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The $6 billion Canada Infrastructure Works Program, which began in 1993 and was renewed in 1997 with an infusion of another $1.3 billion, was justified on the basis that there was an infrastructure "need gap." This article examines Canadian literature of the past 10 years on infrastructure needs and the justifications and challenges of infrastructure investment with a view to inform policy discussion. The literature can be categorized into situation reports and policy arguments. Economic arguments are the most often used; they focus on output and productivity growth. Environmental arguments are either polemic, focusing on the sustainability of resources, or technical, focusing on the sustainability of infrastructure. Social arguments are mainly speculative, with little empirical discussion of access, regional equity, and the redistributional effect of infrastructure investment. The jointedness of infrastructure systems, in a physical and a management sense, poses the greatest policy challenge.

The subject of this work is the uneven development of infrastructure in municipal districts of the Russian Federation. The article presents the author's method of typology of municipalities by the level of infrastructure development, which allows overcoming the shortcomings of the information base of municipal statistics using the data imputation algorithm. The proposed approach solves the problem of weak population structure using a combination of four methods of multidimensional statistics (cluster analysis, factor analysis, metric multidimensional scaling and discriminant analysis) in the framework of a combination of variational and aggregate concepts of data typology. The idea of the considered method is that if an object falls into the same type as a result of applying different typology methods, then it is a stable representative ("core") of this type. A set of such objects for each type is used as training samples for discriminant analysis, which allows you to typologize the remaining transition objects using mathematical tools. The methodology was tested on a set of municipal districts of the Russian Federation (in 2018). There are 4 types of municipal districts with high, satisfactory, insufficient and low level of infrastructure development. As of 2018, 89 (5.1%) municipal districts of the Russian Federation have a high level of infrastructure development, 308 (17.6%) – satisfactory, 570 (32.6%) – insufficient, 783 (44.7%) – low. The inverse relationship between the level of infrastructure development of municipal districts and the degree of urbanisation of the territory is shown: the largest number of districts with highly developed infrastructure is located in territories with a significant share of the rural population.

Municipal Infrastructure Investment Planning (MIIP) is a three-year project investigating decision support tools for strategic asset management (http://www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/eng/projects/irc/municipal-infrastructure.html). A defined deliverable for the project is a survey and report on existing levels of maintenance within the participating organizations and within Canadian municipalities. More specifically, the survey should validate the 2% to 4% 'Level of Investment' recommended by some government agencies (NRC US, 1994, 1996). This report addresses these project needs by investigating: (1) the actual and sustainable 'Level of Investment' expenditures for maintenance of municipal infrastructure; (2) the extent of asset management techniques in practice today, and (3) the state of Canada's municipal infrastructure assets. This report presents the results of a survey sent to 545 municipalities across Canada and presents and discusses the responses from 67 Canadian municipal infrastructure asset managers. Included in the number were responses from the federal departments, municipalities and regional municipalities participating in the MIIP project. ; Le projet de planification de l'investissement dans les infrastructures municipales (PIIM) est un projet d'une durée de trois ans qui consiste à étudier les outils d'aide à la décision relatifs à la gestion des biens stratégiques, (http://www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/fra/projets/irc/infrastructure-municipale.html). Une enquête et un rapport sur les niveaux actuels d'entretien au sein des organisations participantes et des municipalités canadiennes est un des produits à livrer du projet qu'on a défini. Plus précisément, les résultats de l'enquête doivent permettre de valider le « niveau d'investissement » de 2 à 4 % recommandé par certains organismes gouvernementaux (NRC US, 1994, 1996). Le présent rapport aborde les besoins du projet en examinant: 1) les dépenses « de niveau d'investissement » réelles et durables en rapport avec l'entretien des infrastructures municipales; 2) l'importance des techniques de gestion des biens en pratique de nos jours; et 3) l'état des infrastructures municipales du Canada. Le rapport présente les résultats d'un sondage envoyé à 545 municipalités du Canada tout entier; de plus, il présente et discute les réponses reçues de 67 gestionnaires canadiens d'infrastructures municipales. Ce nombre inclut les réponses des ministères fédéraux, des municipalités et des municipalités régionales qui participent au projet PIIM. ; Peer reviewed: No ; NRC publication: Yes

Overview and outline / Munawwar Alam -- State of municipal finance in Commonwealth developing countries -- Tanzania : the case of Dar es Salaam -- Uganda : the case of Kampala -- Pakistan : the case of Karachi -- Bangladesh : the case of Dhaka -- Innovative approaches to municipal infrastructure financing -- Conclusion

For the Ukrainian population, there are factors surrounding the choices and preferences one must consider when changing permanent residence. Smart residential areas should be built according to Ukrainian legislation and global innovations, which would reduce administrative dislocations, the load on megalopolises, and negative anthropogenic impacts, and should be based on the increase in energy efficiency and reducing waste. We analyzed the core principles of designing smart residential areas and concluded that constructing cutting-edge residential areas should involve private investments in order to avoid shadow schemes and irrational use of funds (in the Ukraine, the share of the shadow market is more than 50%). Research shows that, as humans inhabit a three-dimensional space, it is possible to predict migration and other permanent residence/behavioral responses, the analysis of which allows controlling migration flows and improves the conditions of Ukraine's small residential areas based on decarbonization. We conclude that energy saving systems can reduce consumption in a city by 60% and improve Ukraine's ecosystem. Research also shows that reducing "dislocation", in terms of population density, by creating open, innovative, eco-friendly environments based on green economy principles, can provide innovative development maps and economic, social, and cultural population growth, decreasing the load on big cities/regional economies, and encourage the restoration of sales markets and production after the COVID-19 pandemic. We developed a model to assess the innovativeness of residential areas, apply alternative methods of energy generation, and analyze the impact of the energy production and consumption market in Europe (with recommendations for the Ukraine). This article estimates energy intensity indicators of the gross domestic product in the Ukraine and in Europe, offering methods to decrease energy dependence and increase energy efficiency in the Ukraine, by adopting alternative energy sources (e.g., biohydrogen out of residues, air, and solar energy), and enhancing environmental legislation.

