I was  happy to see Canada’s federal government followed my advice in their new budget today.  What’s the point of having a blog if you can’t influence world events, eh?

As part of the stimulus spending of $64-billion to be spent over the next two years, ($34-billion in 2009-10; $30-billion in 2010-11), there are some sizable sums earmarked for Infrastructure and Housing.

To save you the trouble of looking back at the dates I recommended the spending, I’ll reiterate here:

 January 16, 2009, I said:

“focus on housing – both construction and retrofitting with environmental benefits.”

Federal Budget 2009, Canadian government said:

The federal government is providing $7.8 billion to build quality housing, stimulate construction and enhance energy efficiency …  investments for social housing to support low-income Canadians, seniors, persons with disabilities and Aboriginal Canadians, and low-cost loans to municipalities

November 26, 2008, I said:

“Heavy construction seems to be the favorite target of historical government interventions in failing economies. So much so that “infrastructure” seems to have taken on a standard definition of  “roads, bridges, sewers, etc.”

“How about including homes offices, industrial buildings?”

Federal Budget 2009, Canadian government said:

Budget 2009 accelerates and expands the recent historic federal investment in infrastructure with almost $12 billion in new infrastructure stimulus funding over two years, so that Canada emerges from this economic crisis with more modern and greener infrastructure. This includes funding for shovel-ready projects that can start this upcoming construction season, including roads, bridges, clean energy, broadband, internet access and electronic health records across the country.

 November 10 2008, I said:

“Green remodeling: Key to Economic Recovery?”

Federal Budget 2009, Canadian government said:

Measures include a renovation tax credit providing an estimated 4.6 million Canadian families up to $1,350 each, funding for energy retrofits.