Lead Department: Infrastructure Canada
Start Date of the Horizontal Initiative: 2003
End Date of the Horizontal Initiative:
2013
Total Federal Funding Allocation: $4.0 billion
Description
The Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund (CSIF), which received funding in
the 2001 and 2003 federal budgets, is a $4 billion fund. It is a cost-shared
contribution program for strategic infrastructure projects. It is expected that
the $4 billion fund will provide federal support to approximately 40 projects.
Investments are directed to projects of major national and regional
significance, and are to be made in areas that are vital to sustaining economic
growth and supporting an enhanced quality of life for Canadians. CSIF is
delivered through negotiated agreements with provincial, territorial or local
governments, or private partners. Contribution agreements are tailored based on
the project requirements.
The CSIF Act outlines the prime categories of investments in projects that
involve fixed capital assets that are used or operated for the benefit of the
public: The categories eligible under the CSIF are:
- Highway and Rail Infrastructure;
- Local Transportation Infrastructure;
- Tourism or Urban Development Infrastructure;
- Water or Sewage Infrastructure; and
- Other categories approved by regulation, e.g. Advanced
Telecommunications and High Speed Broadband.
More information on CSIF can be found at:
http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/csif/index_e.shtml
Shared Outcome(s)
The overall planned results INFC expects to achieve through CSIF are to
invest in projects which:
- facilitate the movement of goods and people on Canada's National
Highway System (NHS) for the purposes of increasing the productivity,
economic efficiency, and safety of Canada's surface transportation
system;
- facilitate the safe and efficient movement of goods and people, ease
congestion, or reduce greenhouse gases and airborne pollutants;
- ensure that tourism continues to contribute to the economic well-being
of Canadians and to serve as a bridge between Canada and the world;
- ensure that drinking water is safe, clean, and reliable at drinking
water facilities, and ensure sustainable treatment of wastewater; and
- expand broadband networks in Canada.
Governance Structures
All CSIF projects are selected under the authority of the Minister of State
(Infrastructure and Communities). Prior to selecting projects, the Minister
consults other Ministers who have an interest in the region or in the
substantive project area. After project selection Treasury Board (TB) approval
is sought for each contribution. At the same time, incremental operating funds
required for project oversight and management by the implementing agencies are
identified and sought in the TB submission.
- Infrastructure Canada: As the coordinating and funding agent for the
contribution, INFC is responsible for project review, selection, approval,
public announcements, environmental assessment in some cases, and program
evaluation. INFC leads the negotiation of contribution agreements with each
of the funding recipients and develops, in coordination with the
implementing department/agency, the submission to TB for the approval of
funds. To monitor activities and milestones throughout the project life
cycle, an INFC representative will sit on the project's Agreement Steering
Committee (ASC) usually as the federal co-chair, except for transportation
projects where Transport Canada is the lead.
- An implementing department/agency: INFC's relationship with each
implementing department or agency varies with their capacity and the
complexity of the project. Responsibilities are also negotiated specifically
for each project. The implementing department/agency may provide technical
assistance in the analysis of the business case, determining the costs and
benefits to be realized, and providing advice on the development of the
contribution agreement and TB submission. The implementing department/agency
will support implementation of the CSIF projects in a manner that upholds
federal due diligence in such areas as: overseeing the implementation of
mitigation measures identified in the environmental assessment, assessing
the eligibility and reasonability of project costs, providing information
pertaining to cash flow and budget, approving claims, making payments, and
conducting audits and evaluation of the projects. The implementing
department/agency would normally be represented on the project's ASC. The
implementing department/agency will also ensure adherence to information
management requirements, including the use of the Shared Information
Management System for Infrastructure (SIMSI), which captures, monitors and
reports on project information. The implementing department/agency also
provides communication support.
- The funding recipient: The recipient may be provincial, territorial, or
local government, a private partner, a non-government organization or a
combination thereof. Once the project has been selected, the funding
recipient enters into negotiations with INFC to develop a contribution
agreement. The funding recipient is responsible for ensuring that the
project is completed as per the terms and conditions of the contribution
agreement.
Partners
The CSIF is delivered in partnerships with the three federal regional
economic agencies - Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), Canada
Economic Development - Quebec (CED-Q), and Western Economic Diversification
(WED). In addition, Infrastructure Canada works with Industry Canada for Ontario
and broadband projects, Indian and Northern Affairs (INAC) for northern and
First Nations projects, Transport Canada for all transportation-related projects,
and CMHC for housing.
Roles and responsibilities of partners are outlined in Memoranda of
Understanding between Infrastructure Canada (INFC) and the implementing agencies
or departments.
Contact
Tony Varriano, Director General - Issues Management
Tel (613) 948-3996
e-mail: varriano.tony@infrastructure.gc.ca
André Cardinal , Manager - Corporate Planning Audit and Evaluation and
Reporting
Tel (613) 952-1692 948-9412
e-mail: cardinal.andre@infrastructure.gc.ca
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