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imfgtoronto.bsky.social
IMFG
@imfgtoronto.bsky.social
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The Institute on Municipal Finance and Governance (IMFG) focuses on the finance and governance issues faced by cities and city-regions in Canada and internationally. Located in the School of Cities at the University of Toronto. www.imfg.org
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imfgtoronto.bsky.social
Still time to register for this afternoon's livestream of IMFG's 13th Annual Toronto City Manager's Address!

Paul Johnson will speak on "Feeding Focus and Starving Distraction: Focusing on Priorities to Deliver on Torontonians' Investment."

www.eventbrite.ca/e/livestream...
13th Annual Toronto City Manager's Address Image of a man in a suit Feeding Focus and Starving Distraction: Focusing on Priorities to Deliver on Torontonians' Investment November 18 at 4:30 pm Logos of IMFG, University of Toronto, School of Cities
November 18, 2025 at 3:10 PM
imfgtoronto.bsky.social
In-person event: Maintaining and Renewing the Social Housing Stock: Canada in Comparison.

On Dec. 8, Dr. Collin Bernard will draw on international cases to examine how different systems govern and fund the maintenance and renovation of their social housing stock.

www.eventbrite.ca/e/maintainin...
Tall brown buildings line a river with trees and boats below.
November 17, 2025 at 5:19 PM
imfgtoronto.bsky.social
Join us for our 13th Annual Toronto City Manager's Address as
Paul Johnson speaks on "Feeding Focus and Starving Distraction: Focusing on Priorities to Deliver on Torontonians' Investment."

Nov. 18 at 4:30 at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy.

www.eventbrite.ca/e/13th-annua...
13th Annual Toronto City Manager's Address Feeding Focus and Starving Distraction: Focusing on Priorities to Deliver on Torontonians' Investment November 18 at 4:30 pm Logos for IMFG, University of Toronto, School of Cities
October 27, 2025 at 6:35 PM
imfgtoronto.bsky.social
5/ However, growth-related gains turn out to be temporary because the corresponding rise in population ultimately puts a strain on services and leads to an increase in per capita spending. bit.ly/FiscalGains
The divergent impacts of growth and size on municipal finances, however, call into question the sustainability of this gain. Jean-Philippe Meloche Fiscal Gains from Real Estate Development: The Case of Québec Municipalities Logos for IMFG, University of Toronto, School of Cities
October 22, 2025 at 7:10 PM
imfgtoronto.bsky.social
4/ Meloche adds that growing municipalities also benefit significantly from one-time growth-related revenues such as building permits, land transfer taxes, and development charges. bit.ly/FiscalGains
... growing municipalities had additional revenues equivalent to almost 7 percent of their tax revenues, compared with non-growing municipalities. Jean-Philippe Meloche Fiscal Gains from Real Estate Development: The Case of Québec Municipalities Logos for IMFG, University of Toronto, School of Cities
October 22, 2025 at 7:10 PM
imfgtoronto.bsky.social
3/ Jean-Philippe Meloche shows that faster-growing municipalities tend to experience smaller increases or even decreases in their property tax rates, indicating a fiscal gain from development. bit.ly/FiscalGains
Québec municipalities with a population of 1,000 or more that had stronger real estate or population growth from 2008 to 2018 were also those in which tax rates increased the least (or decreased the most) over that period. Jean-Philippe Meloche Fiscal Gains from Real Estate Development: The Case of Québec Municipalities Logos for IMFG, University of Toronto, School of Cities
October 22, 2025 at 7:10 PM
imfgtoronto.bsky.social
2/ New IMFG paper examines the relationship between municipal growth and property taxation in Quebec to evaluate the fiscal impact of real estate development on municipalities. bit.ly/FiscalGains
Although growth generates fiscal gains for municipalities, a larger size leads to higher per-capita spending. Jean-Philippe Meloche Fiscal Gains from Real Estate Development: The Case of Québec Municipalities Logos for IMFG, University of Toronto, School of Cities
October 22, 2025 at 7:10 PM
imfgtoronto.bsky.social
1/ Property taxes are well suited to finance municipal infrastructure and services. But does the dependency on property taxes force municipalities to encourage real estate development as a way to improve their financial situation without having to raise taxes? bit.ly/FiscalGains
Representatives of several Québec municipalities have complained that this level of dependency on property taxes acts as a brake on the expansion of municipal services. Jean-Philippe Meloche Fiscal Gains from Real Estate Development: The Case of Québec Municipalities Logos for IMFG, University of Toronto, School of Cities
October 22, 2025 at 7:10 PM
imfgtoronto.bsky.social
New IMFG report evaluates the fiscal impact of real estate development on municipalities, by examining the relationship between municipal growth and property taxation in Québec.
bit.ly/FiscalGains
Logos for IMFG, University of Toronto, School of Cities Fiscal Gains from Real Estate Development: The Case of Québec Municipalities Jean-Philippe Meloche IMFG Papers on Municipal Finance and Governance No. 72, 2025
October 22, 2025 at 2:58 PM
imfgtoronto.bsky.social
Join us for an in-person seminar on November 4 on Municipal Finance in Germany – Caught Between Investment Needs and Transformation Pressures, featuring Dr. Henrik Scheller.

