Browse Our Research 

Zack Taylor and Alec Dobson examine the state of municipal empowerment by presenting an overview of municipal law in Canada’s 10 provinces. They identify similarities and variations within and among the provinces in how they articulate the provincial-municipal relationship, municipal powers and jurisdiction, the organization of municipal institutions, and financial powers.
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This report from Ontario 360, the Institute on Municipal Finance and Governance, and the Urban Policy Lab explores the relationship between the Province and Ontario’s 444 municipalities – how it has become so intertwined and why the time has come for a reassessment that ensures Ontarians receive the highest quality, most effective, and most efficient services from their governments.
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In this video, experts from different sectors discuss the role of public consultation in policy development within the context of increasing polarization and erosion of trust.
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This paper explores the place of municipalities in Canada’s democratic system and constitution, arguing that their status in Canada’s constitutional order ought to be recognized and secured.
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This paper examines the current state of property tax policy across Canada and finds that municipalities and provinces are facing a number of shared challenges and questions, including: whether to apply progressive property tax rates, the volatility of property taxes, the benefits and drawbacks of using property tax incentives to attract businesses, and the role of provincial property taxes
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To tackle our modern challenges – population growth and changing demographics, climate change, aging infrastructure, congestion, and poverty – Toronto and the region‘s success decades from now will hinge on how we work together.
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In this video, Chris Murray, Toronto’s City Manager, spoke about how challenges require municipalities not only to set their own priorities, but to work together and with other governments, institutions, the private sector, community partners and Indigenous peoples to improve quality of life.
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IMFG Post-Doctoral Fellow Nick Lombardo presented on New York’s experience and drew lessons for how different levels of government can cooperate – or not – to provide large-scale infrastructure in cities today.
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