 Hello everyone. Welcome to Ottawa, welcome to the traditional territory of the Algonquin and Ishnabe people. I know it's a long way for most of you, so thank you for making the trip. FCM's annual conference has become something of a tradition for me. I've now taken the stage for five years in a row and I always really look forward to coming back. This event gives me a great opportunity to reflect on the work being done in and for Canadian communities. We know that our country is only as strong as the towns and cities were made of. We're only as strong as our rec centres and social housing or our wastewater systems and public transit. Whether you're living in Vancouver or Val d'Or, the place you call home matters to you and therefore it matters to me. Federal, provincial, municipal, we all strive to create spaces that are more livable, more welcoming and more prosperous. That's our job and we can never forget that we're in this together. We heard you loud and clear when you told us you needed a strong partner in Ottawa, a partner that would listen to you and work with you to improve the lives of Canadians across the country, our government is proud to be that partner. Every day FCM and its members do incredible work to make our communities better places to live. From helping new Canadians feel at home to encouraging women to get involved in local politics, the scope of your impact cannot be overstated. And on that last point, I know that at least a few of your city councils can boast gender equality, including more women at the table is something we all share. Last year, I talked about our ambitious plan to invest in infrastructure and give middle class Canadians the help they need today while preparing for the future. And since then, we've been able to accomplish a lot together. So far, nearly 3,000 infrastructure projects have been approved across the country. These projects were ready to go and your communities needed them. And on that note, I want to thank my friend Amarjit Sohi for all his incredible work. From his time as a municipal councillor to his new role as a minister, he has always been a strong advocate for communities big and small, and the record number of projects approved attests to that. One of our priorities was to invest in water systems and use water treatment to ensure that every Canadian community or whatever, has access to water. So far, we have raised 18 water institutions in the communities of the First Nations, which brings us closer to our goal of ensuring that every Canadian has access to water. No Canadian should be concerned about the quality of water that the members of their families consume and in which they wash or have fun. In order to improve the quality and safety of our water sources, we have set up water systems and use water treatment systems across the country, including in small communities and isolated communities. For example, we are building a new reservoir at Watson Lake in Yukon, so that families can access water all year long without interruption. And at Loon and Burr, in New Mexico City, we have implemented more than necessary water water treatment systems so that children can benefit from their own water for future generations. It's not necessarily sexy, but these projects are the backbone of strong and growing communities. We've also made historic investments in public transit. For a decade, municipalities and provinces didn't have the support they needed to keep up with the rapid pace of growth. You are leading your communities through big changes. Some of our big cities have had their populations double and their boundaries expand. Towns now need more elaborate bus networks to navigate their streets effectively and trains that connect them to city centres. There's no doubt that the need for better, more efficient public transit is shared amongst communities big and small. Canadians need transit to get them to work in time and for the morning and home for dinner at night. We knew that investing in the things we needed, both for right now and for the future, we would create jobs, strengthen our communities and grow our middle class. But in order to have a real impact on the lives of real people, we needed your help. We turned to you, the experts, to identify the projects your communities needed most, and we got to work. For the people of Sudbury, this means speeding up the bus fleet rebuild progress and providing better access to the King's Way. For commuters in Regina, this means enhancing safety and security on buses and replacing old buses with newer ones. And for students living in Gatineau across the river, it means expanding the Repubus system so they can get to their classes on time right here in Ottawa. These investments made in phase one are providing much needed improvements to our existing networks. Improvements that make our cities and towns safer, more efficient, and more enjoyable places to live. Our second budget is based on the progress made so far to continue this work. We have announced new historical investments in order to improve the way Canadians work, live and have fun. We know that each community needs different needs, so we have developed a plan that reflects this reality. As part of the 2017 budget, we committed to investing $2 billion more on 11-year-olds in rural and Nordic communities to respond to the needs of families living in remote regions. For example, these funds could be used to guarantee access to high-speed Internet services, or to help certain communities reduce their dependence on diesel. To help you achieve your priorities and reach the goals you have set for your communities, we have also committed to investing in pre-visible and reserved funding for municipalities. We have also recognized that the old mode of sharing costs between municipal and provincial governments and the federal government did not always work. So we have increased our budget to 40 percent for construction and transportation development projects, and 50 percent for improving existing systems. And by working with me, you can applaud that one. That was a good one. I know you like that one. And by working with you and our provincial partners, we concluded some of the most ambitious investments to date in public transit infrastructure. In March, I was in Etobicoke to announce that our government would be investing more than $1.8 billion in the Go Regional Express Rail Network. The Go Network is one of the largest transit projects government has ever invested in, but it does more than just add new trains and expand the existing system. It creates good, well-paying jobs for middle-class Canadians. It connects the people who live in different parts of the GTA to each other. It makes sure that families can enjoy everything their communities have to offer, and with fewer cars on the road, it means cleaner air and greener communities. Across the country, we also heard from too many Canadians who struggle to find a safe and affordable place to live. Seniors who are forced out of their homes because they can no longer afford to pay rent. Young professionals who work long hours but still have to postpone buying their first home. Women and kids who fled violence at home and have no safe place to turn. This is the heartbreaking reality for far too many Canadians. Our cities and towns are the frontlines of the very real housing challenges facing millions of Canadians. You told us that you needed more resources and more support, that you need a serious federal partner here for the long haul. And that's why we decided to take action in Budget 2017. Over the next 11 years, the federal government will invest $11.2 billion to build and repair more affordable homes for people in need. Of that, $5 billion will be dedicated to the creation of a new National Housing Fund, which