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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
Harmonizing Agricultural Growth And Nighttime Sky: Municipal Strategies For Mitigating Commercial Greenhouse-Related Light Pollution In Ontario, Canada, Adam Betteridge
Harmonizing Agricultural Growth And Nighttime Sky: Municipal Strategies For Mitigating Commercial Greenhouse-Related Light Pollution In Ontario, Canada, Adam Betteridge
MPA Major Research Papers
This comprehensive research investigates the intricate interplay between the thriving commercial greenhouse industry and the pressing concern of nocturnal light pollution in a focussed area of Ontario, Canada, and the Netherlands. The study addresses the multifaceted challenge of managing greenhouse-related light pollution, which emerges as an unintended consequence of employing supplementary lighting to extend growing seasons and enhance crop yields. The analysis of jurisdictional approaches reveals the complexities and the varied success achieved in addressing this issue.In Ontario, particularly in and near the County of Essex, the response to greenhouse-related light pollution has primarily been reactive, with municipalities passing light …
Maximizing Electoral Participation: How Accessibility And Outreach Factors Impact Electoral Participation In Online Elections, Christopher Casale
Maximizing Electoral Participation: How Accessibility And Outreach Factors Impact Electoral Participation In Online Elections, Christopher Casale
MPA Major Research Papers
Online voting in Canadian municipalities has proven to result in at least some moderate increase in the number of individuals participating in a given election. What is less apparent is how the implementation of these voting solutions affects voter turnout. This paper seeks to answer the question, what accessibility and outreach factors maximize voter turnout in online elections. This text will analyze six Ontario municipalities who have implemented internet voting for the first time in 2018. Assessing the effectiveness of their voter engagement strategies for that election period.
Monitoring & Evaluation Content In Municipal Official Plans: An Assessment Of Plan Quality & Implementation Actions, Owen Mccabe
Monitoring & Evaluation Content In Municipal Official Plans: An Assessment Of Plan Quality & Implementation Actions, Owen Mccabe
MPA Major Research Papers
Municipal official plans are important tools in the Province of Ontario’s land use planning system. As documents that guide how communities manage change, they are a central element of planning practice and important objects of research. Official plans are not static – they are updated regularly as part of a plan-making cycle that includes issue identification, policy development, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation. This research paper is focussed on the monitoring and evaluation aspect of the plan-making cycle, and specifically, the content in municipal official plans that addresses and guides these practices. It builds on the existing plan quality and …
Examining Connected And Automated Vehicle (Cav) Policy In Ontario: A Modified Multiple Streams Framework Analysis, James Scott
Examining Connected And Automated Vehicle (Cav) Policy In Ontario: A Modified Multiple Streams Framework Analysis, James Scott
MPA Major Research Papers
This research paper utilizes Kingdon’s (1984) Multiple Streams Framework to systematically analyze influential agenda-setting variables in the policy domain of connected and automated vehicles (CAV) in Ontario, Canada. The paper also leverages the Five Stream Confluence Model, a model which builds on the Multiple Streams Framework and is designed by Howlett et al. (2015) to analyze policy formation. The two foundational research questions that will guide the overall direction of this paper are: (1) What influenced Ontario to be the first province in Canada to legislate connected and automated vehicles (CAVs) in 2015? (2) Have influential agenda-setting variables translated through …
Inclusionary Zoning: Identifying Possible Legal Challenges Within Canada And How Best To Pre-Empt Them, Christina Pilatzkie
Inclusionary Zoning: Identifying Possible Legal Challenges Within Canada And How Best To Pre-Empt Them, Christina Pilatzkie
MPA Major Research Papers
The purpose of this research paper is to explore the legal issues that surround inclusionary zoning. More specifically, the question to be answered through this research is: How can Canadian municipalities shield themselves from legal challenges that may put inclusionary zoning policies at risk of being nullified? Through inductive research byway of qualitative content analysis of 16 American court cases, in which the legal challenges posed to inclusionary zoning ordinances are then extrapolated and applied to the Canadian context, the fundamental legal issues pertinent to Canadian municipalities become illuminated. What has been observed is that there have been a number …
Preparing Communities For The Golden Years: Approaches For Developing Age-Friendly Communities For Seniors, Shivi Darubra
Preparing Communities For The Golden Years: Approaches For Developing Age-Friendly Communities For Seniors, Shivi Darubra
