path and trail development and a Handi Bus transportation in Hay River.

Additional information on the PTF is available at: http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/communities-collectivites/agreements-ententes/public_trans_commun/index_e.shtml.

Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund (CSIF)

The CSIF operates under the authority of the Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund Act. It is directed to projects of major federal and regional significance in areas that are vital to sustaining economic growth and enhancing the quality of life of Canadians.

CSIF investments are made in cooperation with the provinces, territories, municipalities and the private sector. Each project is governed by specifically tailored arrangements with partners. Maximum federal funding is set at 50% of total eligible project costs, except for broadband and northern infrastructure projects, for which federal funding can go to a maximum of 75%. The costs of projects involving a municipal partner are typically shared equally among the three orders of government.

Ten per cent of the CSIF allocation is targeted for projects identified as national priority projects. The CSIF has supported large-scale national projects that include the Red River Floodway project in Manitoba, the National Satellite Initiative to provide broadband access to northern and remote communities and the twinning of the Trans-Canada Highway in Banff National Park in Alberta. For more information about CSIF projects, visit http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/ip-pi/csif-fcis/proj/proj_desc_prov_e.shtml.

Results Achieved

As of March 31, 2008, total CSIF funding amounted to $5.2 billion. During 2007-2008, nine new projects were announced with a total federal contribution of $210.1 million. These projects were:

• The Corner Brook Water Treatment and Distribution Plant in Newfoundland and Labrador, announced on May 16, 2007 with a federal contribution of $12 million;
• The Torbay Bypass Road in Newfoundland and Labrador, announced on May 24, 2007 with a federal contribution of $5 million;
• Naskapi Imuun. Inc. Broadband (NSI), announced in Quebec on May 7, 2007 with a federal contribution of $4.7 million;
• Shortline Rail Projects announced in Quebec on July 7, 2007 with a federal contribution of $30 million;
• Northern Indigenous Community Satellite Network, announced in Quebec on August 24, 2007 with a federal contribution of $20.6 million;
• Wastewater treatment system improvements in Sarnia and Brockville, Ontario announced on July 5, 2007 with a federal contribution of $40.48 million;
• The Niagara Convention and Civic Centre announced in Ontario on September 5, 2007 with a federal contribution of $35 million;
• Regional Rural Water Supply Systems announced in Saskatchewan on September 14, 2007 with a federal contribution of $27.3 million.

Since the CSIF was established in 2001, 71 projects have been announced totalling more than $4.5 billion in federal contributions and contribution agreements (establishing the legal basis for federal payments on projects) have been signed for 46 projects. Table 4 illustrates the breakdown of CSIF projects by investment category.

As of March 31, 2008, the majority of CSIF funding has been committed, including the $750 million of top up funding announced in Budget 2006.

Additional information concerning the breakdown of CSIF projects announced in 2007-2008, by category and province, is shown in Tables 18 and 19 in Section IV.

Table 4: Federal Funding Commitments for CSIF

Category	# of Projects Announced in 2007-2008	Total Federal Funds Allocated in 2007-2008 ($M)	# of Projects Announced as of March 31, 2008	Total Federal Funds Allocated as of March 31, 2008 ($M)
Water	2	39.3	3	97.8
Wastewater	1	40.5	14	329.1
Local Transportation Infrastructure	–	–	1	13.0
Highways and Rail Infrastructure	2	35.0	21	1,605.5
Public Transit	1	35.0	8	1,491.0
Broadband	2	25.4	7	68.6
Disaster Migration	–	–	1	332.5
Housing	–	–	1	20.0
Tourism or Urban Development	1	35.0	15	509.7
Total	9	210.1	71	4,467.2*

Note: columns may not add due to rounding.

* Total does not include Federal Coordination of $137M, Research of $50M, the $50M Transfer to Parks Canada for Banff National Park or the $4.15M Spending restraint imposed by TBS to smaller Ministry.

Border Infrastructure Fund (BIF)

The $600-million BIF was established in 2001 to target improvements primarily to the six largest surface border crossings between Canada and the United States, as well as improvements to several other crossings. It has provided funding for investments in physical infrastructure, intelligent transportation system infrastructure and improved analytical capacity. BIF investments in border infrastructure are critical to Canada's growing economic and trade relationship with the United States and reflect the importance of Canada's border crossings, ports and highway approaches to economic growth, trade and security, both nationally and as international gateways.

