Funded Research

Policy

Social Benefits/Impacts

• Development of a Framework for the Assessment of the State, Performance and Management of Canada's Core Public Infrastructure
• Infrastructure in York region: a GIS Analysis of Human Services
• Centre of Expertise on Culture and Communities at Harbour Centre Campus – SFU
• Examining the Social Elements of Public Infrastructure Impacts on Competitiveness and Implications for Governance

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Development of a Framework for the Assessment of the State, Performance and Management of Canada's Core Public Infrastructure

Knowledge-building, Outreach and Awareness (KOA)

Proponents: Collaborative project of National Research Council and Engineers Canada

Description:

INFC Contribution: $800,000

One of the objectives of this project is to review scientific and engineering methods to assess the state, performance and management of Canada's core public infrastructure and obtain consensus on key indicators for core infrastructure assessment. The infrastructure categories to be studied are water, wastewater, roads, bridges and transit. The second objective of the project is to develop a longer-term plan to test and implement the recommended approach on how to define, measure and report on the state of infrastructure in Canada. This research project by the National Research Council and Engineers Canada will be directed and reviewed by the National Round Table on Sustainable Infrastructure representing all key infrastructure stakeholders including asset owners and technical experts.

Status: This project began in January 2008 and is scheduled to be completed in November 2008.

Infrastructure in York region: a GIS Analysis of Human Services

Peer Reviewed Research Studies (PRRS) Round 1

Proponent: Dr. Lucia Lo, Department of Geography, York University

Description:

INFC Contribution: $241,458

Website: YISP Survey

This project is studying the availability of public infrastructure for three vulnerable populations: immigrants and refugees; seniors; and the poor. While these three populations often overlap, they have distinct infrastructure needs and are well represented in the York Region. The regional municipality is a growing and diversifying suburban community that is also experiencing rapid intensification of land uses, substantial investments in transit, and enhanced urban and social planning efforts. The focus of the research is human services, those services and programs that support a safe, healthy community and maintain and promote its quality of life and will take advantage of a unique planning and policy forum in York Region, the Human Services Planning Coalition, that brings together representatives from across the public sector that provide a broad range of public infrastructure.

Status: This project began in April 2006 and was completed in July 2009.

Contact: For more information, please contact Omar Mimouni from the Economic Analysis and Research Division, Infrastructure Canada (Telephone: 613-948-9156, Email: Omar.Mimouni@infc.gc.ca).

Centre of Expertise on Culture and Communities at Harbour Centre Campus – SFU

Knowledge-building, Outreach and Awareness (KOA) Round 1

Proponent: Simon Fraser University

Partners: Canadian Heritage

Description:

INFC Contribution: $500,000

Website: Centre of Expertise on Culture and Communities

Culture is one of the four pillars of Canada's sustainable development agenda (the others are environment, economic and social). This project will enhance the Creative City Network's capacity to create, coordinate and provide information on the competitive and quality of life benefits culture provides to Canada's communities. By creating a body of knowledge, activities and products to help measure the economic and social benefits of cultural development, this project aims to better inform both policy development and operational decision making with respect to infrastructure investment in the immediate and longer terms.

Status: This project began in September 2005 and was completed in August 2008.

Contact: For more information, please contact Amélie Tessier from the Economic Analysis and Research Division, Infrastructure Canada (Telephone: 613-941-7918, Email: Amelie.Tessier@infc.gc.ca).

Examining the Social Elements of Public Infrastructure Impacts on Competitiveness and Implications for Governance

Knowledge-building, Outreach and Awareness (KOA) Round 1

Proponent: City of Ottawa, Housing Branch

Partners: Canada Policy Research Networks

Description:

INFC Contribution: $487,189

Website: Social Infrastructure Project

This project is being led by the City of Ottawa and includes eight other Canadian cities as well as the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. Its goal is to look at how “infrastructure” is defined, and in particular to examine how investment in social infrastructure, such as housing, influences the vitality and competitiveness of a cross-section of Canadian cities. The project aims to support improved infrastructure investment decision making by identifying and testing key indicators that can be used to measure the impacts of social infrastructure investments.

Status: This project began in September 2005 and is scheduled was completed in June 2009.

Contact: For more information, please contact Frederick Juane from the Economic Analysis and Research Division, Infrastructure Canada (Telephone: 613-960-1637, Email: Frederick.Juane@infc.gc.ca).