MPA Major Research Papers
The heterogeneous nature of aging has led policymakers to reconsider how seniors are impacted by localized decision-making and implementation efforts (Remillard-Boilard, 2018). Forecasted by the World Health Organization (WHO), the population of seniors (60+) is expected to reach over two billion worldwide, surpassing the number of children being born across the world for the first time in human history (United Nations, 2006). To better address the local challenges faced by the aging population, WHO devised an Age-Friendly Communities (AFC) framework to guide urban communities into redesigning policy and intervention models to better reflect the needs of seniors while also allowing …
Local Government Responses To Festivals: An Exploratory Study, Andrew Grozelle
Local Government Responses To Festivals: An Exploratory Study, Andrew Grozelle
MPA Major Research Papers
This study explores the dynamics of ‘bottom-up’ policymaking at the municipal level by analyzing the policy response of the local government to unsanctioned events, such as the annual Port Dover Friday the 13th Motorcycle Festival (PD13) from May 1981 to November 2019. Using this event as a case study, the project seeks to answer the following questions: what has been the local government’s policy approach to PD13? What factors explain this approach and are there alternative approaches to the one chosen? To answer these questions, the paper adopts a multi-method research strategy, which involved a historical review of relevant literature, …
Building A Smart City: Insights And Perspectives From The Winners Of Smart City Challenge, Andi Maloku
Building A Smart City: Insights And Perspectives From The Winners Of Smart City Challenge, Andi Maloku
MPA Major Research Papers
When Canadian Government launched smart city initiative over 130 municipalities, large and small have submitted their innovative ideas. On May 14, 2019, the four winners of the Canadian Smart Cities Challenge were announced in Ottawa: Town of Bridgewater, Nova Scotia winning $5M Prize Category; the Nunavut Communities, Nunavut winning $10M Prize Category; the City of Guelph and Wellington County, Ontario winning $10M Prize Category and the City of Montréal, Quebec winning $50M Prize Category. This paper focuses on these four cities by exploring two main research questions: (1) what does “smart cities” mean for Canadian municipalities; and, (2) what are …
Held To Account? An Analysis Of Political Accountability In Ontario’S Municipal Sector, David W. Arbuckle
Held To Account? An Analysis Of Political Accountability In Ontario’S Municipal Sector, David W. Arbuckle
MPA Major Research Papers
This exploratory research paper looks at the current political accountability framework at the municipal level in Ontario, which consists of a mandatory requirement for council code of conduct and access to an integrity commissioner. The literature review defines political accountability, both generally and within the Ontario municipal context, and outlines the historical beginnings, role and challenges with council codes of conduct and integrity commissioners. To answer the research question, “Does hiring an integrity commissioner improve political accountability at the municipal level in Ontario?” a detailed analysis of municipal council decision related to integrity commissioner investigations and recommendations, as well as …
Stakeholder Participation In Land-Use Planning Processes: An Assessment Of London’S Official Plan Review Process- ‘Rethink London’ Using The Collaborative Planning Framework, Elmond Bandauko
MPA Major Research Papers
This paper assesses the extent to which Rethink London exemplifies the tenets of collaborative planning. Rethink London was an innovative, community driven approach to planning whose main objective was to collaboratively engage the London community in creating a shared vision for urban development. The assessment was done using the process criteria focusing on issues such as equal opportunities and resources, inclusive representation, self design, independent facilitation, effective process management, voluntary participation and commitment, accountability, high quality information, purpose and incentives and clear ground rules. These factors were operationalised into concrete interview questions that were used to collect data through semi-structured …
Driving Decision-Making: An Analysis Of Policy Diffusion And Its Role In The Development And Implementation Of Ridesharing Regulations In Four Canadian Municipalities, Lisa Shields
MPA Major Research Papers
Throughout the world, ridesharing services compete with the highly regulated taxicab industry and governments have been compelled by various interest groups to address the regulatory uncertainty that has resulted from the emergence of the sharing economy. This paper examines the literature on policy diffusion and applies the relevant concepts to explain the proliferation of ridesharing regulations in Canada. It chronicles the experiences of four large Canadian municipalities – Edmonton, Calgary, Ottawa, and Toronto – and it documents the similarities in the regulatory frameworks adopted by these municipalities and other North American jurisdictions where transportation network companies are regulated. The research …
