Canada and Quebec to make significant investments that will improve the lives of Quebec residents

Supporting new projects that build prosperous communities and transition to a clean growth economy

QUÉBEC CITY, June 29, 2018 /CNW/ - The Canadian and Quebec governments are working together to make long-term investments in infrastructure that will create jobs and economic growth, build inclusive communities and support a low-carbon, green economy—leading to a higher quality of life for all Quebec residents.

Today, the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and Member of Parliament for Quebec City; and André Fortin, Quebec's Minister of Transport, Sustainable Mobility and Transport Electrification, and Member of the National Assembly for Pontiac, announced the signing of a bilateral agreement that will provide more than $7.5 billion in federal funding over the next decade for infrastructure projects in Quebec. These projects will be cost-shared with the Quebec government, municipalities and other partners.

As part of the Investing in Canada plan, the Canadian government will make unprecedented investments in public transit, green infrastructure, recreational, cultural, and community infrastructure, as well as rural and northern community infrastructure.

These investments will have benefits for people in communities across the province, including:

• faster commutes and travel times for more people;
• cleaner air and water;
• reduced greenhouse gas emissions;
• sustainable water management;
• enhanced public parks, recreational facilities and other spaces that make communities great places to live;
• better transportation and digital infrastructure for people living in remote communities
  

In Quebec, the Government of Canada will invest $5.2 billion in public transit projects, $1.8 billion in green infrastructure projects, $257 million in community, cultural and recreational infrastructure projects, and $288.5 million in rural and northern community infrastructure projects.

These federal funds are in addition to $100.4 billion the Province of Quebec will invest through the 2018‒2028 Québec Infrastructure Plan (QIP) announced in the Québec Economic Plan of March 2018. 

Quotes

"Long-term investments in infrastructure connect citizens, create good jobs for the middle class, and support our economy. This new agreement with Quebec will provide long-term predictable funding to meet the needs of all Quebeckers. We will continue to work with our provincial, municipal and Indigenous partners to make strategic investments in Quebec, which will help build inclusive resilient communities where everyone has the opportunity to succeed."

The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and Member of Parliament for Quebec City, on behalf of the Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities

"Over the next decade, public investment in infrastructure will reach historic levels in Quebec. These investments will help improve the quality of life for all Quebeckers, give them more quality time by improving mobility and raise their standard of living thanks to a strong sustainable economy in all regions of Quebec." 

André Fortin, Quebec's Minister of Transport, Sustainable Mobility and Transport Electrification

Quick facts

• Under the Investing in Canada 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.
• Under the first phase of the plan, Infrastructure Canada has approved nearly 3,500 projects across Canada worth a combined investment of more than $8.9 billion.
• As part of the Plan, Infrastructure Canada will deliver $33 billion over the next decade through new bilateral agreements with provinces and territories under four funding streams:
• $20.1 billion for public transit;
• $9.2 billion for green infrastructure;
• $1.3 billion for community, cultural and recreational infrastructure; and
• $2 billion for wide-ranging infrastructure needs in rural and northern communities.
• The federal cost-share under the rural and northern infrastructure stream was increased from 50% to 60% on February 16, 2018. With this increase, provincial communities with fewer than 5,000 residents will be eligible to receive a higher proportion of federal funding to address their unique infrastructure needs. Indigenous communities in the provinces will be eligible for a federal cost share of up to 75%.
• This is the 10th new long-term agreement infrastructure agreement the Government of Canada has signed with provincial and territorial partners.

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Backgrounder

Canada and Quebec to make significant investments that will improve the lives of Quebec residents
Supporting new projects that build prosperous communities and transition to a clean growth economy

Under the $180-billion Investing in Canada infrastructure plan, the Government of Canada is signing new bilateral agreements with all provinces and territories that will see more than $33 billion in federal funding invested in infrastructure projects across the country. The objective of these investments is to transform the way Canadians live, move and work across four priority areas:

• Public transit;
• Green infrastructure;
• Community, culture, and recreation infrastructure; and
• Rural and northern communities.

Quebec will receive a total of $7,535,937,919 from Canada over the period of 2018 to 2028 through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) agreement.

Allocations by funding streams

Funding Stream	Allocation	Expected Direct and Measurable Outcomes at Project Completion*
Public Transit	$5,182,392,771 to build new urban transit networks and service extensions that will transform the way Canadians live, move and work.	Improved capacity of public transit infrastructure Improved quality and safety of existing and future transit systems Improved access to public transit systems
Green Infrastructure	$1,808,076,797 to support greenhouse gas emission (GHG) reductions; enable greater adaptation and resilience to the impacts of climate change and climate-related disaster mitigation, and ensure that more communities can provide clean air and safe drinking water for their citizens.	Increased capacity to manage more renewable energy sources Increased access to clean energy transportation Better energy efficiency of buildings Improving clean energy production Increased structural capacity and/or increased natural capacity to adapt to climate change impacts, natural disasters and extreme weather events Asset maintenance and upgrading of wastewater treatment and collection infrastructure Asset maintenance and upgrading of drinking water treatment and distribution infrastructure Increased capacity to reduce or eliminate pollutants from soil and/or the atmosphere
Community, Culture and Recreation Infrastructure	$257,003,028 towards community, culture and recreation infrastructure to build stronger communities and improve social inclusion.	Improved access to and/or increased quality of cultural, recreational and/or community infrastructure for Canadians
Rural and Northern Communities Infrastructure	$288,465,324 to support projects that improve the quality of life in rural and northern communities by responding to rural and northern specific needs.	Improved food security as defined by the United Nations Committee on World Food Security Improved and/or more reliable road, air and/or marine infrastructures as compared with their initial state Improved broadband connectivity Access to more efficient and/or reliable energy sources Improved education and/or health facilities (specific to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Calls to Action)

*	Direct and measurable outcomes will be obtained through projects which will be communicated in more details as they are announced.

The bilateral agreements will allow the Government of Canada and the provinces and territories to agree on shared results as well as a method of reporting on results. The bilateral agreements support the following long-term results:

• Increase the rate of economic growth in an inclusive and sustainable way;
• Improve environmental quality, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase resiliency of communities;
• Improve mobility in Canadian communities;
• Make Canadian communities more inclusive and accessible; and
• Manage infrastructure in a more sustainable way.

To ensure our partners consider opportunities to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions or better adapt to climate change during the project development stage, a new climate lens will be applied for certain projects. In Quebec, assessments related climate change considerations will be carried out in accordance with Quebec regulations.

Partners will also report on how larger projects are creating job opportunities for a broader array of Canadians in the construction industry and related sectors through a new Community Employment Benefits framework.

For information on cost-sharing, please see Infrastructure Canada's website.

Associated links

Investing in Canada - Canada's long-term infrastructure plan:
http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/about-invest-apropos-eng.html

Federal investments in infrastructure projects in Quebec:
http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/map-carte/index-eng.html

Twitter: @INFC_eng
Website: Infrastructure Canada

SOURCE Infrastructure Canada

Kate Monfette, Communications Director, Office of the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, Tel.: [phone], Email: [email protected]; Marie-Pier Richard, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Transport, Sustainable Mobility and Transport Electrification, Tel: [phone]; Infrastructure Canada, Tel.: [phone], Toll-free: 1-877-250-7154, Email: [email protected]

Related Links

http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/