The Federal Role in Cities: Insights from the Outside

Cities around the world are increasingly being recognized as engines of national growth, productivity, and resilience. In Australia and the UK, national policies for cities have been at the heart of federal debate and decision-making in recent years. Are there lessons for Canada? This presentation drew on the causes, courses and consequences of federal city policies in the UK and Australia and highlight points of difference and potential interest to Canadian policymakers. A case is made that stronger emphasis on economic growth, integrated infrastructure planning, and local fiscal capacity will result in more productive and sustainable cities.

Professor Duncan Maclennan is the Knowledge Leader on Devolution and City Deals for the UK’s Economic and Social Research Council. He has advised governments around the world – notably, in Canada as Chief Economist in the Department for Infrastructure and Cities, advisor to the Office of the Prime Minister, and lead author of the Harcourt Report on Canada’s Cities and Communities. He has served in similar capacities for governments in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand, and for the OECD and World Bank. He currently holds Chairs at the University of Glasgow, the University of St. Andrew’s and RMIT University.