Open Data And Big Data Programs In Local Government Policy Analysis, Susan Chase
Open Data And Big Data Programs In Local Government Policy Analysis, Susan Chase
MPA Major Research Papers
This paper examines the development of policy around the open data programs for local government. Through a literature review, a survey of large municipalities in Ontario, and in-depth interviews, the research attempts to identify if there are factors that ensure whether the policy development process is more likely to be implemented along with the program or if there is a lack of policy development as a result of it. The findings reveal a definite lack of policy development with the open data program, which is likely due to the challenge for policy makers to ensure appropriate access and privacy protection, …
Affordable Housing Policies: What China Could Learn From Canada, Jingyuan Sun
Affordable Housing Policies: What China Could Learn From Canada, Jingyuan Sun
MPA Major Research Papers
This paper discusses the lessons China could learn from Canada with respect to affordable housing. It uses specific case studies that focus on the experiences of Shanghai and Toronto respectively, with the necessary information regarding the policies of both cities being sourced from existing research papers, government documents, and government websites. The findings reveal that the affordable housing system in China is lacking the enlargement of public participation, the reinforcement of community engagement, and the expansion of public-private partnerships, suggesting that these three areas can be improved with reference to the affordable housing experience in Toronto, where these factors are …
Gov 2.0: Exploring The Use Of Web 2.0 Tools By Local Government In Southwestern Ontario, Chandra Dougall
Gov 2.0: Exploring The Use Of Web 2.0 Tools By Local Government In Southwestern Ontario, Chandra Dougall
MPA Major Research Papers
This paper examines how local governments in Ontario are using Web 2.0 technologies, with a specific focus on whether or not Web 2.0 is being used by local government as a medium for citizen engagement. It uses interviews to uncover whether or not the selected municipalities in Southwestern Ontario are using social media for citizen engagement purposes, in addition to a policy review of their social media policies. The six municipalities that were selected include: South Huron, London, Dufferin County, Kitchener, Central Elgin, and one municipality that chose to remain anonymous. The findings reveal that municipalities in Southwestern Ontario are …
Accessibility: Legislation And Implementation In Canada And China, Weizheng Fu
Accessibility: Legislation And Implementation In Canada And China, Weizheng Fu
MPA Major Research Papers
This paper examines what China can learn from Canada regarding how to design and implement accessibility legislation, with a specific focus on Ontario. It analyzes accessibility laws and policy implementation in Canada and the existing problems in China’s accessibility policies based on a literature review, documentary research, case studies, and interviews. The findings reveal the following lessons that China can learn from Ontario: raising awareness about accessibility; making accessibility laws more comprehensive; enhancing the importance of accessibility on the government’s agenda; and improving legislative review mechanisms.
Public Participation In Canadian Local Government: A Study Of The Meadowlily Secondary Plan Process In London, Ontario, Michael Hurley
Public Participation In Canadian Local Government: A Study Of The Meadowlily Secondary Plan Process In London, Ontario, Michael Hurley
MPA Major Research Papers
This paper examines whether the facilitation of public participation in local government is a worthwhile objective, using public engagement in the Meadowlily Secondary Plan in London, Ontario as a case study. An online survey was administered to citizens who participated in the City’s land use planning process. The findings reveal that by participating in decision-making, citizens learned about the processes and responsibilities of municipal government, in addition to other forms of learning, which demonstrates that the facilitation of public participation in municipal government is indeed a worthwhile objective.
The Role Of Municipalities In Redistribution In Ontario: A Study On Ontario Works, Siu Ming Kwok
The Role Of Municipalities In Redistribution In Ontario: A Study On Ontario Works, Siu Ming Kwok
MPA Major Research Papers
This paper examines the role of Ontario municipalities in redistribution in an effort to understand the values behind welfare policy, the policy process, and the service provision model. Interviews with 15 Ontario Works stakeholders – including two members of municipal council, three senior level managers of a social services department, four members of community-based organizations, and six Ontario Works recipients – from a mid-sized municipality in Southwestern Ontario were conducted. The findings reveal that with regards to redistribution, municipalities can play an active role in policy implementation at the local scale, while policymaking can be left to the province.
