Report: Canada’s municipal infrastructure at risk of rapid deterioration

Informing the Future: The 2016 Canadian Infrastructure Report Card

One third of Canada’s municipal infrastructure is at risk of rapid deterioration: that is the key finding of the 2016 Canadian Infrastructure Report Card (CIRC). The report assessed the state of municipal roads and bridges, public transit, buildings, sport and recreation facilities, stormwater, wastewater and potable water infrastructure. The results indicate that much of Canada’s municipal infrastructure is at a critical juncture.

Investments in repair and upkeep are needed in the short term to prevent a rapid decline in the condition of municipal assets, according to survey findings. Furthermore, the report uncovered that reinvestment rates in Canada’s municipal infrastructure are not meeting target rates, despite continued efforts on the part of municipal governments. If this trend continues, the overall cost for infrastructure repair will increase substantially from where they stand today.

“What this survey shows is that we need to repair our existing infrastructure. Our infrastructure is aging and we need to accelerate the rate of renewal. As any homeowner knows, repair costs skyrocket once you let things go past a certain point. We don’t want to get to that point,” stated Kealy Dedman, President, Canadian Public Works Association.

To Learn More:

To download a copy, click on Informing the Future: The 2016 Canadian Infrastructure Report Card