IMFG – Institute on Municipal Finance & Governance

Research

Publications by an array of domestic and international experts.

Events

Profiling best practices for Canadian cities and elevating the public debate.

Fellowships

Shaping Canada’s next generation of municipal finance and governance experts.

IMFG Paper | 2026

Power and Purpose: The Quiet Evolution of Canadian Municipal Law

Zack Taylor, Craig Mutter, Joseph Lyons, Alec Dobson

IMFG Paper | 2025

The Governance of Homeless Encampments in Canada

Alexandra Flynn and Estair Van Wagner

IMFG Paper | 2025

Fiscal Gains from Real Estate Development: The Case of Québec Municipalities

Jean-Philippe Meloche

IMFG Paper | 2025

Eco-Fiscal Tools and Municipal Finance: Current Practices and Opportunities

Jean-Philippe Meloche, Fanny Tremblay-Racicot

Who Does What Report | 2025

The Municipal Role in Mental Health

R. Marcus Hammond, Barb Fornssler, Elaine Hyshka, Kwame McKenzie, et al.

IMFG Paper | 2025

A Fleeting Metropolitan Moment

Gabriel Eidelman, Jen Nelles

IMFG Paper | 2024

Flooding: Toward a Municipal Contribution to Economic Risk Sharing

Bernard Deschamps, Philippe Gachon, Michel Leclerc, Mathieu Boudreault

IMFG Paper | 2024

Levelling Up Innovation in Local Government: An Evaluation of International Smart City Competitions

Austin Zwick, Zachary Spicer, Aaron Eben

Forum Paper | 2024

Changing Patterns of Governance in Metropolitan Regions: Australian and Canadian Perspectives

Graham Sansom, Zack Taylor, Janice Baker

Who Does What Report | 2024

The Municipal Role in Immigration

Valerie Preston, John Shields, Valerie Pruegger, Mireille Paquet, Sivakamy Thayaalan

IMFG Paper | 2024

Land Use Planning to Mitigate Climate Change in the Greater Golden Horseshoe

Clara Turner, Jeff Allen, Karen Chapple, Sarah A. Smith

Who Does What Report | 2024

The Municipal Role in Child Care

Martha Friendly, Gordon Cleveland, Sue Colley, Rachel Vickerson, Carolyn Ferns, Carley Holt,

Presentation | 2026

Fourth Annual CAOs' Address: The Regional Advantage

Gary Kent, Elaine Baxter-Trahair, Erin Mahoney, Andrew Farr

Presentation for IMFG's fourth annual CAOs' Address with the regional Chief Administrative Officers of York, Halton, Peel, and Durham on April 20, 2026. Find out more »

Presentation | 2025

Maintaining and Renewing the Social Housing Stock: Canada in a Comparative Perspective

Collin Bernard

Presentation for Collin Bernard's talk on how different systems govern and fund the maintenance and renovation of their social housing stock. Find out more »

Video | 2025

13th Annual Toronto City Manager’s Address

Paul Johnson

Toronto City Manager Paul Johnson spoke on "Feeding Focus and Starving Distraction: Focusing on Priorities to Deliver on Torontonians' Investment." Find out more »

Presentation | 2025

13th Annual Toronto City Manager’s Address

Paul Johnson

Toronto City Manager Paul Johnson spoke on "Feeding Focus and Starving Distraction: Focusing on Priorities to Deliver on Torontonians' Investment." Find out more »

Presentation | 2025

Municipal Finance in Germany – Caught Between Investment Needs and Transformation Pressures

Henrik Scheller

On November 4, 2025, Dr. Henrik Scheller argued that linking local investment strategies with ecological and social sustainability is more crucial than ever in Germany. Find out more »

Burlington Gazette: Analysis of Strong Mayor Powers

Toronto Star: Enid Slack on the Use of Reserve Funds in Toronto’s Proposed Budget

CBC New Brunswick: Aaron Moore on Unequal Assessment Freezes

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Measuring Impact: The Evolution of Federal Housing and Infrastructure Analysis

Power and Purpose: The Quiet Evolution of Canadian Municipal Law

The Governance of Homeless Encampments in Canada

IMFG @ 20 Essays

IMFG Papers in Municipal Finance and Governance

IMFG Perspectives Papers

IMFG Forum Papers

IMFG Who Does What Papers

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