$126B of infrastructure in ‘poor or very poor condition’: First-ever NIA report finds – constructconnect.com

National Infrastructure Assessment Report on Housing-Enabling Infrastructure in Canada

Executive Summary

The Canadian Infrastructure Council has released Canada’s inaugural National Infrastructure Assessment (NIA), titled “Building Foundations for Tomorrow: Assessing Housing-Enabling Infrastructure Across Canada.” The report evaluates the state of public infrastructure critical to housing development, focusing on water and wastewater, solid waste management, and public transit. The findings indicate a significant infrastructure deficit, with over $126 billion in assets rated as being in “poor or very poor condition.” This assessment underscores the urgent need for a transformative approach to infrastructure planning, financing, and delivery to support the development of sustainable communities, directly aligning with the objectives of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).

State of Core Infrastructure and SDG Implications

The assessment reveals critical deficiencies in infrastructure sectors essential for community well-being and sustainable growth. These shortfalls present significant barriers to achieving several key SDGs.

• Water and Wastewater Systems: With 11 percent of assets in poor or very poor condition, the state of this infrastructure directly challenges the achievement of SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation). Inadequate systems compromise public health and hinder the expansion of housing.
• Public Transit and Active Transportation: Over 13 percent of public transit assets are in a similar state of disrepair. This deficiency undermines efforts to create inclusive, safe, and sustainable transportation systems as outlined in SDG 11, limiting access to services and economic opportunities.
• Solid Waste Management: The report’s focus on waste management infrastructure connects to SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), highlighting the need for systems that can support growing populations sustainably.

Key Findings of the National Assessment

The report identifies three primary findings that frame the challenges and opportunities for infrastructure development in Canada.

1. Infrastructure Must Be Tailored to Regional Realities: The assessment emphasizes that a one-size-fits-all approach is ineffective. Planning and investment must account for unique regional climate and population pressures to build resilient communities, a core tenet of SDG 11.
2. Significant Constraints on New Infrastructure Development: Progress is hampered by workforce shortages, supply chain disruptions, and regulatory burdens. Overcoming these barriers is essential for advancing SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure).
3. Opportunities to Optimize Existing Assets: The report identifies significant potential in improving asset management and utilizing technological and natural solutions. This approach promotes resource efficiency and sustainability, aligning with SDG 9 and SDG 12.

Recommendations for a Sustainable Future

Based on its findings, the Council proposes three strategic recommendations to guide future infrastructure policy and investment, ensuring alignment with long-term sustainability objectives.

• Maximize Existing Built and Natural Infrastructure: Prioritize the optimization and maintenance of current assets before constructing new ones. This strategy promotes cost-effectiveness and responsible resource management.
• Strengthen Co-ordination and Streamline Processes: Enhance collaboration among all levels of government and stakeholders, as envisioned by SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). This includes streamlining regulations and establishing a pan-Canadian project pipeline to foster innovation.
• Build for the Future with Resilience and Data: Adopt standardized data, transparent risk assessments, and climate-resilient designs. This forward-looking approach is critical for mitigating climate-related risks, as per SDG 13 (Climate Action), and avoiding costly future retrofits.

Industry Response and Endorsement

Industry bodies have endorsed the report’s findings. The Canadian Construction Association (CCA) reiterated that housing growth is contingent on foundational infrastructure improvements. The CCA called for a comprehensive workforce strategy, fair procurement policies, and resilient supply chains to support implementation. The Association of Consulting Engineering Companies-Canada (ACEC) welcomed the report as a crucial foundation for a data-driven, long-term infrastructure strategy, a goal it has long advocated for to ensure Canada’s growth and prosperity are built on a sustainable and resilient foundation.

1. SDGs Addressed in the Article

• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation – The article’s focus on the state of “water and wastewater” infrastructure directly connects to this goal, which aims to ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure – This is a central theme, as the entire article discusses the National Infrastructure Assessment (NIA) report. It highlights the need to build resilient, sustainable, and quality infrastructure to support housing and communities.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities – The article explicitly links infrastructure to community well-being, mentioning “public transit,” “solid waste management,” and the necessity of this infrastructure for building more homes and creating “healthy, livable communities.”
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production – The inclusion of “solid waste management” as a key infrastructure sector relates to this goal, which includes targets for substantially reducing waste generation.
• SDG 13: Climate Action – The report’s recommendation to build “with resilience and data at the forefront” and to adopt “climate-resilient designs” directly addresses the need to strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related challenges.

2. Specific Targets Identified

SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

• Target 6.1: By 2030, achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all. This target is implied by the assessment’s focus on the poor condition of “water and wastewater assets,” which are essential for providing safe drinking water.

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

• Target 9.1: Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure, including regional and transborder infrastructure, to support economic development and human well-being. The article is entirely focused on assessing and improving Canada’s infrastructure, with the NIA report’s purpose being to support “informed and strategic infrastructure planning and decision-making.”

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

• Target 11.1: By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services. The article frames the entire infrastructure issue around housing, stating, “we can’t build more homes without the essential infrastructure to support them.”
• Target 11.2: By 2030, provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all. This is directly addressed through the assessment’s examination of “public transit and active transportation” and the finding that over 13% of these assets are in poor condition.
• Target 11.6: By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management. The inclusion of “solid waste management” as a foundational system for community growth directly relates to this target.

SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

• Target 12.5: By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse. This is implied by the focus on “solid waste management” as a critical infrastructure sector that needs improvement to support growing communities.

SDG 13: Climate Action

• Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries. This is explicitly mentioned in the report’s recommendations to build for the future with “resilience” and adopt “climate-resilient designs to avoid costly future retrofits or repairs.”

3. Indicators Mentioned or Implied

Directly Mentioned Indicators

• Proportion/value of infrastructure in poor condition: The article provides precise data points that can be used as indicators. It states that “more than $126 billion of infrastructure is in ‘poor or very poor condition,'” specifying that “11 per cent of water and wastewater assets and more than 13 per cent of public transit assets” fall into this category. This directly measures the state of infrastructure relevant to SDG 9 and SDG 11.

Implied Indicators

• Investment in infrastructure: The article notes that “uncertain investment” is a significant constraint, implying that tracking the amount and stability of funding for infrastructure is a key indicator of progress.
• Proportion of population with access to safely managed water and sanitation: The concern over the poor state of “water and wastewater” infrastructure implies that the ultimate measure of success is the level of service provided to the population, which is a standard indicator for SDG 6.
• Proportion of population with convenient access to public transport: The focus on “public transit” and the poor condition of its assets implies that an important metric for improvement would be the percentage of the population that has reliable and accessible public transportation options, a key indicator for Target 11.2.
• Adoption of climate-resilient building standards: The recommendation to use “climate-resilient designs” suggests that an indicator for progress would be the rate at which these standards are adopted in new and existing infrastructure projects, relevant to SDG 13.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: canada.constructconnect.com