Results Achieved

Since BIF's inception, 12 projects have been announced totalling $550.1 million in federal contributions. A summary of BIF expenditures is provided in Table 5. For more information about BIF projects, visit http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/ip-pi/bif-fsif/proj/proj_desc_prov_e.shtml.

Additional information concerning BIF projects, by category and province/territory, is shown in Tables 20 and 21 in Section IV.

Table 5: Federal Funding Commitments for BIF

Category	# of Projects Announced in 2007-2008	Total Federal Funds Allocated in 2007-2008 ($M)	# of Projects Announced as of March 31, 2008	Total Federal Funds Allocated as of March 31, 2008 ($M)
Physical Infrastructure	–	29.95	11	546.0
Improve Analytical Capacity	–	–	–	–
Intelligent Transportation System Infrastructure	–	–	1	4.1
Total	0	29.95	12	550.1*

* The total allocation for BIF excludes $3M, which was transferred to the Canada Border Services Agency for the Border Modelling project.

Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund (MRIF)

Reflecting a government commitment to municipal and economic growth, the $1.2 billion MRIF, announced in 2003, focuses on smaller-scale municipal infrastructure projects that support sustainable development, improved quality of life and economic opportunities and increased connectivity for smaller and rural communities. A minimum of 60% of the MRIF's nation-wide expenditures is devoted to projects addressing environmental quality objectives such as water and wastewater treatment. MRIF also supports roads, bridges, cultural and recreation infrastructure in communities across Canada. The MRIF also has a component to address the infrastructure needs of First Nations communities, which is now part of the FNIF.

As part of its infrastructure investment activities, Infrastructure Canada also works to build capacity and generate knowledge on infrastructure and community issues working with municipalities and other partners. Up to 1% of the jurisdictional allocation under the MRIF is available for a Municipal Capacity Building component that seeks to encourage the use of integrated asset management by small-scale Canadian municipalities. The goal of this component is to promote the implementation of integrated approaches to public infrastructure planning and management; encourage the use of asset management in support of decision making; promote the integration of demand management in public infrastructure planning and management; and encourages the sharing of project results with other municipalities and the public.

The formative evaluation conducted in 2007-2008 noted that MRIF is an appropriate program to support infrastructure development in smaller and rural municipalities, has produced a significant number of outputs (infrastructure projects) that will contribute to the intended outcomes of the program, and is appropriately designed to promote policy objectives for all partners involved. It also indicated that the role of the federal government in MRIF is relevant in that it has expedited the realization of much needed municipal infrastructure projects and leveraged other funding sources to provide 70.6% of the project funding.

Results Achieved

During 2007-2008, 821 new MRIF projects were approved, with a total federal contribution of $212.4 million. Since the MRIF was established in 2003, 1,778 projects have been approved, totalling $871.3 million in federal contributions. Table 6 illustrates how the MRIF projects approved as of March 31, 2008, are distributed by investment category.

One of the priorities during 2007-2008 was to allocate the additional $200 million MRIF funding. As of March 31, 2008, the majority of MRIF funding, including the top-up, has been allocated in all provinces and territories.

Another priority during 2007-2008 was to deliver MRIF funds identified for First Nations communities in the provinces. On April 16, 2007, an MOU between INFC and Indian and Northern Affairs Canada was signed. In October 2007, Infrastructure Canada, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada and the Assembly of First Nations announced the First Nations Infrastructure Fund (FNIF).

For more information about MRIF projects, visit http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/ip-pi/mrif-fimr/projects-projets/index_e.shtml. For more information about FNIF projects, visit http://www.ainc-inac.gc.ca/ps/hsg/cih/ci/prg-index_e.html.

Additional information concerning MRIF projects, by province/territory, is shown in Table 22 in Section IV.