The Role Of Local Government In Social Policy And Program Development: Impacts Of Municipal Reform, Areej Hasso
The Role Of Local Government In Social Policy And Program Development: Impacts Of Municipal Reform, Areej Hasso
MPA Major Research Papers
This paper examines whether municipal reform has led to local government developing self-initiated, innovative social programs that address local needs. Interviews with local government officials and administrators from single- and upper-tier municipalities in Ontario were conducted to gain firsthand accounts of the local government role in the social policy process. The findings reveal that municipal reform, accompanied by the downloading of social services in Ontario, leads to greater levels of autonomy, more flexibility with decision-making, and the ability of local government to take a lead role in the development of social programs and policy.
Bill 150: The Green Energy Act: An Analysis Of Green Energy Politics In Ontario, Peter Markvoort
Bill 150: The Green Energy Act: An Analysis Of Green Energy Politics In Ontario, Peter Markvoort
MPA Major Research Papers
This paper examines the Green Energy Act (GEA) and the economic circumstances that enabled the bill to become law in Ontario. An analysis of electrical power research, planning, and recommendations over the past forty years was conducted. The findings reveal that a variety of changes led to the approval of the GEA, including an environmentally conscious value shift and the economic recession, and the coincidence of these factors allowed forty years of government funded energy research to culminate in a publicly supported piece of legislation.
Policy Process In Ontario: An Analysis Of The Process For The Implementation Of A By-Law To Restrict Or Limit The Number Of Cats In A Household In An Urban Municipality, Lois O’Neill
MPA Major Research Papers
This paper examines the policy process for the implementation of a by-law to restrict or limit the number of cats in a household in Owen Sound. An analysis of the policy process and the identified problem was conducted, in addition to a consideration of the external factors that influence the municipal policymaking process and a survey of other small urban municipalities to determine if they had encountered a similar problem and considered implementing a similar by-law. The findings reveal that the policy process for the implementation of this type of by-law was alike in all municipalities with the outcome depending …
Municipal Capital Works Projects: An Analysis Of Scheduling Delays And Cost Escalations, Doug Mackay
Municipal Capital Works Projects: An Analysis Of Scheduling Delays And Cost Escalations, Doug Mackay
MPA Major Research Papers
This paper examines the primary reasons for the delays and cost overruns in municipal capital works projects in Ontario. Interviews with experts in municipal infrastructure projects – including employees from the municipal sector, the Ministry of the Environment, a conservation authority, and the Ministry of Transportation – were conducted. The findings reveal that there are numerous factors that have resulted in municipal capital works projects becoming increasingly difficult to deliver, but the primary factor was the introduction of the Environmental Assessment Act, which resulted in a lengthened schedule and added costs.
Coping With Diversity: Municipal Actions In Response Of Increased Immigrant Diversity In The Cities Of Hamilton And Markham In Ontario, Erika Hegedues
Coping With Diversity: Municipal Actions In Response Of Increased Immigrant Diversity In The Cities Of Hamilton And Markham In Ontario, Erika Hegedues
MPA Major Research Papers
This paper examines the methods for coping with increased diversity and its consequences at the local level based on a literature review, case studies of the selected municipalities – Hamilton and Markham – and interviews with experts from these municipalities. The findings reveal that financial support from both the provincial and federal government is necessary to support the integration of immigrants, especially in large urban areas, in addition to the prioritization of certain policy areas and the municipal development and enhancement of their own services.
Community Mobilization In The Waterloo Regional Police Service: A Process Evaluation Of The Community Mobilization Initiative Of The Waterloo Regional Police Service, Matthew Torigian
MPA Major Research Papers
This paper examines the processes used by the Waterloo Regional Police Service in the implementation of the community mobilization approach based on an analysis of information gathered from a variety of sources, including stakeholder interviews, academic journals, and government reports. The findings reveal that there are disconnections within the Police Service among officers holding various ranks and responsibilities and this divide indicates confusion over the concept, philosophy, practice, and role of community mobilization and community policing.
