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NORTH AMERICA
Introduction Basic local services, referred to as public infrastructure services in North America, are often described as the ‘backbone’ of the economy and quality of life in Canada and the United States (U.S.). While access to basic public services is not a key challenge in the region, after decades of underinvestment both countries are confronted by significant ‘infrastructure deficits’ – backlogs of delayed repairs and construction needed to sustain and improve current infrastructure and strategic investments needed in additional infrastructure to support future growth. These infrastructure deficits are visible to the general public in the form of crumbling roads and crowded buses, subways, and roads, but are also often less visible in the form of decaying drinking water systems, sewer systems, and structural deterioration of bridges. Without significant reinvestment in public infrastructure, local leaders in the region warn that it will become increasingly difficult to sustain economic growth and quality of life. The challenge goes beyond traditional mechanisms for delivering basic local services and financing public infrastructure services. On their own, local governments in the U.S. and Canada lack the revenue tools to rebuild infrastructure. Local gov-
ernments in both countries own and operate the largest shares of the respective nations’ infrastructure, but collect much smaller shares of the total tax dollars paid. Reinvestment must happen in concert with provincial and state governments, national governments, and the private sector. Amid constrained resources at all levels, particularly in the context of the recent recession, reinvestment will also have to better integrate infrastructure systems (transportation, water, sanitation, solid waste, and energy). This reinvestment will need to be sustainable – integrating the goals of economic growth, stewardship of resources, and equity in access to and costs of infrastructure systems. This report is drawn from several sources, including: existing research on local responsibilities and authority, governance models for service delivery, financing mechanisms, and existing and emerging challenges; national-level data sources including Statistics Canada and the U.S. Census of governments; surveys of local officials addressing the provision of local infrastructure services; and examples of promising practices that have been implemented by local governments in both countries. A defining feature of North America is that the provision, governance, financing, and