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Increasing costs and scheduling delays of Canadian �鶹��ýӳ�� projects has been the impetus behind the creation of a first-of-its-kind project management leadership program in this country.

The Canadian Infrastructure Academy will be comprised of three, three-day blocks of training and professional development over a seven month period, beginning in April 2027 and extending to October of that year.

Developed by the University of Toronto’s Infrastructure Institute and the Rotman School of Management, with significant input from the Future of Infrastructure Group, the program is targeted to “emerging leaders” with 10 years infrastructure experience.

“The program will be academically rooted, but practically based,” says Infrastructure Institute director Matti Siemiatycki.

It is intended to provide participants with the leadership skills to oversee infrastructure projects, the cost of which has climbed substantially over the past few decades, says Siemiatycki, who cites Statistics �鶹��ýӳ�� figures to back up that statement.

According to the those figures, non-residential �鶹��ýӳ�� costs have skyrocketed over the past few years, rising 45 per cent since the start of the pandemic in 2020 and way faster than in the decade prior.

“So the issue isn’t just that big projects are often over budget and late, but also that it’s expensive to build in �鶹��ýӳ��,” he says.  

Those cost overruns and the other challenges �鶹��ýӳ�� has had in managing �鶹��ýӳ�� projects is an issue Siemiatycki has been concerned about for quite some time.

But the development of the program got underway in earnest about a year ago in partnership with other institute colleagues and input from the Future of Infrastructure Group. About five months ago the Rotman School of Management also got involved.

“The collaboration with Rotman was to bring together their expertise and experience in executive leadership programs with my focus on project delivery in the infrastructure sector.”

The program has been planned in such a way that each succeeding block builds on the training and instruction delivered in the previous sessions.

“It’s not a pick and choose initiative.”

An opening keynote address on Why major projects succeed or fail and the role of leadership, will open the academy on April 14 at the Rotman School of Management in Toronto.

Following that address there will be a session on Why Does Infrastructure in �鶹��ýӳ�� Cost So Much and What Can be Done About it?

Some of the other session topics in the first block will include Managing People in Complexity, Driving Innovation in Major Projects and Project Governance for Success.

The sessions will be facilitated by Siemiatycki and Rotman School of Management professor Geoffrey Leonardelli, with back up support from their associates.

A number of sessions will be enhanced with case studies on actual projects.

Those blocks will be interspersed with real time virtual sessions where the participants will hear, and ask questions, of �鶹��ýӳ�� managers in different parts of the world.

For example, on May 20 there will be a session on how risks are managed on major projects in the United Kingdom.

Other virtual meetings will focus on how Italy delivers infrastructure at much lower costs than in �鶹��ýӳ��; how China builds major projects at warp speed; and the experience of alliance and collaborative contracts in Australia.

Asked why the academy won’t get underway until next spring, Siemiatycki explained there a number of reasons including the time needed to recruit and vet potential applicants, who also have to plan their schedules into heavy workload. As well, some adjustments to the program content may be necessary.

For more information about the academy