Search Results for: Infrastructure and Housing

This paper describes and evaluates density for benefit agreements (DBAs) in Toronto and Vancouver. DBAs allow municipalities to secure cash contributions or amenities from developers in return for allowing developers to exceed currently prevailing height and density restrictions.
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In the Toronto policy and planning community, Section 37 (S37) of the Planning Act is the source of much debate and disagreement. This paper suggests there should be serious consideration of whether to abolish, reform, or replace it with alternative tools, such as inclusionary housing policies or fixed charges.
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IMFG, along with the School of Public Policy and Governance, the Department of Geography and Planning, Urban Strategies, and Global City Indicators Facility, presented the first lecture in the series, "Big City, Big Ideas," entitled Hudson Yards, NYC: The History, Challenges and Opportunities of North America’s Largest City-Building Development.
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Baumeister’s paper suggests policy changes for using the development charge as a planning tool. Burgess reviews the risks to Canadian municipal finance from extreme weather and analyzes the financial tools that cities can use to prepare for extreme weather events.
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In recent years, the City of Toronto’s use of Section 37 has come under greater scrutiny. In particular, critics question how the benefits are determined and distributed. Using data compiled on Section 37 agreements from 2007 through 2011, this presentation seeks to answer that question.
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The Canadian water and wastewater deficit has been estimated to be in the billions of dollars. Drawing upon the political, economic, and technical history of the Southern Ontario water sector, IMFG Graduate Fellowship winner Lesley Herstein explores how short-term decision-making has often resulted in greater municipal expenditure over time on water assets.
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Presentation delivered by IMFG Director Enid Slack on April 4, 2012 to the Saskatchewan Heavy Construction Association.
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Around the world, there is a broad understanding of the role that strategic investments in transportation play in advancing metropolitan and national economies. In the current context, investments in roads and transit are more important than ever. We need new approaches to how these projects are conceived, funded, and delivered while, at the same time, reinvesting in existing infrastructure.
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