Table 6: Federal Funding Commitments for MRIF

Category	# of Projects Announced in 2007-2008	Total Federal Funds Allocated in 2007-2008 ($M)	# of Projects Announced as of March 31, 2008	Total Federal Funds Allocated as of March 31, 2008 ($M)
Water	131	66.8	380	231.6
Wastewater	96	48.1	360	282.3
Solid Waste	3	0.2	38	10.2
Environmental Energy Improvements	17	8.7	29	24.7
Local Roads	50	22.6	366	147.0
Public Transit	3	0.5	5	8.1
Cultural	24	7.7	63	21.6
Recreation	78	43.4	152	110.4
Connectivity	4	0.1	8	4.4
Tourism	14	8.2	20	14.5
Municipal Capacity Building	440	3.7	447	4.4
Service Infrastructure	1	2.6	6	12.1
Adjustment for projects applicable to multiple categories	(40)	–	(96)	–
Total	821	212.4	1,778	871.3

Infrastructure Canada Program (ICP)

The $2.05-billion ICP was created in 2000 to enhance infrastructure in Canada's urban and rural communities and to improve the quality of life of Canadians through investments that protect the environment and support long-term community and economic growth. Funding was transferred, at the beginning of the program, to the federal delivery partners whose ministers are accountable for delivery of the program. While each of the federal ministers heading these departments has financial and parliamentary responsibility for program delivery, the Minister responsible for Infrastructure Canada is responsible for the overall policy and coordination aspects including maintenance of the Shared Information Management System for Infrastructure (SIMSI)) and the required program evaluation.

The priority for the ICP has been to support "green" municipal infrastructure, consistent with the Government's sustainable development objective. A minimum of 50% of federal ICP expenditures is devoted to such projects as water and wastewater systems, solid waste management and recycling and capital expenditures to retrofit or improve the energy efficiency of buildings and facilities owned by local governments. Other ICP priorities include local transportation infrastructure, cultural and recreational facilities, rural and remote telecommunications and affordable housing.

The ICP (with the exception of the First Nations component) was extended to March 31, 2011 to allow all agreements and projects to be completed. No additional funding will be provided.

Results Achieved

Since its inception, 3,871 ICP projects have been approved, totalling nearly $2 billion in federal contributions. A summary of federal funds allocated by ICP categories is provided in Table 7. For more information about ICP projects, visit http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/ip-pi/icp-pic/projects-projets/index_e.shtml.

The total investment in community infrastructure generated by ICP to date exceeds the original goal by 30%. The federal contribution leveraged nearly $6 billion of total investment in community infrastructure from other levels of government. As determined by the mid-term evaluation of the ICP in 2006, the Program has also achieved an appropriate balance of federal and provincial priorities. A summary of the evaluation report is available at http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/pd-dp/eval/me_icp_2006_e.shtml.

Additional information concerning ICP projects, by province/territory, is shown in Table 21 in Section IV.

Table 7: Federal Funding Commitments for ICP

Category	# of projects approved as of March 31, 2008	Total Federal Funds Allocated as of March 31, 2008 ($M)
Green Municipal	2,420	1,055.2
Local Transportation	731	421.1
Cultural and Recreational	608	352.1
High-Speed Access for Public Institutions	3	8.4
Rural and Remote Telecommunications	5	0.7
Affordable Housing	7	6.8
Tourism	61	78.2
Other	36	15.4
Total	3,871	1,937.7

Note: Columns may not add due to rounding.

2.2 Program Activity 2: Policy, Knowledge and Partnership Development

Table 8: Financial Resources ($ thousands)

Planned Spending	Authorities	Actual Spending
18,157	20,134	13,046

Table 9: Human Resources (FTEs)

Planned	Actual	Difference
93	73	20

Policy Development

Infrastructure Canada works with its partners to identify and assess public infrastructure needs, to evaluate priorities and funding pressures and to develop policy options for the Minister's consideration.

Results Achieved

In 2007-2008, Infrastructure Canada continued to deliver high quality and timely policy support and advice to develop strategic policies based on sound knowledge and strong partnerships. In particular, 2007-2008 was a busy year, focused on the launch of the federal government's new, 7-year, $33 billion Building Canada plan announced in Budget 2007. This required extensive work related to policy development, program design and frameworks, approvals, negotiation with all thirteen jurisdictions and the launching of the Building Canada plan by the Prime Minister on November 6, 2007.

