Canada Community-Building Fund for municipalities

The Canada Community-Building Fund provides funding to help with municipal infrastructure and capacity-building projects. Municipalities receive 2 annual allocation payments that they can use towards eligible projects.

The Department of Municipal Affairs administers the Canada Community-Building Fund Administrative Agreement and distributes Canada Community-Building Fund allocation payments to municipalities.

Funding calculation

The Department of Municipal Affairs calculates municipal allocation payments using the Canada Community-Building Fund Agreement formula.

Eligible projects

Eligible projects include municipal infrastructure investments (construction, renewal or material enhancement) in the following categories:

  • drinking water – infrastructure that supports drinking water conservation, collection, treatment and distribution systems
  • wastewater – infrastructure that supports wastewater and storm water collection, treatment and management systems
  • solid waste – infrastructure that supports solid waste management systems including the collection, diversion and disposal of recyclables, compostable materials and garbage
  • community energy systems – infrastructure that generates or increases the efficient usage of energy
  • public transit – infrastructure that supports a shared passenger transport system which is available for public use
  • local roads and bridges – roads, bridges and active transportation infrastructure (active transportation refers to investments that support active methods of travel, including cycling lanes and paths, hiking trails, walking trails and sidewalks)
  • capacity-building – includes investments related to strengthening the ability of municipalities to develop long-term planning practices
  • highways – highway infrastructure
  • short-line rail – railway-related infrastructure for carrying passengers or freight
  • cultural infrastructure – infrastructure that supports arts, humanities and heritage
  • tourism infrastructure – infrastructure that attracts travelers for recreation, leisure, business or other purposes
  • sport infrastructure – amateur sport infrastructure (excludes facilities, like arenas, that would be used as the home of professional sports teams or major junior hockey teams)
  • recreational infrastructure – recreational facilities or networks
  • regional and local airports – airport-related infrastructure (excludes the National Airport System)
  • short-sea shipping – infrastructure related to the movement of cargo and passengers around the coast and on inland waterways (without directly crossing an ocean)
  • disaster mitigation – infrastructure that reduces or eliminates long-term impacts and risks associated with natural disasters
  • broadband and connectivity – infrastructure that provides internet access to residents, businesses or similar institutions in Canadian communities
  • brownfield redevelopment – remediation or decontamination and redevelopment of a brownfield site (land that was previously developed but is not currently in use)

Municipalities can pool, bank and borrow against their Canada Community-Building Fund allocation for eligible projects.

Accessing the funding

Municipalities don’t apply for the Canada Community-Building Fund. The Department of Municipal Affairs calculates the allocation payments annually and distributes the funding to each municipality in 2 transfer payments. Municipalities need to meet reporting requirements and complete an annual program audit to receive the transfer payments.

Reporting requirements

Municipalities need to submit reporting each year, including an expenditure report and 5-year capital investment plan. Municipalities use the Municipal Reporting System to submit the reporting.