The highway system in Canada is an important element in the development of the nation's economy and is key in promoting inter-provincial and international trade. Moreover, the highways are strategically important in that they assist in overcoming the potential disadvantage of spatial dispersion and they link remote communities to the centers of economic activity. Canada's highways are deteriorating and are subject to increasing demand, threatening Canadian productivity and competitiveness. The Council of Ministers Responsible for Transportation and Highway Safety has released a review of the current condition and investment needs of Canada's National Highway System (NHS). Three reports detail the condition of Canadian highways and the costs, impacts and benefits associated with its improvement. This report considers the NHS improvement plan, a set of proposed investments on 25 000 kilometres of highways spanning all of Canada's provinces and territories, and quantifies the prospective benefit to Canada from these improvements. This report contains 2 volumes: a final report and an appendices. This volume contains the final report.
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