Search Results for: Municipal Revenues

In recent years, we have seen a sharp increase in foreign demand for Canadian assets, including bonds issued by Canadian municipalities and provinces. IMFG Post-Doctoral Fellow Kyle Hanniman discussed the factors driving foreign investment in Canada's subnational bond market; the implications of these developments for municipal borrowing costs and credit spreads; and what, if anything, municipalities are doing to manage the risks and opportunities involved.
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A growing number of cities are turning to public-private partnerships (P3s) to finance their infrastructure investments. What are the advantages and disadvantages of P3s as a municipal financing model? How do they work? And what role do the federal and provincial governments play?
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Can and should Canadian municipalities be borrowing more? If so, what measures and financing models should cities adopt to ensure additional borrowing is cost-effective and responsible?
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This paper describes and evaluates density for benefit agreements (DBAs) in Toronto and Vancouver. DBAs allow municipalities to secure cash contributions or amenities from developers in return for allowing developers to exceed currently prevailing height and density restrictions.
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In the Toronto policy and planning community, Section 37 (S37) of the Planning Act is the source of much debate and disagreement. This paper suggests there should be serious consideration of whether to abolish, reform, or replace it with alternative tools, such as inclusionary housing policies or fixed charges.
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Michael Smart presents the findings of his recent IMFG Paper, which explores the impacts of business property tax reform in Ontario between 2001 and 2004.
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Business property taxes in Ontario have fallen dramatically in the past decade, due to a series of reforms mandated by the provincial government. This paper discusses the likely impacts of the reforms on business location, wages, and land values, and the economic welfare of provincial residents.
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Baumeister’s paper suggests policy changes for using the development charge as a planning tool. Burgess reviews the risks to Canadian municipal finance from extreme weather and analyzes the financial tools that cities can use to prepare for extreme weather events.
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