Canada 's infrastructure - its network of roads, highways and bridges, and its water treatment plants - is vital to both society and our economy and it carries a value of more than $150 billion, according to Statistics Canada. Many of these important assets were built over 40 years ago and are due for significant repair or replacement. A surprising 28 per cent of infrastructure assets are more than 80 years old.

Now, our roads, highways, bridges and water treatment plants are set to receive a significant updating, due to increased infrastructure spending announced by the federal and provincial governments. In 2007, the federal government announced additional infrastructure investment of $16 billion over seven years, bringing total support to $33 billion for the new long-term infrastructure plan. Also in 2007, Alberta announced spending of $9.6 billion over three years for their capital plan budget, a 36% increase over 2006. In British Columbia, the government continues to support the Transportation Investment Plan initiated in prior years and in 2007 announced it has committed $3.5 billion over the next three years to provincial requirements. The Ontario government expects to spend approximately $5.9 billion related to various infrastructure projects in 2007, in addition to the $30 billion over five years announced in its 2005 budget. In 2007, Quebec announced infrastructure spending of $7.9 billion over four years.

Canadian demand for pipe and infrastructure products has demonstrated long-term consistent growth. Independent research firm Global Insight has predicted a 3.6% compound annual growth rate increase in infrastructure spending in Canada between 2002 and 2010.