The Association of Consulting Engineering Companies of Canada (ACEC) says it is urging Parliament to finalize the passage of the government’s budget bill, as passed by the House of Commons, to establish Canada’s Infrastructure Bank.
“Every day we delay implementation of the Infrastructure Bank represents a missed opportunity for Canadians,” ACEC president John Gamble said in a statement. “Infrastructure connects people and communities; it enables trade and commerce; it improves our quality of life; and it protects the environment. Tools like the Canada Infrastructure Bank can help us address deficiencies in our infrastructure.”
“We understand that there will always be debate over the details of how the Infrastructure Bank will operate, and that debate is healthy and will continue after its establishment. But we need the legislation that’s currently before Parliament to enable the establishment of the Bank to pass this month before Parliament breaks for the summer recess.”
ACEC Canada supports a mandate that will enable more private investment to help address the infrastructure gaps that currently exist across the country.
“Infrastructure will always be a core role of government, but if we can combine public resources with private ones in an appropriate and transparent manner for projects that lend themselves to this kind of financing, then Canadians and the Canadian economy will be better off for it. But before any of this happens, the legislation creating the Bank has to pass Parliament, which we hope will happen in the coming weeks,” Gamble said.
