Legacies of the Megacity: Toronto’s Amalgamation 20 Years Later

In 1998, Metropolitan Toronto and its six lower tier municipalities were amalgamated to form the City of Toronto. The decision to amalgamate was controversial then, and continues to be contentious to some today. Two decades later, what can we say about the megacity merger? Did it achieve its goals? Are Torontonians better served by one large government than the previous two-tier model? Looking forward, what lies ahead for regional governance in the GTHA?

On March 27, the Institute on Municipal Finance and Governance convened a panel discussion bringing together two prominent voices involved in Toronto’s amalgamation and subsequent reorganization, and two next generation academics who explored the opportunities for the GTHA in the decades to come.

Speakers

Shirley Hoy, former City Manager, City of Toronto
John Matheson, former Chief of Staff to Ontario’s Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing
Alexandra Flynn, Assistant Professor, University of Toronto
Zack Taylor, Assistant Professor, Western University
Enid Slack, Director, Institute on Municipal Finance and Governance (moderator)

View the Webcast

View Enid Slack’s presentation 

View Alexandra Flynn’s presentation

View Zack Taylor’s presentation 

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