Canada’s cities and smaller communities are facing a looming crisis in deferred maintenance and construction of critical infrastructure, both physical and social. Indeed, eight years into the Federal government’s Investing in Canada Plan, Canada's infrastructure deficit is estimated at a minimum of $150B, and up to a trillion dollars.

The lack of this critical urban infrastructure – from roads and water systems to transit, parks, and public housing – weakens Canada’s global competitiveness. And it doesn’t just undermine the potential for place-based prosperity, but also weakens civic infrastructure. Faltering community support systems have led to a mental health and drug addiction crisis and a decline in civic engagement, undermining the culture of collective care and connection that used to define Canada. Addressing the infrastructure deficit is key to bolstering democracy, and will require multi-solving, cross-sectoral investments from both provincial and federal governments.

The chapters in this report, commissioned from experts and researchers across Canada, tackle these issues and explore ways forward.