Over and over again, we see the same problems come up when building anything physical in this country, such as a house or a train. Costs start to balloon and every project seems to end up over budget – or at least costs us more than it would cost to build in other countries.

More Neighbours Toronto’s founder Eric Lombardi attributes this largely to a system of soft corruption.

In this conversation, he highlights how convoluted processes and lack of transparency lead to inflated costs and diminished outcomes. He compares Canada's approach to infrastructure with that of European countries, emphasizing the need for standardization and in-house expertise. Lombardi proposes solutions to improve procurement processes and accountability, advocating for a more efficient and transparent system that prioritizes taxpayer value.

Links:
Canada can no longer afford to ignore its ‘soft corruption’ problem
https://thehub.ca/2024/10/03/eric-lombardi-canada-can-no-longer-afford-to-ignore-its-soft-corruption-problem/

Altus Group
https://www.altusgroup.com/
https://www.bildgta.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/2024-GTA-Municipal-Benchmarking-Study-Our-number-7147-Final.pdf
More Neighbours

Guest: Eric Lombardi, https://x.com/EricDLombardi

Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina Maddeaux

Produced by Meredith Martin

This podcast is funded by the Neptis Foundation and brought to you by the Smart Prosperity Institute.