Summative Evaluation Report: ICP Final Report 2010-10-26 - Profile

2.0 Profile

In the 1999 Speech from the Throne, the Government of Canada recognized that an "infrastructure program for the construction, renewal, and expansion or material enhancement of infrastructure throughout Canada could help improve the quality of life of all Canadians and build the foundation for sustained long-term economic growth in the 21^st century ."¹

Consequently, the 2000 Budget provided $2.05 billion over six years for a program to improve urban and rural municipal infrastructure in Canada. The Infrastructure Canada Program was established in 2000 with an end date of March 31, 2006.

There were two direct beneficiaries of the Infrastructure Canada Program: urban and rural municipalities and the private sector involved in the design and construction of the projects. Over 96% of the total funding allocation ($1.976 billion) was earmarked for contributions to infrastructure projects. The remainder covered communications, administration and operating costs, as well as a $12.5 million contribution for development of the InfraGuide. As of January 31, 2010, virtually all the original ICP funding had been committed to 3,780 projects across Canada, totalling more than $1.94 billion. As of the same date, $1.87 billion have been spent in project funding. These figures include 97 projects and a federal contribution of $31,125,000 to First Nations, that have been addressed in a separate evaluation and that are therefore not addressed in this evaluation. The program was extended to March 31, 2009 to provide more time to complete approved projects. A subsequent extension to March 31, 2011 was approved in 2007.²

The stated objectives of the program are improving Canadians' quality of life through investments that:

1. enhance the quality of our environment;
2. support long-term economic growth; and
3. enhance community infrastructure.
4. build 21^st century infrastructure through best technologies, new approaches and best practices.

Consistent with the federal sustainable development objective, a minimum of fifty (50) percent of federal expenditures for the overall program was devoted to green municipal infrastructure projects as a first priority.

The program has been designed to draw from the expertise of all three levels of government to develop "cohesive and coordinated approaches to directly address municipal and rural community needs."

The ICP began in the Infrastructure – National Office initially housed within the Treasury Board Secretariat in 2000. The National Office became the new department of Infrastructure Canada, established in 2002 to provide a focal point for the Government of Canada on infrastructure issues and programs. Since 2006, it has been part of a larger Transport, Infrastructure and Communities (TIC) portfolio.

From the early design stages of the program, the Federal Delivery Partners (FDPs) have been identified as implementing agencies because of their expertise and knowledge of regional operations, and cities and municipal activities overall. The Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) administered the program in the Atlantic provinces, Canada Economic Development for the Regions of Quebec (CED-Q) oversaw the program in Quebec, Industry Canada (IC) and the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario since 2009 administered the ICP in Ontario, Western Economic Diversification (WD) administered the program for the Western Canadian provinces, and Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) managed the ICP in the three territories and for the First Nations component of the ICP.

A Management Committee (MC) was established in each province and territory to oversee the ICP with representatives from the federal government and the provincial government (and, occasionally, local government representatives). Program beneficiaries accessed the program via an application process. MCs reviewed and recommended projects for approval by the appropriate Minister or the Expanded Treasury Board based on selection criteria established at the outset of the program. The Governance and Accountability Framework identifies the delegation of authority for project approval and amendments.

A detailed profile of the program and its governance and accountability is provided as Annex A to this report.

^[1] Federal-provincial/territorial Agreements for the Infrastructure Canada Program.

^[2] Infrastructure Canada, Departmental Performance Report 2007-2008