Who: Dr. Yunping Liang
When: Friday, November 1, 2024, 11:00am-11:50am
Where: Kiewit Hall (KH) Room A510, Lincoln, Peter Kiewit Institute (PKI) Room 160, Omaha (remote)
Zoom: https://unl.zoom.us/j/98630335322
Title: Funding Next-Gen Canadian Transportation Infrastructure: An Empirical Analysis of Federal Agencies (2016-2023) from a Balanced Regional Development Perspective
Presentation Abstract:
Western countries are investing heavily to renew aging infrastructure built during the post-WWII era, with expenditures often reaching billions or trillions of dollars. These investments are crucial for facilitating regional development, and this study examines the performance of investment plans during implementation using explainable machine learning methods. Using data from Investing in Canada Plan – which was launched in 2016 and committed over $180 billion over 12 years to promote job growth, sustainability, and accessibility across various sectors, including transportation – this study illustrates the profiles of “ideal candidates” in terms of receiving investment and receiving high investment. The study, for the first time, empirically examined to what extent major infrastructure initiatives consider balanced regional development. Since the Canadian plan is ahead of similar initiatives in the U.S., Australia, and the U.K., findings from this study can offer insights beyond Canadian borders. Moreover, implementation, frequently overlooked in policy processes, involves executing plans that have passed legislation but have yet to yield tangible results. Therefore,
analysis on this phase can identify opportunities for ad hoc improvement and inform future initiatives.