The Canadian Institute of Planners (CIP) welcomes the launch of the Build Communities Strong Fund.
Planning influences where we live, how we move, and our health and well-being. Professional planners are trained to focus on creating whole, healthy communities. While housing is a critical priority, liveable communities include parks, healthcare facilities, recreational amenities, and the transportation and infrastructure systems that support economic growth, climate adaptation, and overall well-being.
Ensuring that infrastructure investment keeps pace with housing growth is essential to supporting complete communities and enabling municipalities to meet growing population demands. CIP members have consistently emphasized that housing targets must be matched with investments in infrastructure and services, and this announcement reflects that important connection. From accessible public spaces to reliable transportation systems and community services, this infrastructure is necessary to support daily living.
“Planners play a critical role in turning policy into results by bridging the gap between federal aspirations and on-the-ground implementation,” said CIP President Lesley Cabott RPP, FCIP, ICD D. “By leveraging planners’ expertise, the government can more effectively build critical infrastructure and support regional economic development.”
CIP applauds the government for its quick implementation of its Budget 2025 commitment to provide increased direct access to funding for municipalities to help address the growing infrastructure gap. We are also pleased that the government’s commitment includes allocating 20% of these funds to rural, Northern, and Indigenous communities who are least equipped—and often most impacted—by the infrastructure gap.
Municipalities face growing challenges in balancing financial sustainability with the demands of population growth, aging infrastructure, and new pressures such as climate resilience, including risks such as flooding, wildfires, and congestion. Current revenue streams—heavily reliant on property taxes and limited transfers from higher levels of government—are insufficient. CIP continues to advocate for multi-level discussion to explore a new deal for municipalities, including expanded revenue opportunities and better alignment between municipal responsibilities and available funding to address long-term needs for urban development.
As the national voice for professional urban and land-use planners, CIP represents nearly 10,000 diverse professionals and has supported Canada’s planning community since 1919. Our members work in communities of all sizes across the country, bringing critical on-the-ground expertise that shapes our regions and neighbourhoods. We look forward to working with the federal government in strengthening our communities from coast-to-coast-to-coast.