Comparing Immigrant Services, Practices, Programs, And Policies In The City Of London And The City Of Toronto: The Implications For The City Of London, Tiwei Huang
MPA Major Research Papers
This paper examines immigrant services, practices, programs, and policies in the City of Toronto in order to provide recommendations to the City of London on how to address the six key thematic areas of settlement, employment, neighbourhood, cultural competency and access to services, social inclusion, and systemic change. Interviews with key municipal government and community organization players in both cities were conducted. The findings reveal nine recommendations in the areas of systemic change, settlement, employment, and neighbourhood to improve immigrant services, practices, programs, and policies in London.
Killing Bambi: Decision-Making When Values Clash, Eha Skaith
Killing Bambi: Decision-Making When Values Clash, Eha Skaith
MPA Major Research Papers
This paper examines whether there is a role for substantive rationality in gaining stakeholder acceptance when values conflict in a local government decision-making process. A case study of the Sifton Bog in London, Ontario, which involves the management of urban wildlife, is conducted to demonstrate a decision-making process where there is a conflict of values. The findings reveal that the more values conflict, the harder it is to implement substantive reasoning in the decision-making process.
An Investigation Of Integrating Change Through Participatory Processes In Police Service Business Planning, Tobi Hermann
An Investigation Of Integrating Change Through Participatory Processes In Police Service Business Planning, Tobi Hermann
MPA Major Research Papers
This paper examines the extent to which Ontario police business planning processes include effective citizen engagement and participation. A content analysis of public consultation data in the London Police Services was conducted and compared to municipal police department documentation in Windsor, Waterloo, and Sudbury. The findings reveal that police services in Ontario have embraced participatory mechanisms to engage the citizenry in an effort to renew democratic principles, increase perceptions of accountability, and legitimize the decisions made in the policy process.
How Are We To Govern Ourselves?: The Engagement Of Citizens In The Local Government Policy Process, Ron Coristine
How Are We To Govern Ourselves?: The Engagement Of Citizens In The Local Government Policy Process, Ron Coristine
MPA Major Research Papers
This paper examines the effectiveness of citizen engagement as a complementary process to the representative nature of local democracy based on case studies of two policy issues that used different methods of citizen participation in Kincardine, Ontario. Interviews with the mayor and seven of eight councillors in the municipality were conducted. The findings reveal that the traditional method of top-down consultation processes is inferior to deliberative approaches and interactive forms of engagement can achieve more satisfactory outcomes.
Evaluating The Public Participation Methods Used In Toronto’S Integrated Solid Waste Resource Management Process, John Ballantine
Evaluating The Public Participation Methods Used In Toronto’S Integrated Solid Waste Resource Management Process, John Ballantine
MPA Major Research Papers
This paper examines whether a meaningful public consultation process was used in the Solid Waste Management Marketplace Engagement Program (SWM-WEP) – later renamed Toronto’s Integrated Solid Waste Resource Management Process (TIRM) – based on case studies of the various meetings that took place throughout the process. The findings reveal that the public consultations that occurred in the SWM-WEP/TIRM cannot be characterized as a true dialogue because power was not transferred from bureaucrats and elected officials to the general population.
Toward An Economic Development Strategy For The County Of Middlesex, Stephen Evans
Toward An Economic Development Strategy For The County Of Middlesex, Stephen Evans
MPA Major Research Papers
This paper examines the factors that are necessary in the successful adoption of an economic development strategy in Middlesex County based on an analysis of Census data pertaining to population, gender, age, income, education, employment, housing, and agriculture and an investigation of the governance issues in the region. The findings reveal that in order to overcome conflict among constituent municipalities and foster a sense of cooperation between them, decisions about economic development initiatives must be removed from the political realm and placed in the hands of local, appointed business actors.
Gta Reform: City Of Burlington – Identification And Analysis Of The Process Used By The City To Evaluate The “Golden” Report, Mickey Frost
Gta Reform: City Of Burlington – Identification And Analysis Of The Process Used By The City To Evaluate The “Golden” Report, Mickey Frost
MPA Major Research Papers
This paper examines the policymaking process used by local governments in order to determine whether the rational or incremental model of decision-making is most evident. A case study of the process used by the City of Burlington in response to recommendations made by the GTA Task Force concerning the City’s governance was conducted. The findings reveal that the policymaking process in Burlington was reflective of both models of decision-making, but elements of the incremental model and persuasion were more evident than the problem solving that is associated with the rational model.