www.eventbrite.ca/e/municipal-...
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October 7, 2025 at 7:25 PM
imfgtoronto.bsky.social
Latest IMFG report examines how municipalities can use innovative eco-fiscal tools, such as taxes, fees, and charges, to influence behaviour to help fight climate change.

bit.ly/4mHizah

@fannyrose.bsky.social

@enap-qc.bsky.social
Logos for IMFG, University of Toronto, School of Cities Eco-Fiscal Tools and Municipal Finance: Current Practices and Opportunities Jean-Philippe Meloche and Fanny Tremblay-Racicot IMFG Papers on Municipal Finance and Governance No. 71 2025
September 17, 2025 at 3:21 PM
imfgtoronto.bsky.social
Don't want to miss our upcoming City Manager's Address or our latest paper?

Keep up with the latest in IMFG's papers, events, and updates by subscribing to our mailing list here.

imfg.us1.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=...
Large logo of IMFG (Institute on Municipal Finance and Governance) Join our mailing list to receive the latest news of IMFG's events, papers, and updates. Logos: IMFG, University of Toronto, School of Cities
September 9, 2025 at 4:25 PM
imfgtoronto.bsky.social
Jean-Philippe Meloche and Fanny Tremblay-Racicot conclude the latest IMFG paper with observations of the state of eco-fiscal tools in Canada.

bit.ly/4mHizah

@fannyrose.bsky.social @enap-qc.bsky.social
Eco-Fiscal Tools and Municipal Finance: Current Practices and Opportunities By: Jean-Philippe Meloche and Fanny Tremblay-Racicot Municipalities are playing an increasingly important role in addressing climate change through the use of eco-fiscal tools. These tools, which include taxes, fees, and charges, influence behaviour in ways that impact the environment. This paper explains the advantages of eco-fiscal tools and explores the range of such mechanisms implemented by various Canadian municipalities. The authors argue that eco-fiscal tools, such as water charges, waste collection fees, and congestion pricing, are not only a source of revenue for municipalities, but also a means to incentivize climate-efficient behaviour. Read the full report: bit.ly/4mHizah Key findings Eco-fiscal tools should be seen not just as a way to diversify sources of revenue, but as a way to achieve certain environmental objectives. Although their potential is great, information on eco-fiscal measures remains anecdotal, apart from the use of pricing for water and waste. Québec municipalities are currently the only ones in Canada to be able to impose regulatory charges aimed at changing behaviour; the use of general taxation powers for environmental purposes remains relatively uncommon outside Québec. Measures currently being studied in Québec or operating as pilot projects need to be tested before they can be scaled up, which requires innovation and major administrative and political efforts. Logos for IMFG, U of T, School of Cities
September 3, 2025 at 6:17 PM
imfgtoronto.bsky.social
The report argues that fiscal tools, such as water charges, waste collection fees, and congestion pricing, are not only a source of revenue for municipalities, but also a means to incentivize climate-efficient behaviour. 3/4

bit.ly/4mHizah

@fannyrose.bsky.social @enap-qc.bsky.social
Actors for whom the costs of adapting to environmental standards are too high will pay the environmental tax, while those facing lower adaptation costs will modify their behaviour to avoid the tax. This is voluntary adaptation under constraint. - Jean-Philippe Meloche, Fanny Tremblay-Racicot Eco-Fiscal Tools and Municipal Finance: Current Practices and Opportunities Logos for IMFG, University of Toronto, School of Cities
September 3, 2025 at 6:17 PM
imfgtoronto.bsky.social
Jean-Philippe Meloche and Fanny Tremblay-Racicot explain the advantages of eco-fiscal tools and explore the range of such mechanisms implemented by various Canadian municipalities. 2/4

bit.ly/4mHizah

@fannyrose.bsky.social @enap-qc.bsky.social
These taxes, fees, or charges correct market price signals to help internalize the social and environmental costs of individual choices, while providing financial resources to supply public goods and services. - Jean-Philippe Meloche, Fanny Tremblay-Racicot Eco-Fiscal Tools and Municipal Finance: Current Practices and Opportunities Logos for IMFG, University of Toronto, School of Cities
September 3, 2025 at 6:17 PM
imfgtoronto.bsky.social
New IMFG report examines how municipalities can use innovative eco-fiscal tools, such as taxes, fees, and charges, to influence behaviour to help fight climate change. 1/4

bit.ly/4mHizah

@fannyrose.bsky.social @enap-qc.bsky.social
Eco-fiscal tools, which are based on the “polluter pays” principle, are distinguished by the nature of their tax base, which consists of pollutants or polluting activities. - Jean-Philippe Meloche, Fanny Tremblay-Racicot Eco-Fiscal Tools and Municipal Finance: Current Practices and Opportunities Logos for IMFG, University of Toronto, School of Cities
September 3, 2025 at 6:17 PM
imfgtoronto.bsky.social
IMFG Fellow Alexandra Flynn argues that municipalities aren’t just service providers: they have the tools and authority to realize housing rights.

