Transport committee  We are going to try to monitor the money that will come out of the Canada Infrastructure Bank.

Transport committee  It's a good question. You're raising the analysis that we do with our multiplier, because that's what we do implicitly with this. Looking at all the other impacts is more difficult; it's often done after the fact or after the project is completed. I don't know. Somewhere in the other place, again, we raised the issue about GBA analysis of these infrastructure projects, which is very difficult.

Transport committee  Concerning accountability, I would not say that this is normal, but it is almost a tradition. For several years now it has been recognized that the federal government provides funds. I think that other witnesses have already said as much. The federal level provides funds, and a partnership is formed with the provinces and municipalities afterwards.

Transport committee  That's correct.

Transport committee  It is a table, a pie chart that will change with time. Indeed, the proportions will change regularly over the next months. You also have to note that the data in this table go back to January for Infrastructure Canada and to October for the other departments. Obviously, Quebec's part of the pie chart could become bigger.

Transport committee  You see, we try to see the questions coming.

Transport committee  Since it was the government that decided to create this bank, I cannot comment. There are risks. In this regard, you are quite right. The Muskrat Falls example was mentioned. The loan guarantees that were given were one of the risks. However, if you look carefully at the figure regarding loan guarantees, you will see that the government's risk regarding the $490 billion loan guarantees...

Transport committee  Thank you for the question. It may not be a problem of transparency so much as a problem with action, I believe, on the part of certain departments. Mr. Weltman mentioned this. Certain departments are not used to reporting as efficiently as Infrastructure Canada, which has had a database since 2002 and reports on all projects as they proceed.

Transport committee  That is why we included that information in the report. The risk exists and there will always be some. That is true of any government loan. It is true when governments want to attract loans. The Montreal REM is a good illustration of the share of risk a provincial government can assume.

Transport committee  Thank you for the question, and thank you for the good words. The PBO, as per its mandate, doesn't make recommendations per se, so it's sometimes difficult. In our reports, we just say that parliamentarians could ask this or that question, or could follow an issue more carefully.

Transport committee  Yes, and Jason will want to add something. For example, as Peter mentioned, we contacted the 31 departments and they provided the information. All the information was not on our Internet site or in the report, just because some departments said that they would provide a total, the aggregate number of the projects and the value of the projects, not the individual projects that were not yet to be published.

Transport committee  I will give my colleague Mr. Weltman 15 seconds to think about it. I will simply say that that is what we stated in the report: there is indeed no mechanism. I know that when Minister Sohi appeared before your committee about two weeks ago, the people from his office said that an accountability framework was going to be put in place, and that that would also make it possible to track these budgets.

Transport committee  My first neutral and indeed non-partisan answer is that the first phase focused on public transit and updating infrastructure such as sewer and water treatment systems. In that context of course the larger municipalities will be deriving the greatest benefit. In the longer term, we will see what develops.

Transport committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair. I will need about two minutes. I know that the members of your committee like to ask questions. I want to thank you again for inviting the team of the Parliamentary Budget Officer to appear before you to discuss our “1st Report to Parliament on Canada's New Infrastructure Plan - Following the Money”.

Transport committee  Thank you for the question. Indeed, we are not talking about $12 billion, since the amount of $13.8 billion obviously includes money given to the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation for housing-related matters. That is for all infrastructure. That is why, in my presentation, I talked about $12 billion over two years.