The Importance of Meaningful Community Engagement

The future HSR network connecting Toronto to Québec City represents a major investment in transportation infrastructure. Engaging with communities early is crucial to ensuring that local priorities are addressed, environmental impacts are mitigated, and economic benefits are shared equitably. Meaningful engagement with impacted communities can shape how benefits are distributed and create a project that works for everyone

Community Benefit Agreements (CBAs) & Interest from Organizations

A Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) is a legally binding agreement between developers, project owners, local governments and/or community coalitions. CBAs ensure that major infrastructure projects contribute to economic and social benefits, such as local hiring, equitable workforce development, neighbourhood improvements and environmental protections.

Coalitions such as Community Benefits Ontario, a network of nine community benefits networks and organizations across the province, have expressed interest in advocating for a CBA for the HSR project. This network of organizations work to ensure that local communities benefit from major public investments and collectively advocate for policies that support this approach to infrastructure, development and public procurement. 

Investing in Impacted Communities

With an estimated cost of $80 billion, a well-structured CBA could ensure that the project funds contribute towards community benefits such as:

• Targets for apprenticeship training and local and equitable hiring

• Affordable housing and anti-displacement measures

• Environmental protections, neighbourhood improvements and sustainability initiatives

• Local and social procurement that support participation of small and medium size businesses, Black, Indigenous and diverse-owned businesses and social enterprises 

CBAs in Public Infrastructure Projects: Precedents & Outcomes

CBAs have been successfully integrated into large-scale, federally-led, infrastructure projects, ensuring community benefits beyond construction. Examples include:

• Gordie Howe International Bridge (Windsor-Detroit) – Included apprenticeships and training opportunities, local hiring targets, environmental protections, $20M fund to support neighbourhood improvements and social procurement.

• Finch West LRT (Toronto) – Included apprenticeship training targets, equitable hiring for underrepresented groups in construction and land setback for community space 

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