The same kind of situation certainly exists in Quebec. Municipal infrastructure here is funded either annually or by project. So there is always a deficit in terms of undertaking and completing infrastructure projects.
Mr. Smith talked about communities wanting to build cultural or recreational infrastructure but getting rejection letters. I did not understand everything he said. The same thing happened in January in Quebec with a program that probably came from the same flow of federal funding and was established in collaboration with the Government of Quebec. Most of the projects, such as arenas and sport infrastructures, were rejected because the funding was simply not enough.
According to the Fédération québécoise des municipalités, given the situation of a possible economic recovery and a pandemic, failing to invest money in dynamic economic action and in the long-term renewal of infrastructure is certainly a problem.
The problem can also be attributed to municipal funding. I believe that, in Quebec as elsewhere, municipal funding raises questions. Municipalities do not have the tools they need to finance their infrastructures, as an example. Many solutions exist. However, the infrastructure deficit really is significant, and the solutions are not clear.