[ssiguy]

kwoldtimer is quite correct, cities are exclusively within the domain of provincial governments. Of course, Ottawa has no problem picking on provincial governments when it`s politically expedient to do so.

Healthcare is also 100% under provincial jurisdiction but it is very much Ottawa that sets the healthcare agenda. Amazing how the provinces are willing to forfeit some of their powers when Ottawa`s largess is at stake. Ottawa could do the same with infrastructure spending. It could all of a sudden change the rules about cost sharing by putting in it`s current 40% but instead of the remaining being split by the provinces and municipalities, it could declare the cities, for example, only have to pony up 10% of the remaining costs stating, quite correctly, that the cities don`t have the taxing powers to raise the infrastructure revenues that the provinces do. All of a sudden Ottawa`s infrastructure largess is on the line and, like healthcare, the provinces yield to Ottawa`s demands of more urban independence and taxing powers. The same goes for transfer payments which Ottawa funds yet the money is spent on social/health/education services that are strictly under provincial jurisdiction.

Time after time the provinces defend their jurisdiction UNTIL federal dollars are at stake and then they have shown consistently that they are willing to capitulate to Ottawa`s demands. No provincial politician is willing to have to make massive cuts to public services when they know it will kill them in the next election just tp prove a point. As with all politicians, their convictions are transitory when their political lives are on the line.