Who Does What Series

Canadian municipalities play increasingly important roles in addressing the policy challenges that are at the centre of political debate, including addressing climate change, increasing housing affordability, reforming policing, and confronting public health crises. The growing prominence of municipalities, however, has also led to overlapping responsibilities with provinces and the federal government. Such “entanglement” between orders of government has the potential to result in poor coordination and opaque accountability. At the same time, combining the strengths and capabilities of different orders of government – whether in setting policy, convening, funding, or delivering services – can sometimes lead to more effective action.

The Who Does What series gathers academics and practitioners to examine the role municipalities should play in key policy areas, the reforms required to ensure municipalities can deliver on their responsibilities, and the collaboration required among governments to meet the country’s challenges.

Produced by the Institute on Municipal Finance and Governance and Urban Policy Lab

Editors: Gabriel Eidelman, Kass Forman, Tomas Hachard, and Enid Slack

Cover of the Municipal Role in Housing Report

Housing

No. 1, April 2022

Contributors:
Carolyn Whitzman, Alexandra Flynn, Penny Gurstein, and Craig Jones
Lilian Chau and Jill Atkey
Greg Suttor
Nick Falvo

Cover of The Municipal Role in Economic Development with a picture of skyscrapers at night in a circle. List of authors and editors plus logos of IMFG, Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy and University of Toronto

Economic Development

No. 2, April 2022

Contributors:
Shauna Brail
Charles Conteh
Leann Hackman-Carty

Cover of the Who Does What: Municipal Role in Climate Policy

Climate Change

No. 3, August 2022

Contributors:
Elliott Cappell
Sadhu Johnston
Jennifer Winter

Cover of The Municipal Role in Public Health

Public Health

No. 4, November 2022

Contributors:
Katherine Fierlbeck and Gaynor Watson-Creed
Lawrence Loh
Lindsay McLaren and Jason Cabaj

Cover of The Municipal Role in Policing

Policing

No. 5, November 2022

Contributors:
Alok Mukherjee and Jihyun Kwon
Erick Laming

Report cover

Transportation

No. 6, April 2023

Contributors:
Fanny Tremblay-Racicot
Patricia Burke Wood
Carolyn Kim, Chandan Bhardwaj, and Adam Thorn
Marie-Ève Assunçao-Denis and Matt Pinder

The Municipal Role in Long-Term Care is title with picture of hands folded over another person's hands

Long-Term Care

No. 7, November 2023

Contributors:

Pat Armstrong
Daniella Balasal and Nadia De Santi
Shirley Hoy

The Municipal Role in Child Care is the title with image of a seated infant on the ground and another infant on a lap in the background

Child Care

No. 8, May 2024

Contributors:
Martha Friendly
Gordon Cleveland and Sue Colley
Rachel Vickerson and Carolyn Ferns
Carley Holt

Image of people in line at airport. Cover of The Municipal Role in Immigration as part of the Who Does What Series Contributors: Valerie Preston, John Shields, Valerie Pruegger, Mireille Paquet, and Sivakamy Thayaalan Series editors: Gabriel Eidelman, Kass Forman, Enid Slack

Immigration

No. 6, June 2024

Contributors:
Valerie Preston and John Shields
Valerie Pruegger
Mireille Paquet and Sivakamy Thayaalan

About the Urban Policy Lab

The Urban Policy Lab is the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy’s training ground for urban policy professionals, offering students career development and experiential learning opportunities through graduate fellowships, skills workshops, networking and mentorship programs, and collaborative research and civic education projects.

Media Mentions

Toronto Star, June 6, 2023 - Transportation
Novae Res Urbis, September 21, 2022 - Climate Change
Municipal World, July 2022 - Housing
Municipal World, July 6, 2022 - Economic Development
Kelowna 1150 AM, April 11, 2022 - Housing
Vancouver Sun, April 5, 2022 - Housing
Canadian Press, April 5, 2022 - Housing