Canadian Local Government

Written by one of Canada's foremost authorities on municipal government, this comprehensive introduction to urban local government explores how Canadian municipal governments are defined, why we have them, what they do, and how power is attained and distributed within them.

In Foundations of Governance, experts from each of Canada's provinces come together to assess the extent to which municipal governments have the capacity to act autonomously, purposefully, and collaboratively in the intergovernmental arena.

Written by one of Canada's foremost authorities on municipal government, Canadian Local Government: An Urban Perspective is a comprehensive introduction to the organization and politics of Canadian local government. Author Andrew Sancton begins with the legal and political framework ofCanadian local government before examining how structures of local government are adapted to urbanization and how power, politics, and finances shape Canadian municipalities. Fully revised with 2016 census data, a brand-new chapter examining municipal relationships with Indigenous and othergovernments, and rooted in practical problems and issues, the third edition of Canadian Local Government is the ideal text for the latest courses on local government and municipal politics.

The federal government and its policies transform Canadian cities in myriad ways. Canada in Cities examines this relationship to better understand the interplay among changing demographics, how local governments and citizens frame their arguments for federal action, and the ways in which the national government uses its power and resources to shape urban Canada. Most studies of local governance in Canada focus on politics and policy within cities. The essays in this collection turn such analysis on its head, by examining federal programs, rather than municipal ones, and observing how they influence local policies and work with regional authorities and civil societies. Through a series of case studies - ranging from federal policy concerning Aboriginal people in cities, to the introduction of the federal gas tax transfer to municipalities, to the impact of Canada's emergency management policies on cities - the contributors provide insights about how federal politics influence the local political arena. Analyzing federal actions in diverse policy fields, the authors uncover meaningful patterns of federal action and outcome in Canadian cities. A timely contribution, Canada in Cities offers a comprehensive study of diverse areas of municipal public policy that have emerged in Canada in recent years.

Disentanglement is used in this report to refer to the unravelling of responsibilities shared by governments in order to achieve delivery of services that is more accountable, efficient, and effective. This report first reviews the development of provincial-municipal relations in Ontario since 1793, with details on the last major era of reform in the provincial-municipal relationship (late 1960s to early 1970s), a period which provides a case example of the last major effort to disentangle provincial & municipal responsibilities. This is followed by commentaries on relations between municipalities & other levels of government in other provinces & countries. The discussion covers such matters as accountability & understanding, finances, strategic planning, and intergovernmental relations. The final section discusses experiences in the other jurisdictions and analyses of past Ontario reforms & global trends in relation to Ontario's current disentanglement process.