Letter to national parties, call for urban policy

[M II A II R II K]

Letter to national parties, call for urban policy


March 31, 2011



Read More: http://www.canadianurbanism.com/en/?p=37

SUMMARY

In an open letter to Canada's political parties competing in the current federal election, the Council for Canadian Urbanism calls on them to champion the Council's 10-point "call to action" on Canada's cities.

Citing urban policy initiatives as a strategic way to address multiple national priorities, the Council outlines 10 points for a national urban policy, including:

"1) A progressive and influential National Urban Policy, that recognizes the critical role of the success of cities in Canada’s future.

2) A National Housing Policy that addresses the acute and growing need for affordable housing.

3) A National Transportation Policy that particularly addresses the need to expand active, cost-effective and sustainable forms of transportation, such as transit, rail, walking, and biking.

4) Effective Federal programs that will make us a world leader in combating climate change. There is a need to align the above three national policies in achieving this goal.

5) A national dialogue involving the Federal Government, Provinces and Cities on the development of new sustainable, long-term funding and legislative tools for urban resiliency and success.

6) Future Federal funding and stimulus programs focused on spending that supports urban resiliency and “smart growth”...[and a] de-prioritization of, or halt to, stimulus funding that promotes auto-dependency and urban sprawl."

Other points refer to eliminating perverse subsidies in the tax system; incentives for the construction of rental housing; reinstating the long-form census; and electoral district reform to more accurately reflect the increasingly urban character of Canada's population.

[jigglysquishy]

Where do I sign up/ give money?

This is EXACTLY what Canada needs.

[eternallyme]

Read the Constitution. The federal government should have NO say in municipal affairs. Besides, 80% of Canadians do NOT live in cities unless you call every small town and village a city, and they certainly do not share the same opinions as someone in downtown Toronto or Montreal.

[jigglysquishy]

Majority of Canadians don't live in cities? According to Wikipedia 16.4 million Canadians live in cities(not metros) over 100,000 people. That's basically half the country. And 22,000,000 million live in metros over 100,000 so don't pretend like the majority of Canadians don't live in cities.

[Boris2k7]

@eternallyme - you are misquoting them. They said that 80% of Canadians live in urban settings (i.e. areas), which is common knowledge.

And I completely disagree with your on the role of the federal government in municipal affairs. For one, YOU ought to read the constitution, line by line. The constitution only grants exclusive legislative authority over cities to the provinces. The constitution in no way bans the federal government from being involved, provided no provincial statutes exist that prevent them from doing so.

In other words, the federal government can set up a national urban policy, or a national transportation policy, or a national housing policy, and these would be perfectly constitutional so long as they were opt-in programs.

[niwell]

It's very easy to make an economic case for a federal urban policy. This is something that all government parties should be able to get on board with.

Sadly, due to Canada's intense regionalism I don't have much hope.

With regards to feasibility, what Boris said.

[thurmas]

It's not the feds so much as the provinces that are holding cities back. Here in Manitoba the province can stop the city of Winnipeg from increasing taxes and user fees to help repair our crumbling infrastructure and just did that during the city's past budget. Cities have very few revenue generating options other than property taxes which are terrible. I would tax the hell out of booze and cigs to help out the cities.

[mike474]

Originally Posted by eternallyme

Read the Constitution. The federal government should have NO say in municipal affairs.

Your 'should' implies a normative position. The asymmetric taxation powers ensures plenty of ways to influence municipal affairs. Read the constitution.