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SUMMARY:The Regional Advantage: Evidence of Impact in Changing Times
DESCRIPTION:Communities across the Greater Toronto area are facing significant pressures amid rapidly evolving economic\, political\, and geopolitical landscapes. With rising demand for social services\, growing infrastructure needs\, evolving workforce environments\, and mounting fiscal constraints\, regional governments are playing a critical role in delivering coordinated\, large-scale solutions. On April 20\, the CAOs of Halton\, Peel\, York\, and Durham will reflect on how regional governance enables strategic planning and service delivery across municipalities. They will share evidence of how the regional model is helping communities navigate uncertainty while supporting resilient and sustainable growth. \nPlease join us for a frank discussion on Monday\, April 20 from 4:30 – 6:00 pm at the Campbell Conference Facility\, Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at the University of Toronto. \nSpeakers: \nElaine Baxter-Trahair is the Chief Administrative Officer for Durham Region\, leading more than 5\,000 staff within an efficient and highly collaborative work environment. With a focus on innovation and continuous improvement\, Elaine works with other levels of government\, public\, private\, and non-profit sector partners to ensure accountability and transparency in delivering Regional Council’s strategic direction. Located on the east side of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA)\, Durham Region is where the excitement of the city and the tranquility of the countryside meet. It is the largest municipal region within Ontario\, home to 780\,000+ residents within eight cities\, towns\, and townships. Elaine joined Durham Region in 2018\, with more than 30 years of experience complemented by a Bachelor of Education and a Master of Business Administration. \nAndrew Farr was appointed Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) of Halton Region in 2025\, bringing over two decades of senior leadership experience in municipal public works and infrastructure. Prior to this role\, he served as Commissioner of Public Works for both Halton and Peel Regions\, providing strategic leadership and oversight of these departments. A licensed Professional Engineer\, he holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Waterloo and a Master’s Certificate in Public Management from York University. He is a past Chair of Ontario’s Regional Public Works Commissioners and recently completed a two-year term as Engineer-in-Residence at the University of Waterloo\, contributing to the development of future leaders in the field. \nGary Kent is the Chief Administrative Officer of Peel Region\, which delivers essential services and infrastructure to 1.6 million residents and over 200\,000 businesses. Reporting directly to Regional Council\, he oversees all staff\, service delivery and infrastructure investments and has over 30 years of experience in progressively senior municipal roles\, including serving as CFO for both Peel and the City of Mississauga. A graduate of Glasgow Caledonian University\, he is a CPA\, a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (FCCA) and holds the ICD.D designation from the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management. Gary was recently appointed second VP for the Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators (CAMA) and sits on the Council of the largest global accounting body (ACCA). \nErin Mahoney is Chief Administrative Officer of The Regional Municipality of York. Erin oversees more than 5\,000 staff delivering comprehensive services to York Region’s 1.2 million residents and 55\,600 businesses. Prior to her appointment as CAO in 2023\, Erin served as York Region’s Commissioner of Public Works and Commissioner of Environmental Services. Erin’s experience spans more than 35 years in operations and executive management in the private and public sectors. Erin holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours) from Memorial University of Newfoundland and a Master of Engineering from the University of Western Ontario. \nModerator: \nKaren Chapple is the Director of the School of Cities at the University of Toronto\, where she also serves as Professor in the Department of Geography and Planning. She is Professor Emerita of City & Regional Planning at the University of California\, Berkeley\, where she served as department chair and held the Carmel P. Friesen Chair in Urban Studies. \nRegister
URL:https://imfg.org/event/the-regional-advantage-evidence-of-impact-in-changing-times/
LOCATION:Campbell Conference Facility\, Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy\, 1 Devonshire Place\, Toronto\, Ontario\, M5S 3K7\, Canada
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260428T160000
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DTSTAMP:20260404T010413
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UID:14775-1777392000-1777395600@imfg.org
SUMMARY:Alternative Governance Mechanisms for Water Delivery: The Case of Ecuador
DESCRIPTION:Water provision is a core responsibility of local governments in Ecuador\, yet 3.8 million Ecuadorians lack access to clean water. Water is delivered through a shared governance arrangement: municipalities provide 34% of household water; community-based water organizations supply 33%. Focusing on 157 small- and medium-sized municipalities\, Maria Francisca Granda Benitez examines the variation across these shared management arrangements. She argues that variation in collective action and municipal–community relationships can help explain uneven household water provision\, and that stronger coordination between these actors could significantly expand access to safe water in Ecuador. \nSpeaker: \nMaria Francisca Granda Benitez is the recipient of the 2024–25 Graduate Fellowship in Municipal Finance and Governance. She is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Political Science at the University of Toronto. She has a broad interest in the political economy of inequality and development\, the provision of public goods\, and state capacity\, particularly in Latin American contexts. Francisca’s doctoral research is driven by a desire to understand the relationships between grassroots organizations and local governments in promoting the welfare of small municipalities. Specifically\, her work investigates the provision of water in rural Ecuador. \nRegister\n 
URL:https://imfg.org/event/alternative-governance-mechanisms-for-water-delivery-the-case-of-ecuador/
LOCATION:School of Cities\, Suite 853\, Boardroom\, 55 St. George Street\, Toronto\, Ontario\, M5S 0C9\, Canada
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