Standing Committee on Public Accounts

Comité permanent des comptes publics

For immediate release

Ottawa, June 17, 2021 -

There were deficiencies in how the federal government managed the Investing in Canada Plan, according to a report of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Accounts (the Committee) presented today by Kelly Block, Chair of the Committee.

The Investing in Canada Plan (ICP or the plan) is a multi-departmental collection of new and existing programs that commits $188 billion in public funds toward addressing long-term economic, environmental, and social challenges for Canadians. On 29 January 2020, the House of Commons passed a motion requesting that the Auditor General of Canada audit the ICP.

In March 2021, the Auditor General released a performance audit that focused on whether Infrastructure Canada and key federal organizations could demonstrate that the plan was meeting its objectives and whether they were providing complete, reliable, and timely reporting on the plan to Canadians. Specifically, it examined Infrastructure Canada, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, and Indigenous Services Canada, which together accounted for around 83% of the plan’s $188-billion commitment.

The audit found that Infrastructure Canada—as the lead department for the Plan—provided only a partial picture of progress toward the ICP’s objectives and expected results. Also, it was not reporting on legacy programs (equal to half the ICP’s funding) against expected results. Additionally,

• funds were not being spent as quickly as planned, and each year federal partner organizations moved planned spending to later years; and
• key federal organizations could not demonstrate that the ICP was on track to meet its expected results and objectives.

As part of its report on this audit, the Committee has made two recommendations to help ensure that the Government of Canada better manages the Investing in Canada Plan.