In 2017, Canada will mark the 150^th anniversary of Confederation. This milestone will provide an opportunity to celebrate Canada’s history, heritage, values and future. It is an historic opportunity for Canadians to connect with our past, celebrate our achievements and create a lasting legacy.

To this end, on May 15, 2015, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced $150 million for the new Canada 150 Community Infrastructure Program, which will provide significant support for community and cultural infrastructure across the country as a way to celebrate Canada’s sesquicentennial.

The program will provide support for the renovation, expansion and rehabilitation of existing infrastructure that provides community and cultural benefits for the public. Projects under the following categories may be eligible: community centres (including Royal Canadian Legions), cultural centres and museums, parks, recreational trails, libraries, recreational facilities, tourism facilities, docks, cenotaphs and other existing community infrastructure.

The program, which is anticipated to support up to 1,800 projects in communities of all sizes across the country, will be delivered nationally through regional agencies. Eligible recipients for funding include provinces, territories, municipalities, regional governments, Aboriginal organizations and not-for-profit organizations. Applicants can submit their application online through their respective regional development agency. Extensive consultations with Canadians helped inform the initiative.

Selected projects are expected to be completed by the end of the 2017 construction season to best support Canada 150 celebrations. The program is expected to boost economic activity through infrastructure investments, build community-based partnerships and modernize existing community facilities.

The Government’s Track Record on Infrastructure Support

The Canada 150 Community Infrastructure Program is one of several infrastructure-related initiatives that our Government has undertaken to generate well-being and prosperity across Canada. Other examples include:

• The $53 billion New Building Canada Plan launched in 2014 to provide stable funding for a 10-year period through three key funds:
  • The Community Improvement Fund: $32.2 billion over 10 years consisting of an indexed federal Gas Tax Fund and the incremental goods and services tax (GST) rebate for municipalities to build roads, public transit, recreational facilities and other community infrastructure across Canada.
  • The New Building Canada Fund: $14 billion over 10 years in support of major economic infrastructure projects of national, regional and local significance.
  • A renewed P3 Canada Fund: $1.25 billion over five years to continue supporting innovative ways to build infrastructure projects faster and provide better value for Canadian taxpayers through public-private partnerships.
• The $33 billion 2007 Building Canada Plan, the first long-term, stable and predictable federal plan to provide funding to provinces, territories and municipalities to support their respective public infrastructure priorities.
• Infrastructure stimulus measures, which have supported 30,000 projects across the country, as part of the 2009 Economic Action Plan.

The result is a dramatic increase in federal funding for infrastructure. Annual federal support has increased from $571 million in 2003-2004 to an estimated $5 billion in 2015-2016.