Canada's Big City Mayors launch campaign to give urban Canada "21st century" powers
October 21, 2001

Cities across the country today launched Canada's Cities: Unleash our Potential, a positive national campaign to promote the urgent need for the federal, provincial and municipal governments to work together to give Canada's cities the tools and resources they need to compete with other world cities. The cities of Vancouver, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Toronto, Ottawa and Halifax made the announcement at a meeting of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities' Big City Mayors' Caucus.

Citizens and cities are encouraged to get involved in this campaign. One way to do that is through the campaign's Web site, www.canadascities.ca, where citizens can find more information, register their support, and send an email to their elected representatives. Each city participating in the Canada's Cities campaign will promote its message at the local level, and in discussions with its provincial government. At the federal level, the mayors will work closely with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities to address the urgent need for cities to gain the tools and resources they need.

"Canada's cities have 21st century challenges, but we're still governed by a 19th century model that makes us almost completely dependent on the provinces," said the official representative of the City of Toronto, Councillor David Miller. "The British North America Act was great in 1867 - but in 2001 we need the power and resources to tackle issues like poverty, housing, air quality, traffic congestion and crime. Change is inevitable - and we urge the federal and provincial governments to work with us to unleash the potential of Canada's cities."

While the solution may vary from city to city, one promising model is to create modern legislative charters - i.e., legislation that give cities powers and resources that match their responsibilities. An effective charter would:

• Get governments working together: It's time to give cities a seat at the table when Ottawa or the provinces are discussing matters that affect them like affordable housing, immigration and transit. It's only fair - and it would make the country work better.

• Attract business & create jobs: Many world cities have broad powers to attract business with tax incentives and credits - and to enter into partnerships that involve the private sector in major infrastructure projects. By giving Canada's cities these powers, we would create more jobs.

• Reduce bureaucracy: By giving our major cities greater powers to act with respect to local matters, they won't have to ask the province to pass a law when they need to get something done. The result? We'd save time and money.

• Clarify responsibility & promote accountability: If it's strictly a local matter, the city should be responsible - not the province. That sounds logical… but that's not the way it is today.

Launch backgrounder

Remarks by Councillor David Miller, City of Toronto

List of participants

Mayor Bob Chiarelli
City of Ottawa

Mayor Peter Kelly
Halifax Regional Municipality

President Jack Layton
Federation Canadian Municipalities

Mayor James Maddin
City of Saskatoon

Councillor David Miller
City of Toronto

Mayor Glen Murray
City of Winnipeg

Mayor Philip Owen
City of Vancouver

Media Contact: Kevin Sack, City of Toronto 416-397-5277 (tel)

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