Specific results achieved include:

• Providing policy support to the Minister through the development and implementation of a long-term comprehensive infrastructure plan and policy leveraging frameworks to meet Canada's infrastructure needs and provide stable, predictable and long-term infrastructure funding to provinces, territories and municipalities;
• Signing several Building Canada framework agreements, as noted earlier;
• Conducting interim due diligence studies of the funding eligibility of project proposals under CSIF and BIF and providing project selection advice, based on the due diligence process, to the Minister;
• Providing ongoing policy support, advice and timely information to the Minister on broad infrastructure policy and project priorities;
• Providing parliamentary and cabinet support to the Minister to ensure that Infrastructure Canada perspectives are incorporated in relevant Parliamentary, Cabinet, interdepartmental and portfolio briefing and policy documents.

Knowledge

In supporting the development of strategic policies and strong partnerships, the research activities sponsored or conducted by Infrastructure Canada under the Knowledge component of this Program Activity focus on three objectives:

• Knowledge Generation – Building new knowledge that responds directly to priority gaps in the understanding of public infrastructure issues facing Canada;
• Research Community Building – Fostering the development of a multi-disciplinary community of researchers and other experts;
• Knowledge Dissemination and Transfer – Developing innovative, effective ways to share and communicate knowledge from national and international sources.

Results Achieved

a) Knowledge Generation

Infrastructure Canada contributed to the objective of generating knowledge of infrastructure issues in Canada by conducting in-house research, as well as by sponsoring targeted research under two programs: the Peer Reviewed Research Studies (PRRS) program and the Knowledge-building, Outreach and Awareness (KOA) program. These two programs are part of the Research, Knowledge and Outreach Initiative, which was announced in 2005 for a five-year period, with total funding of $25 million (reduced to $12.5 million in 2006-2007). The KOA and PRRS programs were both extended by a period of one year, and will now terminate on March 31, 2010.

In-house research is focused on improving baseline knowledge of emerging policy and economic issues with implications for nation-wide infrastructure priorities, drawing on academic experts and professional consultants as needed. Two key areas of focus in 2007-2008 were policy challenges in urban transportation and the redevelopment of "brownfields" – abandoned, or underutilized commercial or industrial sites. The following research studies were released by the department for discussion or information purposes:

• Correlations between Public Infrastructure and Output;
• Urban Transportation in Canada's Major Cities: Overview of Key Issues, Challenges and Policy Responses at the Provincial and Municipal Levels;
• International Best Practices in Brownfield Management and Redevelopment Policy;
• Brownfield Management, Remediation and Redevelopment: Overview of Provincial, Territorial and Municipal Practices in Canada;
• Current Federal Support and Initiatives Related to Brownfields.

In addition, two research notes were published on the results of ongoing in-house analyses to help guide future research directions: Literature Review of Methodologies to Evaluate the State of Infrastructure, and a review of Integrated Water Resource Management.

In 2007-2008, the KOA Program was used to provide targeted support to three initiatives focused on furthering applied research and technical knowledge on the state of Canada's infrastructure through the signing of agreements with a combined total value of approximately $940,400. Initiatives included:

• The development of case studies as part of the Canadian Council for Public Private Partnerships' (PPP) National Awards for Innovation and Excellence in PPP;
• An agreement with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in partnership with the Province of Ontario and the City of Toronto to contribute funding towards an OECD assessment of the economic competitiveness of the metropolitan area of Toronto, involving consultations and an examination of the state of its economy, environment, social integration and infrastructure;
• Support towards a major collaborative project between the National Research Council Canada (NRC) and the National Round Table on Sustainable Infrastructure (NRTSI), which is comprised of over fifty national infrastructure stakeholders. The NRC and NRTSI (representing Engineers Canada) will work collaboratively to establish scientific and engineering methods and develop nation-wide assessment tools for measuring and reporting on the state of Canada's core public infrastructure. The results will help decision-makers in identifying priorities for addressing local and regional infrastructure needs, in support of national objectives of the Building Canada plan.

b) Research Community Building

Infrastructure Canada contributes to this objective through consultations, participation in relevant events and leading initiatives aimed at improving exchange and research collaboration between different organizations and fields of expertise.

