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?

In Toronto, tax increment financing has been proposed as a tool for funding the city’s Smart Track initiative. But would it actually work in practice? Dr. Murtaza Haider reviews land value capture projects in the United States and Canada, and shares original findings from an upcoming study on Toronto’s Sheppard East subway extension and its impact on surrounding property values.

While Brazilian cities are popularly characterized by their inequality, Brazil is also known for its progressive national urban policies. This talk explores the contrast between these progressive ideals and how they play out in practice. On the ground, how do power relations and the organization of civil society influence participatory and socially-just planning?

Mayor Naheed Nenshi is currently serving his second term and is Calgary's 36th mayor. During his first term in office, Mayor Nenshi's leadership resulted in many positive changes to Calgary to build better communities, keep Calgarians moving, and transform government to reinforce a culture of constant citizen-focused improvement at The City of Calgary.

In his first public address since taking office in July, Toronto City Manager Peter Wallace shares his perspectives on the City’s finances, and on the opportunities and challenges to achieving key social, economic, city-building, environmental, and governance objectives.

This presentation focuses on the policy processes involved in implementing the Clean Water Act (2006), and outlined the practical and policy challenges of setting up the Toronto and Region Source Protection Authority with the involvement of municipal and non-municipal stakeholders.

In an era when all large cities are struggling to maintain balanced budgets and pay for increased services and infrastructure, Is Your City Healthy? is a timely publication that explores the elements of fiscal health, how we measure it, and why it is important.

His Worship Mayor Don Iveson of Edmonton is joined in conversation with Professor Richard Florida on a number of topics and issues related to the Role of Big Cities in Canada. This event is part of the Big City, Big Ideas series, which features global leaders in urban and regional policy.

Rapid developments in digital innovation and in the availability and application of large-scale data sets create opportunities both for new economic activities and jobs, and for new and cheaper ways of delivering city services. They also hold out possibilities for new ways that governments can engage with citizens, while at the same time raising concerns about data privacy.