Extending the Boundaries Extending the Boundaries of Urban Governmentsof Urban Governments

A Comprehensive Inquiry into A Comprehensive Inquiry into the Impact of Emerging the Impact of Emerging

Trends on Small Islands in Trends on Small Islands in Atlantic CanadaAtlantic Canada

CanadaCanada

• A federation governed by the British A federation governed by the British North America Act 1867 and the North America Act 1867 and the Canada Constitution ActCanada Constitution Act

• 3 layers of jurisdiction – federal, 3 layers of jurisdiction – federal, provincial and municipalprovincial and municipal

• Federal government is the Federal government is the overarching government body.overarching government body.

Provinces Provinces

• Sub national jurisdiction of the Sub national jurisdiction of the federationfederation

• Jurisdictional Equals with One AnotherJurisdictional Equals with One Another

• Jurisdictional Equals with the Federal Jurisdictional Equals with the Federal GovernmentGovernment

MunicipalitiesMunicipalities

• Local Government delivers the Local Government delivers the necessary services to local residentsnecessary services to local residents

• Responsible for representing local Responsible for representing local constituentsconstituents

• Are not legal entitiesAre not legal entities

• Responsible to provinceResponsible to province

BNA ActBNA Act

• Shapes and defines the arrangement Shapes and defines the arrangement of powers between the federal of powers between the federal government and the provincesgovernment and the provinces

• Fisheries, health care, education, Fisheries, health care, education, communications, transportation, communications, transportation, financial services. financial services.

Reasons for FederationReasons for Federation

• Long-term political stabilityLong-term political stability

• Defined division of powersDefined division of powers

• A model of effective governanceA model of effective governance

• Offers secure economic, Offers secure economic, constitutional and social planning constitutional and social planning agreement across jurisdictionagreement across jurisdiction

• Good intergovernmental relationsGood intergovernmental relations

IssuesIssues

• It has been said that the ink was It has been said that the ink was barely dry on the BNA Act 1867 barely dry on the BNA Act 1867 before some of the partners in the before some of the partners in the nation had begun to complain about nation had begun to complain about the federal system …the federal system …

IssuesIssues

• DysfunctionalDysfunctional

• Competing interests between the federal Competing interests between the federal and provincial governmentsand provincial governments

• Unresponsive to Constituents / Provincial Unresponsive to Constituents / Provincial needsneeds

• Provinces feeling increasingly Provinces feeling increasingly disempowereddisempowered

• Ottawa (home of Government of Canada) Ottawa (home of Government of Canada) runs roughshod over provincesruns roughshod over provinces

Federation’s Relationship with Federation’s Relationship with Canadian MunicipalitiesCanadian Municipalities

New Cities DealNew Cities Deal

• One of five top priorities for recently One of five top priorities for recently elected government.elected government.

• Municipalities / large urban centers Municipalities / large urban centers require sufficient funding for require sufficient funding for infrastructure, mass transit, housing.infrastructure, mass transit, housing.

• Urban renewal needed.Urban renewal needed.

Extending the Boundaries of Extending the Boundaries of Urban GovernmentsUrban Governments

• A Comprehensive Inquiry into the A Comprehensive Inquiry into the Impact of Emerging Trends on Small Impact of Emerging Trends on Small Islands in Atlantic CanadaIslands in Atlantic Canada