The Canadian Municipal System

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.

The student who would understand the government of a country can only obtain a complete knowledge of it if he knows something of the government of its local subdivisions. Yet the Canadian student will find studies of Canadian local government almost non-existent. Similarly the citizen or municipal officer looking for details of the organization and operation of the several systems of local government in Canada needs, but has not yet had, one single source with all the information on the subject gathered together in readily available form. Mr. Crawford meets both needs in his excellent study, the sixth volume in the Canadian Government Series. Since local government in Canada comes under provincial jurisdiction, there are ten distinct systems having many similarities and diversities. Mr. Crawford's aim is to show how various Canadian municipal systems function, rather than to present a critical analysis of existing institutions and practices. But first he discusses the necessity of local government, its practical and political importance, the degree of self-government involved in local government and the factors contributing to this, and the weak constitutional position of local government, a position offset by the needs of the community, needs which can be best met by local government and which assure the continuance of that government despite the tightening of central control by province and nation.

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.