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Articles 1 - 16 of 16
Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
Accountability: A Canadian Municipal Examination On The Impact Of Vehicle And Equipment Training Programs On Preventable Collisions With Municipal Fleet Assets, Jessica Ruddell
MPA Major Research Papers
Annually, close to 1,000 Canadian workers die due to work-related injuries, exposures and disease. A lack of training and skills can contribute to this loss of life for many. Employers of all kinds, including municipalities, have a responsibility to protect workers and reduce risk to the organization through training activities. Known hazards, like the operation of vehicles and equipment require training before a worker can be deemed competent. Inevitably, preventable and non-preventable collisions will occur involving fleet vehicles and equipment. Documenting and analyzing preventable collisions as part of a collision investigation program, can help organizations understand why preventable collisions are …
Accountability: Understanding The Effect Of Governance Structures On Land Ambulance Services In Ontario, Connected By Consolidated Municipal Services Management (Cmsm) Agreements, Michael Longeway
MPA Major Research Papers
Ontario has seen significant changes across the municipal landscape, including the realignment of service responsibilities. One of the products of this realignment was the introduction of the CMSM program in 1998, which saw local municipalities take on the responsibilities for many services, including land ambulance. Land ambulance is an important life-saving service (Aringhieri et al. 2017). Decision-makers must ensure that such services must be delivered with optimal performance. As a public service in Ontario, this includes democratic performance. Crucial to the anchorage of democratic performance is accountability. Accountability is a transaction of information, dialogue, and rewards/sanctions (Brandsma and Schillemans 2012). …
Financial And Strategic Planning In Ontario Municipalities: Examining The Theoretical Framework And Linkages Between Municipal Financial And Strategic Planning In Ontario, Brian Geerts
MPA Major Research Papers
Municipal councils in Ontario are charged with the administration and control of organizations through the Municipal Act, 2001. Councils are responsible for the financial and service performance of a wide variety of activities. Should the activities and finances be poorly linked, this could lead to an accountability disconnect. This research explores how well municipalities in Ontario link strategic planning to financial planning, and how they communicate this to the public. Nine municipalities were randomly selected representing small, medium, and large municipalities in the south, central, and northern regions of the province. Municipalities primarily rely on their corporate strategic plans and …
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 …
Streamlining Information Technology Services In Local Government, Michael Ben
Streamlining Information Technology Services In Local Government, Michael Ben
MPA Major Research Papers
This research paper examines the outcome of the City of Toronto's Shared Services foundation project. Drawing on the lessons learned from previous shared services projects at the City, it aims to answer the question: "What factors promote or discourage shared services between a local government and its agencies?" The paper conducts a systematic literature review with the aim of discovering a candidate set of factors that promote or discourage participation in shared services between a local government and its agencies. It then uses the literature review to explore the potential for future shared services between the City of Toronto and …
An Assessment Of Service And Program Support For Government Assisted Refugees (Gars) In A Multi-Level Policy Delivery System: A Case Of Selected Ontario Municipalities, Henry Gyeketey Awere
An Assessment Of Service And Program Support For Government Assisted Refugees (Gars) In A Multi-Level Policy Delivery System: A Case Of Selected Ontario Municipalities, Henry Gyeketey Awere
MPA Major Research Papers
Since the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) came into effect in 2002, Canada has stopped placing so much emphasis in the selection process on refugee skills and ability to integrate. Rather, emphasis is placed on resettling refugees who need protection. As a result, post-IRPA Government Assisted Refugees (GARs) arriving in Canada are younger and have higher needs than previous groups of GARs. In Canada the Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) is responsible for providing GAR’s with their immediate needs. RAP came into effect in 1998. A key component of RAP saw a change in the service delivery method, with a …
Digital Strategies In Local Government: Private Sector And Early Adopters Lessons Learned, Robert Delorme
Digital Strategies In Local Government: Private Sector And Early Adopters Lessons Learned, Robert Delorme
MPA Major Research Papers
In recent years, both the public and private sectors have been using digital strategies, which represent an integration of business and technology plans in an organization. This paper investigates the early adoption of digital strategies in the public sector at the local government level using case studies for southern Ontario that focus on existing academic and practice-based literature, along with documented government adoptions of digital strategies to identify trends and issues. The findings support the private sector lessons and further indicate that there is little consistency in approach, methodology, or stage of digital strategy implementation within the public sector. Research …
