Local and Urban Politics

E09 - Municipal Governance and Intergovernmental Relations

Date: Jun 4 | Time: 08:30am to 10:00am | Location:

Chair/Président/Présidente : Martin Horak (University of Western Ontario)

Discussant/Commentateur/Commentatrice : Joanne Heritz (Brock University)

Discussant/Commentateur/Commentatrice : Martin Horak (University of Western Ontario)

Toronto’s Governance Crisis: A Global City Under Pressure Still: Ronald Vogel (Toronto Metropolitan University), Meghan Joy (Concordia University)
Abstract: Ten years ago, we found Toronto faced a “governance crisis,” unable to address its urban problems including “a dysfunctional urban politics, crumbling infrastructure, traffic gridlock and inadequate investment in transit, growing income disparities, and a lack of affordable housing” (Joy and Vogel 2015). Factors leading to the crisis included “economic globalization, political restructuring (e.g., amalgamation), and ascendance of neoliberalism as the governing philosophy at the provincial and federal levels.” The Toronto study led us to consider whether more progressive urban policies could offer a better future for cities (Joy and Vogel 2021) and the potential for transformational urban politics and policy (Joy and Vogel 2022). In this paper, we review the past 10 years in Toronto, particularly in the wake of the election of a progressive mayor, and revisit these questions and what the future may hold.

Institutional Conflicts and Contested Authority: Local Autonomy and Infrastructure Development in Canadian Cities: Hao Xi (University of Waterloo)
Abstract: This paper will examine how intergovernmental dynamics shape infrastructure project outcomes in Canadian cities, revealing how conflicts between different levels of government influence municipal decision-making patterns. While Canadian municipalities have gained greater administrative independence in recent decades, their infrastructure initiatives remain deeply embedded in federal and provincial funding relationships that can constrain local decision-making. Through comparative case studies of major urban infrastructure projects across Canadian cities, this research will investigate how intergovernmental dynamics influence project performance, community impacts, and long-term sustainability, and how cities navigate competing pressures from different government levels while trying to advance local infrastructure priorities. The analysis employs a theoretical framework combining multilevel governance and local state entrepreneurialism theory to understand how these dynamics affect municipal capacity for autonomous action on infrastructure development. This research expects to demonstrate that the current patterns of intergovernmental relations in Canada create specific behavioral patterns in local infrastructure development, often resulting in delayed implementation, increased costs, and reduced community benefits. By examining these institutional tensions, this study argues for rethinking intergovernmental arrangements to better balance local autonomy with coordinated action across government levels, with implications for both infrastructure policy and theories of urban governance.

Is Reconciliation on the Agenda of Canadian Municipalities? Politician Perceptions and Possibilities: Chadwick Cowie (University of Toronto), Kristin Good (Dalhousie University)
Abstract: Questions relating to the role of municipalities in reconciliation and the nature of their relationship building with Indigenous nations, communities, and peoples is an area of research that is dynamic and warrants attention. This paper builds upon research that has begun to document municipal initiatives to build better relationships with Indigenous nations and urban populations. This literature has either been published before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission released its report and calls to action or focuses on a limited group of urban municipalities. To date, we do not have a comprehensive understanding of the extent to which Canadian municipalities are engaged in initiatives to improve relations with Indigenous nations and populations and of the types of initiatives that municipalities are pursuing. This paper addresses the question of the extent to which reconciliation with Indigenous peoples is on the agenda of Canadian municipalities. It draws upon data collected through a large-scale survey of municipal politicians fielded by the Canadian Municipal Barometer research team to begin to provide a thorough national perspective on how elected officials perceive the proper role of Canadian municipalities in municipal-Indigenous relations including their assessment of their level of activity and the proper scope and scale of their engagement with Indigenous nations and populations. It also reports on politicians’ awareness of municipal initiatives in this area as well as the range of initiatives that municipalities are pursuing. The paper begins to create a typology of municipal initiatives and approaches to municipal-Indigenous relations and lays out an agenda for future research.