will prioritize projects that will have the greatest impact on communities. Our goal is to reduce 50 percent of the number of people who live on the streets and help them get back on their feet. With the new housing strategy, we are in the way to achieve this goal. For the first time, we are setting up a framework that will not only solve the current housing problems, but also fight against insecurity in terms of housing and counter-inherence for future generations. The new housing strategy is only one of the measures that our government will take to help those in need more. In recent years, the number of people who consume opioids has increased significantly and the consequences are devastating. We cannot close our eyes because of the problems we face. And these problems of dependence affect everyone. Workers who are prescribed medication for back pain struggle with addiction as their prescriptions run out. Teenagers at a party who make a mistake with deadly consequences. Moms, dads, friends, and classmates whose lives are torn apart by tragedy. The opioid epidemic has touched the lives of countless Canadians in one way or another. In our latest budget, we committed additional funding to keep these harmful drugs out of our kids' hands and help those struggling with addiction. This builds on a number of important steps we've taken over the last year to give communities, service providers and first responders the tools they need. As governments, we know there's more to do. We will not rest until we turn the tide. We must come together to address this crisis, and that's why we're working with our provincial, territorial, and immunological partners to find lasting solutions. And on that last point, I'd like to specifically thank Mayor Robertson as well as Mayor Ivison and the Big City Mayor's Caucus for their incredible, compassionate, determined leadership on this issue. We're listening, and we're here to work with you. Overall, we've built a plan that not only provides immediate fixes for the short term, but it also creates long-term solutions to some of the greatest challenges facing Canadians and their families. Last year, Fort McMurray City was ravaged by forest fires this year. The families of Quebec, Ontario, British Columbia, and the provinces of the Atlantic were severely affected by inundations. Our communities will continue to face new challenges because of climate change. We know that. We must therefore prepare and continue the transition towards an access economy on clean energy. In the framework of our last budget, we announced that $2 billion would be invested in the supply of a data source. Over the last few months, we have seen the devastating consequences that extreme weather conditions can have on families, businesses, and their communities. These funds will serve to build digs and other infrastructure to prevent damage caused by residents, schools, and businesses, and to ensure that the infrastructure is protected by our communities. For a long time, cities have been at the forefront of measures aimed at countering climate change, so I would like to thank you. You are our partners in what is the greatest challenge of our generation. While we deliver for middle-class families and their communities today, we will continue to support our communities and our communities. We need to keep an eye focused on the future. That's why we started to lay the groundwork for other innovations in our ambitious plan to build a greener, smarter, better towns and cities. The cities and towns of the future start with transforming the way infrastructure is planned, developed, and built. We've recently announced the creation of the new Canada Infrastructure Bank, which will get our communities growing now, not 10 years from now. The bank will be responsible for attracting capital from the private sector that will in turn be invested in transformative projects. Once operational, the bank will be yet another tool to move new projects forward, projects that will create more jobs, make our communities more inclusive, and grow the economy. But I want to be very clear that this will be an optional tool. Over 90% of our long-term plan will be delivered through grants. But the bank is a way for us to leverage private capital and help our dollars go even further. Today, the federal government presents the challenge of intelligent cities, which will give you a platform to dream big, innovate, and advance audacious ideas. Today, the federal government is introducing the Smart Cities Challenge. Today, the federal government is introducing the Smart Cities Challenge. Today, the federal government is introducing the Smart Cities Challenge to give you a platform to dream big, innovate, and implement bold ideas. We invite communities all over Canada to develop an ambitious plan, aiming to improve the quality of life of their citizens, and thus to contribute to building the future of Canada. The cities of the future will be intelligent. Will this be translated by optical fiber between each residence and each trade? Will the roads and traffic lights be intelligent? Or will there be networks of energy and energy distribution that work in both directions? Or will all of this work together? Or will things be entirely different? You decide to demonstrate. We're inviting communities across Canada to develop ambitious plans to improve the lives of their residents and help us build Canada's future. Working with local businesses, innovators and entrepreneurs, communities will be able to submit their plan for innovation, and the most promising designs will receive funding to bring those ideas to life. We will launch three separate editions of the Smart Cities Challenge, with the first edition beginning this year. Each time five prizes will be awarded, the best project will win $50 million, two smaller communities with big ideas will receive $10 million, and one smaller or rural or remote community will win $5 million. An additional $5 million will also be given to a project for an indigenous community. We will officially launch this program this fall, but Minister Sohe and his team will be working with key partners this summer to ensure that you have everything you need to start dreaming big right now. We hope that this competition of ideas will encourage us all to think outside the box. There's serious money at stake? Sure, but I know this room. The bragging rights will be just as motivating. So I have no doubt that it will push you to take your ideas to the next level and imagine the best possible solutions for the people you so proudly represent. We know that to build the communities of tomorrow, collaboration across all levels of government is essential. The Smart Cities Challenge and the Infrastructure Bank are just some examples of what we have in store. But while we're getting excited about the future and the new opportunities that it'll bring, we can't forget that for many of our citizens, change brings anxiety. It creates uncertainty about what the future holds. So while we're imagining the cities of tomorrow, our government is also making sure that Canadians have access to good middle-class jobs today, that our kids have even better opportunities than we did, that we can all grow old in the communities that we built. My friends, we can all be very proud of what we've been able to accomplish together and even more excited about what lies ahead. Thank you for your partnership and for all that you do for Canadians and their families. Every day we are building stronger, more inclusive communities where every Canadian can live, work and succeed. Communities that are children and grandchildren will be able to enjoy for generations to come because of the collective leadership in this room today. Merci beaucoup, mes amis. Thank you very, very much.