Infrastructure deficit Conversations Live with Stuart McNish

As Canada’s population grew by a record 1.1 million people in the last year the push to build housing gained new urgency. 
New housing requires expanded infrastructure capacity – not just municipal roads, sewer and water lines but also new electrical grid capacity all the way down to transformers on utility poles, gas lines, schools, and more transit. Existing infrastructure is already straining under increased demand. Water shortages are prompting more serious restrictions in summer, in some cases even total bans on agricultural irrigation. Regional parks are having to implement new policies managing parking and visitor numbers. BC Ferries is carrying a record number of passengers and regularly suggesting people walk on during busy weekends. Schools are adding even more portables to house classes – struggling to get them all insulated and up to standards in time for winter. For the first time, some BC hospitals are also adding portables to expand waiting room capacity. 
Major infrastructure and resource projects essential to the Canadian economy and vitally important to First Nations are bogged down. 
Billions of dollars of investment is needed across numerous sectors simply to catch up to the infrastructure needs of Canada today, never mind tomorrow. That work would require years – if contractors can be sourced. 
Join us 7 p.m. January 23 as we dig into the challenges and solutions of our infrastructure deficit. 

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