Public Infrastructure in Canada: Where Do We Stand?

Abstract

Roads, railways, bridges, water systems, power plants, telecommunication facilities, ports and airports are components of the infrastructure that are vital to the economic activity. Recently, the notion of infrastructure has become an important item of the Canadian public policy debate. This study sheds some light on four main questions: a) How large is public infrastructure in Canada b) What are the main components of that infrastructure? c) How has that infrastructure evolved over the last forty years in Canada? and d) To what extent has public infrastructure contributed to the growth of Canada's standard of living and the performance of Canadian businesses?

Keywords: bridges, economic performance, electric power plants, highways, public infrastructure, railways, telecommunications equipment, water utilities

JEL Classification: H54