Results Achieved

Infrastructure Canada became an active member of the major CanCompete initiative of the Conference Board of Canada. CanCompete is a multi-stakeholder research and consultation forum with the goals of building a National Competitiveness Action Plan and enhancing collaboration between the public and private sectors. CanCompete is structured around five Centres, each focused on one of five strategies to improve Canada's competitiveness. The Centre on Infrastructure will address the "successful cities" strategy, and will be closely linked with other Centres.

Infrastructure Canada compiled a list of federal experts and researchers involved in infrastructure-related issues and organized fora and presentations by outside experts on key issues.

c) Knowledge Dissemination and Transfer

With new information being generated on infrastructure, an increasingly important objective for Infrastructure Canada is to develop and encourage ways of disseminating this new information and knowledge to client audiences.

Results Achieved

Significant progress was made in improving the availability of Infrastructure Canada research products through on-line resources by upgrading and expanding on the Infrastructure Research Gateway on the Infrastructure Canada Internet site (http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/research-recherche/index_e.shtml). New or improved on-line resources and information products included easier access to the on-line Register of Research, and the timely provision of "research précis", providing interpretations of new developments or topical issues, including: "Is 'Just-in-Case' replacing 'Just-in-Time'"; "How Cross-border Trading Behavior has Changed since 9-11"; and, "Outlook on Australia's Infrastructure Plans." Infrastructure Canada is also developing an on-line list of information, tools and resources related to sustainable community planning.

Partnership Development

Infrastructure Canada is committed to working cooperatively with partners at all levels of government, nationally and internationally, and across all sectors to implement a shared vision for the economic, social and environmental sustainability of Canada's infrastructure and communities.

Results Achieved

Infrastructure Canada has continued to strengthen its capacity to develop and foster sound policies and decision-making on public infrastructure based on better knowledge, consensus and strong partnerships. In 2007-2008, successful initiatives in partnership development included:

• Launched negotiations under Building Canada with all provinces and territories and concluded eight framework agreements. Infrastructure Framework Committees will be establishing to oversee Building Canada in each jurisdiction and provide a senior-level forum to collaborate on infrastructure issues and priorities;
• Strengthened collaboration with provinces, territories and municipalities through such initiatives as the Gas Tax Oversight Committees responsible for monitoring the overall strategic implementation of GTF and PTF and participation in such events as the 2008 FCM Sustainable Communities Conference and Trade Show;
• Supported the building of municipal capacity to plan for and achieve sustainability objectives, including sustainable infrastructure. This has included several Infrastructure Canada-supported presentations and workshops on ICSPs. These events provided a platform for the Department to share information with stakeholders to help promote long-term planning on a municipal and regional scale;
• Maintained and enhanced strong partnerships with regional development agencies and other partners for the delivery of programs and projects;
• Continued to work with international bodies on infrastructure and communities related issues. Infrastructure Canada continued its international collaboration to develop and maintain partnerships with multilateral organizations (e.g., OECD, World Bank, UN-HABITAT, and Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CGLF)) and other nations to generate and communicate knowledge in support of sound policy making. Some examples are as follows:
  • Infrastructure Canada continued to work in collaboration with the World Bank on its international pilot study to develop global city indicators, and expressed its support for the founding of the Cities Centre at the University of Toronto;
  • In cooperation with the Province of Ontario and the City of Toronto, Infrastructure Canada submitted an extensive background report to the OECD on the socio-economic, governance and competitiveness profile of the Toronto region, in support of an OECD Metropolitan Review of the Toronto Region. As part of this project, Infrastructure Canada, in collaboration with its partners, organized and executed the first study mission for the OECD and its experts to Toronto in December 2007, and undertook planning for the second study mission held from April 28 to May 2, 2008;
  • Established a steering committee composed of the Province of British Columbia, Metro Vancouver, the FCM and CLGF in order to prepare for the CLGF's first Board meeting in Canada, to be followed by an International Roundtable on Infrastructure Financing and Planning.

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