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My latest paper, for @IRPP: “Reimagining the Canadian Federation through an Urban Lens.”
TL;DR Canadian cities don’t need new constitutional protections. They need a new intergovernmental infrastructure. (thread)
@UrbanPolicyLab @munkschool @MUI_UofT https://centre.irpp.org/research-studies/reimagining-the-canadian-federation-through-an-urban-lens/
TL;DR Canadian cities don’t need new constitutional protections. They need a new intergovernmental infrastructure. (thread)
@UrbanPolicyLab @munkschool @MUI_UofT https://centre.irpp.org/research-studies/reimagining-the-canadian-federation-through-an-urban-lens/
Nearly everything Canadian cities do depends in some way on intergovernmental coordination, cooperation, or investment. Urban policy, in others words, involves *all* levels of gov, not just municipalities. But our current federal institutions aren’t built for this reality.
We need a new intergovernmental infrastructure that enables policymakers at all levels to better understand the needs of our cities and city-regions, and respond with concerted action. That starts with three ingredients: better data, better organization, and better interfaces.
First, we need better data that capture the gravity of economic, social, and environmental conditions in our cities for fed/prov decision makers. (See my work w/ @DrBradfordGLE & @rowemw @CANURB calling for creation of a Canadian Urban Policy Observatory) http://urbanpolicylab.ca/projects/cupo
Second, cities need more political “muscle” and policy capacity. Every province has a ministry of intergovernmental affairs; cities need to build up their own equivalents to be taken seriously in the intergovernmental arena. @carolesaab and @FCM_online are great, but not enough.
Same goes for city-REGIONS. Canada’s 10 largest metros are home to nearly 20 million Canadians. Mayors in these metro areas must organize to advance a new version of Canadian “regionalism”.
@doniveson @JohnTory @Val_Plante @kennedystewart @nenshi @JimWatsonOttawa
@doniveson @JohnTory @Val_Plante @kennedystewart @nenshi @JimWatsonOttawa
Third, and most important: we need better interfaces for regular, structured dialogue between municipal, regional, provincial and federal authorities. Annual conferences and “bear pits” are exercises in stakeholder relations, not genuine intergovernmental diplomacy.
Thanks to @charlesbreton and @IRPP for the invitation to contribute to the Centre for Excellence on the Canadian Federation, and to colleagues @lucasjacklucas, @parkinac, @stateofthecity, and Michael Fenn ( @StrategyCorp ) for their thoughtful feedback along the way.