Human Rights Cities: Realizing the Right to Housing at the Municipal Scale - bit.ly/44hOYO5
Red-haired woman in white shirt standing in front of black backdrop.
July 15, 2025 at 7:24 PM
imfgtoronto.bsky.social
IMFG Director Enid Slack was on the podcast Century of Cities. Listen as she talks about the fiscal future of Canadian cities.

www.thecenturyofcities.com/podcast-epis...
Woman in blue in front of blurred background with grass.
July 3, 2025 at 2:59 PM
imfgtoronto.bsky.social
Watch as the CAOs of York, Peel, and Durham regions discuss how they are navigating the impact of tariffs, the influx of refugees and asylum seekers, and the nexus between development charges and housing affordability.

imfg.org/research/doc...
Four people seated on stage with table with water jug in front and a large screen with text behind.
June 26, 2025 at 7:09 PM
imfgtoronto.bsky.social
Does the advent of a land transfer tax reduce property sales volumes and prices? View 2024-25 Graduate Fellow in Municipal Finance and Governance Peter Wu's presentation of the effects of Toronto's 2008 land transfer tax on the local real estate market.

imfg.org/uploads/659/...
Text from introduction slide. Logos of IMFG, University of Toronto, School of Cities Effect of Land Transfer Taxes on Real Estate Markets: Evidence from Toronto Speaker: Peter Wu, 2024-25 Graduate Fellow in Municipal Finance and Governance Moderator: Enid Slack, Director, Institute on Municipal Finance and Governance June 10, 2025 @imfgtorotno #IMFGtalks
June 25, 2025 at 2:33 PM
imfgtoronto.bsky.social
Missed the IMFG panel on eco-fiscal tools? Watch the video on how eco-fiscal tools, designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and pollution, are being used across Canada, featuring IMFG Visiting Scholar Jean-Philippe Meloche, Fanny Tremblay-Racicot, and Ben Dachis.

imfg.org/research/doc...
Three people sitting at a table with a screen behind them.
June 24, 2025 at 5:02 PM
imfgtoronto.bsky.social
Interested in what the CAOs of Peel, Durham, and York said at our Friday event?

See their slides as they covered the impact of tariffs, the influx of refugees and asylum seekers, and the nexus between development charges and housing affordability.

imfg.org/wp-content/u...
Four seated people in front of a screen with a description of the event.
June 18, 2025 at 1:43 PM
imfgtoronto.bsky.social
The Municipal Role in Mental Health: New paper examines how municipalities can better position themselves to effectively respond to mental health and addiction challenges and the need for further cooperation from other orders of government and local agencies.

imfg.org/report/the-m...
Who Does What Series Image of a crouched young man with arms crossed The Municipal Role in Mental Health Contributors: R. Marcus Hammond, Barb Fornssler, Elaine Hyshka, Kwame McKenzie, Rishika Wadehra, Sophie Baker, Jesse Rosenberg Editors: Gabriel Eidelman, Sonali Chakraborti, Dina Graser, Enid Slack Logos: IMFG, Urban Policy Lab, U of T, School of Cities
June 9, 2025 at 7:39 PM
imfgtoronto.bsky.social
Join us on June 10 as IMFG Graduate Fellow Peter Wu discusses the impact of the introduction of the land transfer tax in Toronto in 2008.

Register for the in-person seminar:

www.eventbrite.ca/e/effect-of-...
View of semi-detached houses on Toronto street on a sunny day.
May 27, 2025 at 5:54 PM
imfgtoronto.bsky.social
Did you miss the presentation on eco-fiscal tools with Jean-Philippe Meloche and Fanny Tremblay-Racicot?

View the slides. imfg.org/research/doc...

The video will be coming out too.
Opening slide for Eco-fiscal Tools and Municipal Finance: New Practices and Opportunities Picture of farmland with hills in the background on left side of image Prof. Jean-Philippe Meloche, Visiting Scholar (winter 2025) School of Urban Planning and Landscape Architecture Universite de Montreal Prof. Fanny Tremblay-Racicot Graduate school of public administration Ecole nationale d'administration publique IMFG Toronto May 22nd 2025 Logos for Univeristy of Toronto and IMFG
May 23, 2025 at 3:05 PM