Canada's Core Public Infrastructure Survey: Roads, bridges and tunnels, 2018

Canada's Core Public Infrastructure Survey 2018 was conducted in partnership with Infrastructure Canada.

Data are based on responses from approximately 2,520 government organizations selected from Statistics Canada's Business Register, the central repository of information on public and private organizations operating in Canada. The Business Register is used as the main frame for most of Statistics Canada's economic statistical programs. The following organizations are included in the survey:

• provincial and territorial departments and ministries
• regional governments
• urban municipalities
• rural municipalities
• select Crown corporations.

The survey results cover nine asset types (roads; bridges and tunnels; culture, recreation and sports facilities; potable water; public transit; public social and affordable housing; solid waste; storm water; wastewater) and information on asset management practices.

Throughout this release, the term publicly owned refers to an asset that is owned or leased by provincial, territorial, regional or municipal orders of government.

Road lengths have been reported in terms of two-lane equivalent kilometres, where one kilometre of a four-lane highway is counted as two kilometres.

Respondents were provided the following definitions for road and bridge assets:

Highways are roads that move high volumes of traffic and have controlled entrances and exits. They have a dividing strip between traffic travelling in opposite directions, and typically they have two or more lanes in each direction. Highways do not provide access to property, and generally do not accommodate cyclists or pedestrians.

Rural highways move varied traffic volumes depending on location, are medium to high speed, and usually have one, but sometimes two, lanes in each direction. These highways usually have no dividing strip and allow for direct access from adjacent developments.

Arterial roads move moderate to high traffic volumes over moderate distances between principal areas of traffic generation. They gather traffic from collector roads and local roads, and move it to the highway system. Arterial roads are generally designed for medium speed, have capacity for two to six lanes, and may be divided—with limited or controlled direct access from adjacent developments—and with on-street parking discouraged.

Collector roads move low to moderate traffic volumes within specific areas of a municipality, and collect local traffic for distribution to the arterial or highway system. Collector roads are generally designed for medium speed, have capacity for two to four lanes, are usually undivided—with direct access from adjacent development permitted, but usually controlled—and have controlled on-street parking usually permitted.

Local roads provide for low volumes of traffic and access to private properties. Local roads are designed for low speeds and have capacity for two undivided lanes of traffic. Through traffic is discouraged, and parking is usually permitted, though often controlled.

Respondents were provided the following condition rating scale when asked to rate the overall physical condition of their assets:

Very poor: Immediate need to replace most or all of the asset. There are health and safety hazards that present a possible risk to public safety, or the asset cannot be serviced or operated without risk to personnel. Major work or replacement is required urgently. The operating asset has less than 10% of its expected service life remaining.

Poor: Failure likely and substantial work required in the short term. Asset barely serviceable. No immediate risk to health or safety. The operating asset has less than 40% of its expected service life remaining.

Fair: Significant deterioration is evident; minor components or isolated sections of the asset need replacement or repair now, but the asset is still serviceable and functions safely at an adequate level of service. The operating asset has at least 40% of its expected service life remaining.

Good: Acceptable physical condition; minimal short-term failure risk, but potential for deterioration in the long term. Only minor work required. The operating asset has at least 80% of its expected service life remaining.

Very good: Sound physical condition. The asset is likely to perform adequately. The operating asset has at least 95% of its expected service life remaining.

An asset management plan defines how a group of assets is to be managed over time. The asset management plan describes the characteristics and condition of infrastructure assets, the levels of service expected from the assets, planned actions to ensure the assets are providing the expected level of service, and financing strategies to implement the planned actions.

Between 2016 and 2018, the questionnaire for Canada's Core Public Infrastructure Survey underwent several major changes:

• The questionnaire was collected through an electronic platform instead of a paper questionnaire.
• Questions were streamlined to reduce response burden.
• The survey included a census of all municipalities with at least 1,000 inhabitants, and a sample of municipalities with between 500 and 1,000 inhabitants.
• For Quebec, the survey was conducted by the Institut de la statistique du Québec.

Because of improved coverage and definitions, and changes in survey methodology, estimates for 2018 may not be comparable with those for 2016.

Information on other asset types will be released over the coming months.