On August 5th, Canada's Minister of Infrastructure and Communities announced adjustments to the ICIP to introduce a COVID-10 Resilience stream so that provinces and territories can use federal funding to act quickly on a wider range of more pandemic-resilient infrastructure projects.

This time-limited funding stream includes up to $3.3 billion for eligible projects with a larger federal cost share for provincies, municipalities and not for profit organizations in provinces and raising it to 100 per cent for territorial and Indigenous projects designated under the new stream.

Eligibility:

• Project’s eligible costs must be under $10 million;
• Construction must be started no later than September 30, 2021, and
• Project must be completed by the end of 2021 (or by the end of 2022 in remote communities).

Other Features:

• New COVID-19 Resilience stream, Infrastructure Canada will provide accelerated approvals
• Application process will also focus on the essential elements required for Infrastructure Canada’s review and approval like asset class, location, description, dates, and financial information.

ICIP project eligibility will also be expanded under Public Transit, Green, and Rural and Northern Streams:

• Public Transit stream: now allows standalone pathways and active transportation projects; as well as public sector inter-community commuter transit services; and public sector commuter ferry infrastructure that are not part of an existing transit system.
• Green Infrastructure stream: also allows standalone pathways and active transportation projects.
• Rural and Northern Infrastructure stream: mobile and cellular projects under the broadband category.

Details on intake processes have not yet been announced.