Through scale, scope, and pace, the Great Acceleration changed the relationship between humans and Planet Earth. The combined impact of humans is fundamentally affecting biogeophysical cycles and the planet’s climate system. With the use of fossil fuels and a growing urban population, humans annually move 24-times more rock and aggregate than all the world’s rivers combined. Much of this planetary disturbance arises from building and operating infrastructure, most of which serves people living in cities. During Canada’s first 100 years as an urban nation, infrastructure was largely supported by the federal government, which initially supported most of the costs. From 1961 to 2002, the federal government’s share continued to drop from 25 to 7%, while the municipal share doubled to provide half the cost, with provinces funding the remainder. Municipalities face an increasingly difficult task in building and managing infrastructure. The climate grows more extreme (temperatures, precipitation, and winds), while urban populations fluctuate from birth-rate shifts and Canada’s emerging status as a key destination for climate migrants.