OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - April 4, 2016) -

Minister of Infrastructure and Communities Amarjeet Sohi issued the following statement today regarding the Government of Canada's infrastructure plan announced in Budget 2016:

Experts around the world agree that public investments in areas such as infrastructure are crucial to drive economic growth and strengthen the middle class.

Investing in infrastructure is more than creating good jobs and economic growth. It's much more than concrete and water pipes, roads and bridges.

I believe that infrastructure is what connects Canadians to their communities and allows them to be active participants, socially and economically.

Infrastructure is about people: it means a safe place for women fleeing domestic violence, decent places to live for seniors, efficient public transit systems for people to get around, clean drinking water and much more.

It's about building communities that Canadians are proud to call home.

I am pleased that the federal government, as outlined in Budget 2016, will implement an historic infrastructure plan to invest more than $120 billion in infrastructure over 10 years, including $60 billion in new funding for public transit, green infrastructure, and social infrastructure, to better meet the needs of Canadians and better position Canada's economy for the future.

Our new infrastructure plan, Investing in Canada, provides immediate investments that will create jobs and support clean growth across the country.

Phase 1 of the Government of Canada's plan includes:

• $3.4 billion to upgrade and improve public transit systems across Canada.
• $5 billion for investments in green infrastructure projects across Canada.
• $3.4 billion for social infrastructure including affordable housing, early learning and child care, cultural and recreational infrastructure and community health care facilities on reserve.

Budget 2016 also announced that funding will be provided for the following priorities:

• $3.4 billion for rehabilitation of federal infrastructure across the country including investments in our buildings, harbours, cultural venues, transportation infrastructure and defence and law enforcement infrastructure.
• $2 billion for post-secondary education infrastructure to support strategic projects to improve research and innovation.
• $500 million to extend and enhance broadband infrastructure in rural and remote communities.

In addition to this new funding, the federal government will continue to support the infrastructure priorities of communities across Canada:

• Municipalities will continue to receive a share of approximately $3 billion each year in dedicated funding through the federal Gas Tax Fund and the incremental Goods and Services Tax Rebate for Municipalities.
• Spending from the existing $9 billion available to provinces and territories under the 2014 New Building Canada Fund will be accelerated, so that projects can begin quickly, and those jurisdictions can deliver much-needed economic activity in the communities that need it most.

Along with my colleagues, we have engaged many stakeholders across the country and we listened; we consulted with cities, provinces, stakeholders and Indigenous communities and crafted Phase 1 of our plan in response to their most urgent needs.

This first phase will lay the foundation for strategic infrastructure investments. The second phase of our infrastructure plan will build on this strong foundation. We have already begun consultations with provincial, territorial, municipal and Indigenous partners, as well as global institutional investors and other stakeholders and I look forward to announcing the details of our long-term plan in the next year.

Together we will create economic growth and jobs and build resilient and inclusive communities.

Together, our investments will form the foundation of a more inclusive society - one that delivers stronger growth and a better quality of life for the middle class and those working hard to join it.

For more information, please visit budget.gc.ca.

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