Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Escaping From The Straightjacket That Baffled Houdini: An Analysis Of The Myths And Realities Of Empowering Toronto Through A City Charter, Luis Silva

MPA Major Research Papers

This paper examines the idea that municipalities in Canada – with a specific focus on Toronto – can be legally empowered by a legislative charter to defend their autonomy from the actions of the provincial government. Case studies that analyze the political and legal relationships that selected charter cities – Saint John, Montreal, Halifax, Winnipeg, Vancouver, and Lloydminster – have with their respective province were conducted. The findings reveal that while provinces may politically treat some municipalities differently than others, no legal differentiation exists between charter cities and other municipalities with regards to protecting local self-government.