If the federal and provincial governments disappeared, it would be some time before most of us noticed. Yes, there wouldn’t be any mail tomorrow, but there are often days when you don’t get mail. If local governments disappeared, we would notice immediately and very directly. It is no exaggeration to state that municipal services are “the difference between savagery and civilization” and, indeed, that is just what Sir Ernest Simon said (of British municipal governments) more than a century and a half ago – and the list of services has expanded greatly since then.
The Local level is doing most of the innovating
Globalization and international trade agreements (and the dispute resolution tribunals that enforce their provisions) have increasingly restricted the capacity of national governments to act on behalf on behalf of their citizens. In addition, the federal government and many provincial governments have scaled back their operations to address deficit and debt issues and/or because of an ideological bent in favour of smaller government. The result has been to create something of a vacuum at the center, into which municipal governments are increasingly moving.
The lack of leadership at the federal level has been particularly evident with respect to the environment and climate change, with Canada increasingly out of step with the rest of the world. Some provinces are beginning to respond, with initiatives to limit carbon emissions. But it is municipal governments that have been increasingly in the forefront, here and in a number of nations as discussed in a recent article by Michael Bloomberg (former Mayor of New York City) and Gregor Robertson (Mayor of Vancouver).
They report that over the past year almost 200 cities from 53 countries have joined the Compact of Mayors, a United Nations initiative in which cities agree to use a common measuring stick to determine their progress in addressing climate change and to report on their progress in that regard. Included in this Compact are Canadian cities such as Calgary, Edmonton, Halifax, Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, and Windsor. This action from the local level is vital because cities have direct control over 40% to 50% of the carbon emissions across the country. Per-capita emissions in Canadian cities have fallen 20% to 25% over the past 25 years.
Local governments are key to Canada’s economic future
Cities and city regions are widely recognized as key economic drivers for countries operating in a global economy. How well they enhance the local quality of life and attract (and retain) skilled workers will determine their future prosperity and, to a large extent, the prosperity of Canada. The importance of the creative class was emphasized in a number of books by Richard Florida and he expands upon this perspective in a recent article.
Florida (and co-author Greg Spencer) reject the Conservative narrative of the past decade, the one extolling the resource industries of Western Canada as the key to our economic future. They argue that Canada’s future is also tied to its knowledge and creativity industries largely based in cities and city-regions in Eastern Canada. The challenge, they argue, is to combine these two forces by reinvesting the resources from the energy sector into enhancing an urban knowledge economy. Central to this strategy is increased investment in denser and more connected cities. This means, for example, taking steps to reduce congestion and provide more affordable housing. It means giving cities increased taxing and spending powers so they can prosper and the country with them.
All Levels of Government Must Do Their Part
It must be said that often cities have expended too much energy complaining about insufficient financial assistance from the provincial and federal levels, while at the same time failing to make full use of the revenue sources already available to them. They have also sometimes displayed parochial “turf protection” attitudes that worked against concerted action on urban issues. Happily, there is increasing evidence of a more collaborative approach involving partnerships not only with neighbouring municipalities but also with the private sector, civil society organizations, and any others who can be brought together in a shared vision.
No matter how much cities may do, however, there is no doubt that they will need substantial additional funding if they are to succeed, including long overdue investment in increasingly deteriorated infrastructure. With provincial governments facing a growing challenge with health costs, extensive federal financial support will be needed – and such support is entirely appropriate given the extent to which cities are central to the country’s economic future.
The increased spending on infrastructure promised by the new Liberal Government over the next three years will doubtless be welcomed by cities but there will be strong pressure on the government to move quickly and to favour “shovel-ready” and high profile projects. There will also be pressure to spread the money around rather than concentrating it on a few major projects that might have the greatest impact in terms of future economic development. What is needed instead is long term, continuing federal financial support that is based on a broad plan designed to enhance the capacity of cities to support knowledge and creativity industries. Federal support of this nature can help local governments achieve their potential, thereby benefitting the country as a whole.