Approaching an Inflection Point in Ontario’s Provincial-Municipal Relations

At different points in Ontario’s history, the pressures of managing growth, economic restructuring, social and demographic change, environmental sustainability, or shifting public expectations of government have led to reforms in provincial-municipal arrangements. Three major trends are pushing us towards another such inflection point: The first is a growing recognition of the role cities and metropolitan regions play as centres of growth and national prosperity. The second is increasing complexity in Ontario’s provincial-municipal relations, with a tangled web of actors, responsibilities, service standards, and funding arrangements. The third is the emergence of threats to the fiscal health of Ontario municipalities. As in the past – provincial-municipal arrangements need to adapt to changing circumstances. This adaptation will require a shift in how the two orders of government understand their roles and the nature of their relationships.