Democracy from the Bottom up: Unlocking the Potential of Community Councils
Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, Room 108N 1 Devonshire Place, North House, Room 108N, Toronto, ON, CanadaIn a number of cities around the world, community councils give local residents the power to get directly involved in local matters facing municipal government. In Toronto, City Council will soon consider the boundaries, mandates, and powers of its four community councils, which were created in 1998 to address the perceived lack of direct access […]
Financing Infrastructure: Who Should Pay?
Editors Richard Bird and Enid Slack and chapter author Matti Siemiatycki discussed the key themes of IMFG’s new book, Financing Infrastructure: Who Should Pay?, followed by a reception and book signing. Politicians and citizens universally agree that Canada’s urban infrastructure urgently needs work. But few cities have room to raise additional revenue, and the federal and provincial […]
The Public Acceptability of Taxation: Implications for Canadian Cities
Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, Room 108N 1 Devonshire Place, North House, Room 108N, Toronto, ON, CanadaAversion to taxes presents a major policy dilemma for elected governments: voters want governments to deliver goods and services but are deeply suspicious of their efforts to raise taxes. When are citizens willing to support major changes to tax policy? IMFG’s 2017-2018 Postdoctoral Fellow Matthew Lesch discussed a new study on whether and how Canadians are likely […]
Returning to the Golden Rule of Balanced Budgets: The Institutional and Political Economy of Restricting Public Deficits and Debt
The “golden rule” of public finance states that over an economic cycle, governments should borrow only to invest and not to fund current spending, and that the current budget must always balance or be brought into surplus. In Ontario, all municipalities are subject to legal borrowing limits, with special exceptions for Toronto and York Region. […]
Understanding Smarter Cities: What Happens Next?
Innis Town Hall Innis College, 2 Sussex Avenue, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, CanadaAs part of IMFG’s ongoing series of publications and events, we are pleased to co-sponsor the following event, organized by the Urban Studies Program at Innis College. The intended audience includes local and regional stakeholders, government and industry partners that are developing smart cities strategies, researchers and community members. Panelists will highlight previous smart cities […]
Investing in Toronto’s Future: The 6th Annual IMFG Toronto City Manager’s Address
Campbell Conference Facility Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, 1 Devonshire Place, Toronto, Ontario, CanadaToronto is an exceptional city at least partially because of public policies and past investments. As Toronto City Manager Peter Wallace discussed in his 2016 remarks to IMFG, Toronto faces challenges in meeting the demands of a global, international city. On October 26, Peter joined IMFG to discuss how the City of Toronto can address these […]
What Makes a Resilient City?
Campbell Conference Facility Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, 1 Devonshire Place, Toronto, Ontario, CanadaEvery city wants to build its urban resilience and grow its capacity to absorb future shocks and stresses. How do local governments create cities that are resilient to the environmental, social, and economic challenges of the 21st century? What can Canadian cities do to become more resilient and inclusive?
Climate Finance in Ontario: Can Debt Financing be “Green”?
Can debt financing be “green”? On June 21, IMFG post-doctoral fellow Gustavo Carvalho will talk about climate financing in Ontario cities, looking at financial instruments and strategies that have been successfully implemented elsewhere, with a focus on green bonds, environmental impact bonds, and green banks.
Finding Common Ground: Inter-Local Cooperation in Canada in Theory and Practice
Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, Room 208N 1 Devonshire Place, North House, Room 208N, Toronto, ON, CanadaMunicipal governments across Canada are increasingly looking to inter-municipal agreements as a way to share the costs and delivery of some local services. As this practice increases, it is important to have a better understanding of the benefits and consequences of service sharing in Canadian communities.
The Role of the City Manager: The Forgotten Link in Municipal Administration
This presentation discusses one of the most important changes in municipal administration — the rise of the City Manager/Chief Administrative Officer. It looks at the development of the position, as well as its strengths and some of the shoals that need to be navigated to ensure that the position continues to fulfill its important role.