Charting a new path: does Toronto need more autonomy?

Across Canada, and particularly in Toronto, calls for increased municipal autonomy and the protection of municipal authority in the Canadian constitution have been getting louder. On November 28, 2019, the Institute on Municipal Finance and Governance (IMFG) convened a public panel discussion in partnership with the Urban Land Institute–Toronto to explore these issues, particularly the question of whether Toronto needs a constitutionally entrenched city charter. These issues have become no less significant following the onset of the COVID-19 crisis, which has revealed the limits of municipal powers and financial resources, while also demonstrating the importance of provincial and federal support for municipalities in difficult times.This paper contextualizes and summarizes the speakers’ remarks to explore whether Toronto needs greater autonomy, and if so, how that might be achieved.