IMFG at 20
20 years of IMFG – what a milestone! When the Institute was founded, cities were asking for a new deal from the federal and provincial governments. They are still asking. Meanwhile, the world has continued to change in ways that affect the ability of cities to both govern effectively and meet rising needs with limited tax sources. Cities are experiencing the impacts of climate change, a rising infrastructure deficit, an increasing need for affordable housing, growing cyber security threats, and other challenges. Some progress has been made but more needs to be done to make cities fiscally sustainable, with governance systems that continue to evolve and an intergovernmental infrastructure to reflect 21st century realities.
On January 30, 2025, the institute held IMFG @ 20, an afternoon of panels and discussions, featuring a chat between the co-founders, IMFG Board Chair and Chairman and CEO of Avana Capital Alan Broadbent and IMFG Director Enid Slack, a video address by University of Toronto President Meric Gertler, a panel on municipal governance with Gabriel Eidelman, Alexandra Flynn and Zack Taylor, a video address by former City of Toronto Mayor David Miller, and a final panel on municipal finance with Enid Slack, Adam Found and Matti Siemiatycki. The panels were based on essays published in honour of the celebration.
Essays written by panelists for the event can be found at https://imfg.org/imfg-at-20/.
Event Agenda
Opening Remarks
Shirley Hoy (Principal, StrategyCorp and IMFG Board Member)
Fireside Chat: Reflecting on 20 years of IMFG
Enid Slack (IMFG Director, University of Toronto) and Alan Broadbent (IMFG Board Chair and Chairman and CEO of Avana Capital)
Panel 1: Governing Cities in 2045
Special Address: Meric Gertler (President, University of Toronto)
Panelists: Zack Taylor (IMFG Fellow and Associate Professor, Western University), Alexandra Flynn (IMFG Fellow and Associate Professor, University of British Columbia), Gabriel Eidelman (IMFG Faculty Fellow and Assistant Professor, University of Toronto)
Discussant: Zachary Spicer (Associate Professor, York University)
Moderator: Selena Zhang (Executive Officer, Advocacy and Engagement, Atkinson Foundation)
Panel 2: Financing Cities in 2045
Special Address: David Miller (Managing Director, C40 Centre for City Climate Policy and Economy)
Panelists: Enid Slack, Adam Found (Manager of Corporate Assets, City of Kawartha Lakes), Matti Siemiatycki (Professor and Infrastructure Institute Director, University of Toronto)
Discussant: Almos Tassonyi (IMFG Senior Associate)
Moderator: André Côté (Director of Policy and Research at The Dias, Toronto Metropolitan University)