Managers of mixed urban infrastructure assets in federal departments, provincial governments,municipalities, school boards, and universities, etc. have to manage a diversified set of built assets, from complex underground networks (e.g. water distribution, sewers) to buildings, roadway systems, parks, transit systems, and other assets collectively known as infrastructure. These built assets are subject to deterioration due to ageing, climate, geological conditions, or changes in use. Because of a lack of adequate funding and appropriate decision support technologies, certain components of our urban infrastructure have been neglected or receive only remedial treatments. Consequently, these built assets do not last their originally predicted service life, unless they undergo major rehabilitation and renewal. ; Les gestionnaires d'infrastructures urbaines diversifiées, dans les ministères fédéraux, les gouvernements provinciaux, les municipalités, les commissions scolaires et les universités, etc., ont à administrer autant de ressources bâties diverses, allant des réseaux souterrains complexes (par ex., aqueducs, égouts) aux bâtiments, aux systèmes routiers, aux parcs, aux commissions de transport, ainsi qu'à d'autres ressources désignées collectivement comme l'infrastructure. Ces ressources bâties sont sujettes à la détérioration causée par le vieillissement, le climat, les conditions géologiques ou encore les changements de vocation. En raison d'un financement inadéquat et d'un manque de technologies d'aide à la décision appropriées, certains éléments constituants de notre infrastructure urbaine ont été négligés: ou n'ont fait l'objet que d'interventions rectificatives. Par conséquent, la durée de vie réelle de ces ressources bâties se révèle inférieure à celle prédite à l'origine, à moins qu'on ne les soumette à des travaux majeurs de réhabilitation et de rénovation. ; Peer reviewed: No ; NRC publication: Yes

This paper is a synthesis of existing research in the areas of suburban development, municipal infrastructure and embodied energy analysis. A considerable amount of interest has been generated in the area of neotraditional development, which is now popularly referred to as "new urbanism ". Instead of low-density, single-family housing development seasoned with intermittent strip-malls and box stores, the emphasis is on construction of compact, mixed-use development. New urbanism strives to enhance the feeling of community and significantly reduce the transportation distances to key uses. Consequently, energy efficiency is higher due to lower transportation and infrastructure demands. While the u.s. has led the way in these types of innovative developments, Ontario examples such as Montgomery Village near Orangeville and Cornell in Markham show that this concept has applicability to Canadian municipalities. Existing research has focussed on how new urbanism affects municipal infrastructure needs, and the positive impact upon municipal capital and operating budgets. Tied to this is the equally positive impact of energy requirements, both in terms of embodied energy for elements such as roadways and water pipes, and also operating energy for infrastructure service provision. The issue of energy savings in suburban design has received relatively little attention in the technical literature or in governmental policy development. In this paper, infrastructure requirements for both sprawl and compact development have been analyzed for a range of municipal infrastructure elements. The analyses have been conducted for representative Canadian conditions. The results show that considerable energy savings can be realized with new urbanism designs, along with the related benefits of improved air quality and reduced municipal spending in tough fiscal times. The results of this research can assist policy makers by providing information on the energy savings realized from more efficient infrastructure provision in new urbanism developments.

Die südafrikanische Regierung ermutigt die lokalen Verwaltungen, von öffentlich-privaten Partnerschaften bei ihren Dienstleistungen vollen Gebrauch zu machen, um die Qualität der städtischen Dienstleistungen zu verbessern. Eine Schlüsselrolle spielt dabei die 1998 gegründete Municipal Infrastructure Investment Unit (MIIU), deren Aufgabe es ist, den Prozess der Eingehung von Partnerschaften, die Verwendung privater Mittel und technischer Hilfe auf der lokalen Ebene in ganz Südafrika zu unterstützen. Dieser Beitrag geht auf die Arbeit der MIIU ein, die als wichtige Antwort der Regierung auf die Herausforderung, allen Bürgern bessere städtische Dienstleistungen zur Verfügung zu stellen, bezeichnet wird. (DÜI-Hlb)

In South Africa, local governments are allocated municipal infrastructure grants to redress infrastructural imbalances inherited from the past. However, these grants are not fully spent and are returned to the National Treasury. There is a need to determine these trends of underspending. This article looks into this. It is based on the study that the authors undertook, which developed an operational framework that could assist local governments to spend the full allocation during the financial year for the projects that have been assigned and approved by municipalities. The framework uses both quantitative and qualitative data in a mixed method research approach and simple linear regression. Data was collected using questionnaires and documents from the Department of Human Settlements and the National Treasury. These were statistically analysed using both descriptive and linear regression. The framework was put through focus group discussion for refinement. The main findings before the focus group refinement included a lack of project management experience or qualifications, and project team leaders not monitoring and evaluating the projects and managing changes within the project environment. The focus group discussions revealed the need for an independent project management unit and functional intergovernmental relations. These have been identified as the main reasons for underspending. The framework that has been developed and tested through focus group discussions could be used by municipalities, in other provinces, to increase municipal infrastructure grant spending, reduce backlog and accelerate service delivery.