Canada has established itself as one of the leading PPP markets in the world. In its comprehensive report (2010) on infrastructure in Canada, The Conference Board of Canada observed "public private partnerships (PPPs) have become an increasingly important procurement vehicle for Canadian governments seeking to build new or to upgrade infrastructure assets... from hospitals, bridges, and highways through to courthouses, wastewater facilities, and concert halls."

The widespread adoption of the PPP model is in part the result of the need of all levels of government in Canada to address a long-standing infrastructure deficit, estimated by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) to be in excess of $123 billion.

In the face of Canada's infrastructure deficit, it is estimated today that in Canada PPP projects have grown to now account for 10-20% of total infrastructure spending.

The growing importance of PPPs is also a result of the commitment of governments at all levels across Canada to - led by the Provinces of Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta and Quebec, as well as municipalities and the Government of Canada - that have established professional, arms-length PPP agencies whose mandate is to promote, stimulate and procure PPP projects.

For more information on PPPs in Canada, see the Canadian Council for Public Private Partnerships (CCPPP) website (www.pppcouncil.ca).