The Canadian government has topped up a fund that helps local governments and community-based organizations invest in public facilities and earmarked a long-term budget for the upkeep of some key assets of its own. The newly released 2024 federal budget commits $500 million over the five years to underwrite more projects through the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings program and $6.7 billion over 20 years for “predictable capital funding” for Public Services and Procurement Canada.
The Green and Inclusive Community Buildings program was launched in 2021 with the promise of $1.5 billion over five years to fund capital upgrades, major retrofits or new construction of buildings that provide non-commercial services for the public. Provincial/territorial and municipal governments and their associated agencies, not-for-profit corporations and Indigenous organizations were eligible for grants for three categories — small, medium and large — of projects. These were expected to meet sustainability conditions and be completed no later than March 31, 2026.
The new injection of funding will begin to flow in smaller amounts for 2024-25 and 2025-26, followed by a $125-million installment in 2026-27 and $150 million in each of 2027-28 and 2028-29. “Community facilities, like libraries, cultural and community centres and recreation facilities are essential spaces for social interaction where Canadians can come together as neighbours,” the budget document states.
Looking to the federal government’s own portfolio, the budget projects $368 million in spending over the next five fiscal years, representing a small portion of the envisioned 20-year capital plan. The budget document includes a list of presumed priorities, albeit with no schedule for when they will be addressed, which includes buildings and other kinds of assets.
“Predictable capital funding for Public Services and Procurement Canada to manage these assets provides long-term value and better enables the government to serve Canadians,” it states. “This includes support for Laboratories Canada facility upgrades, the rehabilitation of the Alaska Highway, continuing restorations within the Parliamentary Precinct, modernizing the Receiver General information technology systems that make over 300 million payments to Canadians each year, and advancing the necessary rehabilitation of the Supreme Court of Canada building.”
As well, the budget tags $19 million per year from 2025-26 to 2028-29 for assessment and rehabilitation of contaminated sites within the federal portfolio. Funding would be allocated to multiple departments.
