A recent Enabling Better Infrastructure Live session explored how Canada gathers data to inform infrastructure decisions across its government.
The way Canada collects and uses data about infrastructure has evolved over the last decade.
In Canada, 97% of public infrastructure is owned by the provinces and municipal governments.
As a result, much of the data on infrastructure has been gathered and used at a sub-national level (ie. local authorities).
This has made it challenging to grasp the national picture.
At a recent Enabling Better Infrastructure (EBI) Live event, attendees heard from Sean Keenan from Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada, a government department.
Sean, director general of economic analysis and results, spoke about how data collection has changed, and how this helps Canada deliver much-needed infrastructure.
EBI principle 8
Data is one of the essential parts of developing a robust infrastructure strategy.
Without using data to understand infrastructure needs, it can be challenging to identify priority areas for strategic infrastructure planning.
Setting up robust platforms for data is essential for a successful planning process.
Data also supports monitoring and evaluation efforts to regularly check infrastructure needs and the condition of infrastructure.
Funding data collection
In 2012 and again in 2016, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities first used infrastructure report cards to get a snapshot of infrastructure in the county.
While the report cards did provide some clarity on where infrastructure was located, only 100 out of the 5,000 municipalities participated.
In 2015, Canada’s new federal government prioritised infrastructure investment, setting aside funding for national infrastructure data.
The funded initiative enabled the government to fill data gaps about infrastructure and to gather information on the progress of federal investments.
Gathering national data
Canada’s government collaborated with Statistics Canada, a national agency, to gather data at the country level.
This included the development of a survey, which was launched in 2017-2018.
The collaboration supported:
- Introducing a universal definition of ‘infrastructure’.
- Identifying how investments contribute to the economy.
- Strengthening information on new infrastructure assets.
- Conducting a national assessment of the condition of infrastructure.
The survey response rate includes over 90% of municipalities.
Due to its success, the survey has been conducted four times.
The survey has been improved each time, as the government better understands and incorporates the evolving needs of people and changing infrastructure challenges.
In 2024, new data will offer insights aboutthe capacity of existing infrastructure, helping to shape future investment.
Improving data accessibility
Ensuring data is accessible to all stakeholders is a key goal of the Canadian government.
This is because it’s funded with taxpayers’ money and concerns public infrastructure.
Making it available to government officials, local authorities, media, and the public makes certain it can be used during times of crisis.
An example of this is a recent disruption in the water supply in Calgary, where media was able to use available data to share information with the public.
Canada has a decentralised government structure, with smaller local authorities looking after their area’s specific needs.
As such, data accessibility is important because it enables all stakeholders to compare data across smaller municipalities and the federal government.
To ensure data continues to remain relevant and accessible, the Canadian government is running an event with data users to discuss how tools and methods are being used. It will also look at the opportunities and limits of the existing data.
Streamlining data gathering
The Canadian government is also taking steps to gather data more efficiently.
As well as using existing data more innovatively, the government uses collaboration across stakeholders, including different levels of government, to make the use of data more systematic.
An example of this is Ontario’s Financial Accountability Office, which set up an understanding between infrastructure asset owners to share information on operation and maintenance needs.
This helps to manage the impact of climate change on infrastructure.
Due to its success, this way of working has drawn interest from other governments, such as Quebec, to address their climate-related infrastructure challenges.
Looking forward, advanced technologies such as digitalisation (i.e. digital twins) present options for understanding Canada’s changing infrastructure needs, especially in the face of climate change.
Lessons for other governments
- Budgeting for data gathering is essential to prioritise its collection and use.
- Engaging with all stakeholders helps make data accessible to all and identify changing needs.
- Collaboration is an essential part of data gathering, where it helps to fill gaps between levels of government.
- Data platforms that support accessibility across stakeholders are important in countries with decentralised governance structures.
- Continuous improvements to data collection ensure that insights stay accurate, relevant and responsive to evolving needs.
Find out more about the EBI programme and its eight guiding principles.
