Browse Our Research 

In this presentation on his new book, Shaping the Metropolis: Institutions and Urbanization in the United States and Canada, Zack Taylor compares the historical development of intergovernmental policymaking for Canadian and American cities since the 19th century with a particular focus on Toronto, Vancouver, Portland, and Minneapolis–St. Paul.
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Toronto is an emerging global city. Yet the failure to build rapid transit in step with the explosive growth of the past 40 years is one of the city-region’s biggest impediments to inclusive development and prosperity. This paper outlines how transit planning in the Greater Toronto Area can be improved through changes to governance and the role of evidence in decision-making.
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In this video, Alan Harding assesses the arguments produced in favour of metropolitan governance, the extent to which real-world reforms have been driven by these arguments, the barriers that stand in the way of “rational” reform, and how Greater Manchester’s experience with metropolitan governance points to ways of overcoming at least some of those barriers.
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Experts from multiple disciplines have argued in principle for the benefits of metropolitan governance, but how has it played out in practice? On September 19, IMFG Visiting Scholar Alan Harding addressed this question by drawing on his experience as Chief Economic Adviser to the Greater Manchester Combined Authority as well as his many years of academic research on metropolitan governance.
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This paper examines the evolution of Mexico City’s governance structure. The City’s latest transition to a city-state, the paper argues, marks a particularly important step forward in the City’s pursuit of greater political autonomy and democratic decision-making.
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Toronto has more than 80 Business Improvement Areas (BIAs) and more than 150 neighbourhood associations (NAs) that claim to represent the interests of residents and businesses on matters ranging from the public realm to planning. This paper provides background and comprehensive data on the city’s BIAs and NAs, including their locations, functions, and correlations with other socioeconomic indicators, such as income. The paper concludes with options for City Council in reforming its governance model.
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Using findings from media and policy analysis, participant observation, and interviews, this presentation explores the Sidewalk Toronto consultation processes.
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This presentation by 2018-19 IMFG Post-Doctoral Fellow Alejandra Reyes highlights the experience of some of Mexico’s largest cities in the implementation of nationally mandated urban growth policies. 
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