The department is responsible to Parliament through the minister of housing, infrastructure and communities.

The Office of Infrastructure of Canada (Infrastructure Canada) was created as a federal department in 2002 via an Order in Council issued pursuant to the Financial Administration Act.

In the first year after its creation, the department invested mostly in water and wastewater plants, highways, culture, recreation, and broadband projects.

[5] During the Great Recession, the department was tasked with implementing the Harper government's economic stimulus package.

[5] In January 2016 the Trudeau government announced a two-year, $10 billion plan to repair infrastructure across the country.