Public Participation In Municipal Service Delivery Review, Noah Atlin
Public Participation In Municipal Service Delivery Review, Noah Atlin
MPA Major Research Papers
One of the techniques used by municipal administrators to evaluate their spending is the Service Delivery Review (SDR), for which a “how-to” manual, known as the Guide to Service Delivery Review for Municipal Managers, was created. This paper examines the Guide to determine whether it proposes a useful SDR structure that has adequate provisions for public participation. It analyzes the literature pertaining to the SDR process and public participation and it also provides an examination of public participation using case studies of six municipal SDRs in Ontario: Brockville, Port Hope, Brantford, Halton Hills, Barrie, and Hamilton. The findings reveal that …
E-Governance On Ontario Municipal Websites: Exploring The Development Of E-Governance Tools Used By Ontario Municipal Planning Departments, Spencer Sandor
E-Governance On Ontario Municipal Websites: Exploring The Development Of E-Governance Tools Used By Ontario Municipal Planning Departments, Spencer Sandor
MPA Major Research Papers
This paper examines whether there are patterns to the adoption of e-Governance tools on Ontario municipal websites, with a specific focus on whether the adoption follows a hierarchical pattern based on intended engagement outcomes. The planning department sections of 160 websites for municipalities with populations between 10,000 and 500,000 were searched for a list of 15 online tools that were selected following a literature review of the various uses of online tools. The findings illustrate a number of statistically significant relationships, suggesting that there is a hierarchical pattern to tool adoption. In addition, the results demonstrate a relationship between the …
Public Participation In Municipal Budget Decision Process: City Of Toronto’S 2011 Core Service Review, Jiaqing He
Public Participation In Municipal Budget Decision Process: City Of Toronto’S 2011 Core Service Review, Jiaqing He
MPA Major Research Papers
This paper examines the impact of public participation on decision-making, with a specific focus on the City of Toronto’s 2011 Core Service Review. It uses both qualitative and quantitative data gathered from the case. Quantitative data is collected through the feedback forms the City used for public consultation during the Core Service Review, while qualitative data is collected from both the feedback forms and the roundtable discussions held across Toronto in 2011. The findings reveal that, from a process perspective, government efforts were directed at enlarging participation through a well-designed mechanism and project promotion, while the impact analysis found that …
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 …
The Progression Of Open Data Initiatives In Canadian Municipalities: The Evolution Of E-Government Services And Its Relationship To An Emerging Movement, David Crozier
MPA Major Research Papers
This paper examines the rationale for why local governments develop open data programs. Interviews were conducted with officials from six Canadian municipalities involved in open data projects – Vancouver, Edmonton, Ottawa, London, Nanaimo, and Medicine Hat – and two community members from Vancouver and London who have played an important role in these developments. The findings reveal that both municipal officials and citizens have a strong desire for open data but the movement has progressed slowly and there are several areas in which it can improve.
Service Delivery Review: The Ontario Experience, Kelly Stymiest
Service Delivery Review: The Ontario Experience, Kelly Stymiest
MPA Major Research Papers
This paper examines the application of service delivery review approaches in Ontario local governments based on surveys and consultations with municipal managers in Barrie, Brantford, and the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville. The findings reveal that there is a strong commitment among municipal managers to excellence, improvement, and information sharing and they are seeking more information and advice on how to manage organizational performance, people, and money.
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.
Business Process Re-Engineering (Bpr): A Tool For Improved Customer Service In Municipalities, Lee Doyle
Business Process Re-Engineering (Bpr): A Tool For Improved Customer Service In Municipalities, Lee Doyle
MPA Major Research Papers
This paper examines the appropriateness of business process re-engineering (BPR) in the improvement of customer service in local government. A content analysis of documents, a survey administered to municipal managers in 26 municipalities in Ontario, and a case study analysis of BPR implementation in four municipalities were conducted. The findings reveal that there is no clearly defined process or format for conducting BPR in Ontario municipalities.
Intermunicipal Agreements: Case Studies In Durham And York Regions, Rebecca James
Intermunicipal Agreements: Case Studies In Durham And York Regions, Rebecca James
MPA Major Research Papers
This paper examines the extent and nature of intermunicipal partnerships in Durham Region and York Region based on an inventory of public partnerships in the two regions and case studies of five intermunicipal agreements. The findings reveal that if municipalities form public partnerships in certain service areas, cost savings can be achieved while still maintaining individual municipal control and accountability.