Browse Our Research
IMFG Paper | 2017
The Evolving Role of City Managers and Chief Administrative Officers
Michael Fenn and David Siegel
The often hidden, but very important, relationship between the municipal council and the public service is a key determinant of the success of any municipality. This paper offers some suggestions for positive ways in which the CAO model can develop and warns of some clouds on the horizon that could harm the Canadian municipal government system.
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Presentation | 2017
The Role of the City Manager: The Forgotten Link in Municipal Administration
Michael Fenn and David Siegel
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.
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Presentation | 2017
Local Governance and Public Finance Challenges of the Fracking Boom: Lessons for the US and Canada
Austin Zwick
Hydraulic fracturing drilling - commonly known as fracking - makes up the majority of US oil output. Canada may soon follow. This presentation focuses on the impacts of boom-bust resource extraction cycles on local revenues and expenditures and intergovernmental relations.
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Presentation | 2017
Transit Fare Integration: Lessons for Toronto from Around the World
Lauren Birch
This presentation explores some key challenges and considerations when it comes to fare integration in Toronto. How can lessons learned from other major cities help us to develop our own transit fare policies?
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Perspectives Paper | 2017
Accountability Officers and Integrity in Canadian Municipal Government
Andrew Sancton
This paper argues that municipal accountability officers in Canada can and do address many problems and dilemmas, but they can also create problems of their own. Accountability officers have limited formal authority, but considerable power to influence public opinion. The most important function of accountability officers is to provide citizens with the kind of information they need in order to make intelligent electoral choices.
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Presentation | 2017
Local Transparency and Accountability: The Role of Municipal Accountability Officers
Andrew Sancton
In this presentation, Andrew Sancton, one of Canada’s foremost authorities on municipal government, explores the role of accountability officers in Canadian municipal government, highlighting both their accomplishments and the challenges they face.
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IMFG Paper | 2017
Climate Change, Floods, and Municipal Risk Sharing in Canada
Daniel Henstra and Jason Thistlethwaite
With a focus on urban flooding, this paper identifies and explains ways in which governments can share climate-related risks. It then evaluates whether and how these tools have been used in Calgary, Alberta, and Toronto, Ontario.
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Perspectives Paper | 2017
Reducing Urban Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Effective Steering Strategies for City Governments
Sara Hughes
City governments in Toronto, New York City, and Los Angeles have each set ambitious GHG reduction targets, and developed programs and policies to reach these targets. This paper draws on their experiences and identifies steering strategies that have proven effective in all three cities.
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Search Research Archive
Inside Halton: Enid Slack on the Vacant Home Tax
September 6, 2024
Journal of Commerce: Aaron Moore on Winnipeg development
August 14, 2024
Globe and Mail: Sean Grisdale on the “Squandering” of Public Land Sales
June 7, 2024