BUILDING TOGETHER - A PROGRESS UPDATE 2012-13
THE FIRST YEAR OF BUILDING TOGETHER
In June 2011 Ontario released Building Together, its long-term infrastructure plan. A strategic framework to guide investments, this plan sets out the government’s commitment to making investments in public infrastructure which:
- support economic growth and competitiveness;
- align public services with demographic changes; and
- ensure good stewardship of public assets.
In 2011-12, the first year of Building Together, Ontario invested $12.9 billion* in infrastructure, creating or preserving more than 100,000 jobs.
Since 2003, Ontario has invested more than $75 billion in public infrastructure. This comes after decades of underinvestment and includes long-overdue improvements to Ontario’s schools, hospitals, highways and transit systems.
INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE PATH TO BALANCE
Ontario’s strong track record of leadership on infrastructure will continue. However, Ontario will have to work within the framework of the global economic situation, and its commitment to balance the budget and transform public services.
The 2012 Ontario Budget announced capital savings to ensure that infrastructure investments are responsible and focused on the most critical areas. However, over the next three years Ontario still has a robust capital plan to invest more than $35 billion, including planned spending of $12.9 billion in 2012-13.
Ontario is taking a smart approach to infrastructure investment. This includes expanding the use of Alternative Financing and Procurement (AFP) and ensuring better management of assets. This will help the Province and its infrastructure partners stretch capital dollars further, and focus investments on needs, rather than wants.
* Interim estimate from 2012 Ontario Budget.
SMART APPROACHES TO INVESTMENT
A proven, made-in-Ontario success story, the AFP model is an effective way of delivering large public infrastructure projects. AFPs make the best use of private sector resources and expertise to provide on-time, on-budget project delivery and have already helped save Ontario taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars. That’s why in Building Together Ontario committed to expand the use of AFP.
More than 15 AFP projects are in the procurement, pre-tender or planning stage, including:
- The Cambridge Memorial Hospital redevelopment.
- The Hawkesbury and District General Hospital redevelopment.
- The ErinoakKids Centre redevelopment.
- The Humber College Learning Resource Commons project.
The AFP approach is also being used to help the Province’s partners deliver a number of other large and complex infrastructure projects, such as sports facilities for the Pan/Parapan American Games and municipal transit projects.
WORKING WITH MUNICIPALITIES
The Province is rolling out a Municipal Infrastructure Strategy to help meet the challenges of municipalities’ current and emerging infrastructure needs. As a first step, Ontario is helping municipalities improve their asset management practices by:
- releasing a guide for municipal asset management plans;
- launching a web portal to bring together asset management resources; and
- making funding available to approximately 350 communities.
Asset management will be the foundation for addressing municipal infrastructure challenges together.
WORKING WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
The federal government is an important partner in addressing the Province’s infrastructure needs. Ontario is pleased the federal government is engaging its infrastructure partners to develop a new federal long-term infrastructure plan.
Ontario looks forward to working with the federal government to develop a long-term infrastructure plan that supports economic growth, competitiveness and productivity, and does so in a way that maximizes investments by provincial and federal governments.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Transit Accomplishments
Under Building Together, Ontario’s investments in municipal and regional transit will help ease congestion and support economic growth. Projects under construction or in advanced planning stages include:
- The Air Rail Link from Union Station to Pearson Airport in Toronto.
- The Toronto-York Spadina subway extension.
- The new light rail transit system in Ottawa.
- The vivaNext bus rapid transit lines in York Region.
- The new rapid transit corridor in Waterloo Region.
Highways Accomplishments
Ontario is investing in the provincial highway system to keep people and goods moving efficiently and to strengthen the economy. Projects include:
- Ongoing construction of the Windsor-Essex Parkway.
- Phase One of the Highway 407 East extension project from Brock Road in Pickering to Harmony Road in Oshawa.
- Widening parts of Highway 417 in Ottawa from four to eight lanes, including High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes.
- Completing the four-laning of Highway 11 between North Bay and Huntsville.
Education and Postsecondary Accomplishments
As part of Building Together, more than $1 billion in new capital funding for schools was announced, including $600 million for more than 70 projects that are currently underway to build, replace or expand schools across Ontario. In addition:
- In September 2012, full-day kindergarten will be offered at approximately 1,700 schools - up from 800 the previous year.
- Ontario is continuing to assess the condition of school facilities across the province and provide school boards with tools to improve their asset management.
Ontario has also committed over $600 million towards 23 capacity expansion projects at colleges and universities. Examples of projects underway include:
- The new Kawartha Trades and Technology Centre at Fleming College in Peterborough.
- The new Global Innovation Exchange at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo.
Health and Long-Term Care Accomplishments
Ontario is making investments to support the needs of growing municipalities, improve access to health care services and renew aging infrastructure. Examples include:
- 24 major hospital projects under construction and more than 30 in various stages of planning.
- Humber River Regional Hospital and Halton Healthcare Services’ new Oakville hospital, which are just two of the eight new hospitals under construction.
- A commitment to renew 35,000 long term care beds.
- 12 Community Health Centre projects in planning or under construction.
- Renewal projects at four Aboriginal Health Access Centres.
Other Accomplishments
- Construction underway on four new courthouses, two new correctional facilities and eight Ontario Provincial Police facilities.
- Announcement of the Realty Transformation Strategy to shrink the real estate footprint of the Ontario Public Service. This will save money and help eliminate the deficit while protecting the gains made in health care and education.
- Continued investments in key public safety infrastructure, including improvements to six forest fire management facilities across northern Ontario and the refurbishment of four dams.
- Announcement of a combined federal-provincial investment of $481 million to build and repair approximately 7,000 affordable housing units in Ontario through the Investment in Affordable Housing program.