Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada

Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada
Department overview
Formed2002
Employees701 (2020–2021)
Annual budgetCA$5.5 billion (2020–2021)
Minister responsible
Parent organizationGovernment of Canada
Websiteinfrastructure.gc.ca
Footnotes
[1]

Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada (HICC) (French: Logement, Infrastructures et Collectivités Canada) (formerly Infrastructure Canada or INFC)[NB 1] is a department of the Government of Canada responsible for the federal public infrastructure policy. Construction and development of infrastructure is primarily the responsibility of provincial/territorial and municipal governments, as such, much of the department's work involves co-financing projects with other levels of government.

The department is responsible to Parliament through the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities.

History

The Office of Infrastructure of Canada (Infrastructure Canada) was created as a federal department in 2002 via an Order in Council issued pursuant to the Financial Administration Act.[2] The department was mandated to enter into funding agreements with Canada's provinces, territories and municipalities for the purpose of supporting strategic infrastructure projects across Canada.[2]

There are two programs managed by the department that have their own federal legislation: the Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund, and the Canada Community-Building Fund (formerly the Gas Tax Fund).[3]

On June 20, 2024, with the passing of Bill C-59, Infrastructure Canada was renamed Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada.[4]

Programs

Infrastructure Canada is the lead federal department responsible for infrastructure policy development and program delivery. The department makes investments for both local and regional infrastructure needs. In the first year after its creation, the department invested mostly in water and wastewater plants, highways, culture, recreation, and broadband projects.[5]

During the Great Recession, the department was tasked with implementing the Harper government's economic stimulus package.[5]

In January 2016 the Trudeau government announced a two-year, $10 billion plan to repair infrastructure across the country.[6]

Branches and sub-agencies

The Department is made up of five branches:[7]

  • The Policy and Results Branch
  • The Program Operations Branch
  • The Corporate Services Branch
  • The Audit and Evaluation Branch
  • The Communications Branch

Some of the sub-agencies of the Department include:

References

  1. ^ "GC InfoBase". www.tbs-sct.gc.ca. Retrieved 2022-02-04.
  2. ^ a b Canada, Government of Canada, Infrastructure. "Infrastructure Canada - Info Source 2014 (in English)". www.infrastructure.gc.ca. Retrieved 2016-02-25.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. ^ Canada, Government of Canada, Infrastructure. "The Canada Community-Building Fund". www.infrastructure.gc.ca. Retrieved 2023-11-23.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ "Infrastructure Canada". Government of Canada. Archived from the original on June 23, 2024. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  5. ^ a b Graham, Katherine A. H.; Andrew, Caroline (2014-01-01). Canada in Cities: The Politics and Policy of Federal-Local Governance. McGill-Queen's University Press. ISBN 9780773544031.
  6. ^ "City infrastructure projects must be 'shovel-worthy' of federal cash, minister says". CBC News. Retrieved 2016-02-25.
  7. ^ "Infrastructure Canada - Organizational Structure". infrastructure.gc.ca. 18 June 2020.

Notes

  1. ^ Infrastructure Canada is the applied title under the Federal Identity Program; the legal title is Office of Infrastructure of Canada (French: Bureau de l'infrastructure du Canada).