Events

Cost overruns and schedule delays have plagued major infrastructure projects for decades. Every year, unexpected overruns cost governments tens, if not hundreds of millions of dollars. This event, convened by IMFG and today’s leading infrastructure thinkers and practitioners, explores how to overcome cost overruns on public infrastructure projects.

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.

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.

Are infrastructure financing tools underutilized when it comes to planning for smart growth? Do we run the risk of undercutting “smart growth” efforts if we assume infrastructure financing tools to be growth-neutral?

The Indian Planning Commission was one of India's leading public economic institutions. The dissolution of the Planning Commission by the present government in New Delhi and its replacement by the Niti Aayog raises important questions for economic policy, explored in this panel event.

This talk surveys the fiscal impacts of rising police salaries for Ontario's municipalities, then goes on to present research about best practices for controlling costs.