This presentation describes the structural history of school boards, boards of health, and hydro commissions in Ontario. The goal is to understand how and why these institutions have changed over the long term, focusing on how ideas, organized interests, and political opportunities can explain the long-term patterns, timing, and pace of institutional change.

In the second annual Toronto City Manager's Address, City Manager Joe Pennachetti discusses the City's fiscal position and the strategic directions the City must weigh in building an economically vibrant, functional, and inclusive Toronto.

Lars-Erik Borge presents a talk at IMFG entitled, The Role of Local Governments in a Unitary Welfare State: The Case of Norway. Borge is Professor of Economics at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim. Borge is a former IMFG visiting scholar.

In recent years, we have seen a sharp increase in foreign demand for Canadian assets, including bonds issued by Canadian municipalities and provinces. IMFG Post-Doctoral Fellow Kyle Hanniman discusses the factors driving foreign investment in Canada's subnational bond market; the implications of these developments for municipal borrowing costs and credit spreads; and what, if anything, municipalities are doing to manage the risks and opportunities involved.