Ontario Centre for Civic Governance Newsletter
August 2008 Centre for Civic Governance Newsletter - Ontario Edition
Welcome to the latest edition of our monthly e-newsletter, a compilation of the most relevant and interesting news articles, reports, and studies related to issues and trends shaping our communities and public education.
Provided to you by the indefatigable staff at the Centre for Civic Governance.
In This Issue:
- Do Better Schools Help the Poor?
- Sustainability Linked to Happiness
- International Local Government GHG Emissions Analysis Protocol
- 4-Day Week for Rural US Students and Utah State Employees
- Human Rights and Affordable Housing in Ontario
- Ottawa Property Tax Reform
Do Better Schools Help the Poor?
This article in the Christian Science Monitor looks at two conflicting theories as to why disadvantaged children do poorly in school. One theory holds that teachers can only do so much to help these children and there are too many factors outside of their control to have an effect on student performance. The other side of the debate argues performance would improve if schools were more rigidly structured, more accountable, and parents had a choice as to which school to send their child. Using data from Washington, D.C. this article supports the first theory and shows that socio-economic background of the family is a major determining factor in how well a student will do in school.
Sustainability Linked to Happiness
The New Economics Foundation has released its latest Happy Planet Index, which shows the relative efficiency with which nations convert their natural resources into long and happy lives for their citizens. The more efficiently they do this, the better the score. The top 6 scorers on the Index (in order) are: Vanuatu, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, Panama, and Cuba. Canada ranks 111 and the United States rates 150.
July 2008 Centre for Civic Governance Newsletter - Ontario Edition
Welcome to the latest issue of our newsletter! Once a month we compile the most timely and interesting articles on issues and trends shaping our communities.
Brought to you by the indefatigable staff at the Columbia Institute.
In this Issue:
June 2008 Centre for Civic Governance Newsletter - Ontario Edition
Welcome to the latest issue of our newsletter! Once a month we compile the most timely and interesting articles on issues and trends shaping our communities.
Brought to you by the indefatigable staff at the Columbia Institute.
In this Issue:
Innovative Strategies: Ideas for Sustainable Communities
Architects' Perspective on P3s
Canadians Support Public Services
Reinventing Suburbia
Lifelong Learning in Canadian Communities
Green Collar Jobs
Kids Failing at Physical Fitness
Innovative Strategies: Ideas for Sustainable Communities
The Columbia Institute's latest publication is now available! Innovative Strategies is a collection of articles by local politicians, environmentalists, and community leaders who demonstrate how to turn progressive ideas into action. The book features articles by Environmental Defence's Rick Smith and economist Hugh Mackenzie as well as articles on a diverse range of topics, including banning plastic bags, pesticide bylaws, citizen action in Guelph, Toronto's Inner City Model School program, and the $10 minimum wage campaign. Click here for more details and to order.
Architects' Perspective on P3s
Last December, Moshe
Safdie, the world-renowned architect made headlines when he resigned from the
McGill University Health Centre hospital project. Safdie cited the government’s
decision to move ahead with the project as a P3 as a main factor in his decision
stating that in his experience P3s restrict innovation. This story gave us
a glimpse into some of the problems that
architects are facing in P3 projects. Now Brian Watkinson has written an
interesting piece for Canadian Architect that expands on this story.* For locally
elected officials concerned about P3s, this article reiterates what the critics
of P3s have been saying all along. As Watkinson points out, transferring risk to the private sector is often unrealistic,
and can threaten the integrity of the project, especially when the consortium
takes on risks it can’t really manage. Additionally, the quality of the design
suffers when P3s are used since architects are allowed little to no interaction
with end users. Instead, user requirements are replaced with requirements of the
P3 consortia for managing and maintaining the facilities. This article
demonstrates a basic truth about P3s: they privilege profit over the needs of
citizens and their right to quality public facilities.
*NB: Although Watkinson states that two-thirds of the Canadian public approves the use of P3s for infrastructureprojects, we aren't sure where he got this figure. See the following article in this newsletter for a very recent poll that suggests otherwise.
Canadians Support Public Services
A poll released by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) in May 2008 shows that that majority of Canadians prefer that municipal services remain in public hands. The 1,004 random participants in the survey were given nine public services and were asked who they would trust more to provide the service: municipal government and its employees or a private corporation. 73.7% of respondents said they believed municipalities should provide and operate public services on a not-for-profit basis over for-profit corporations providing and operating municipal services. Read an article about the poll or for a breakdown of the numbers, click here.
Reinventing Suburbia
The new Ontario provincial strategy to curb the growth of suburban sprawl is discussed in this article from the Toronto Star. The strategy includes protecting the Oak Ridges Moraine and the Greenbelt from future development, intensification targets for existing built-up areas, and a requirement that 40% of all new growth in the GTA must occur within the existing urban boundary. The article discusses how Vaughn will adapt to the new TTC subway expansion and Markham's plans to protect 250 hectars of land and its own attempts at reducing urban sprawl since the 1990s. North Pickering, Mississauga, Richmond Hill, and North York are also mentioned, as well as the opposition and ongoing protests to the strategy.
Lifelong Learning in Canadian Communities
The Third Annual Composite Learning Index, released by the Canadian Council of Learning in May 2008, is Canada's only nationwide meaure of lifelong education and the only such survey in the world.
December 2007 Ontario Newsletter
Danger Ahead: Municipal Infrastructure Deficit at $123 Billion
A new report from the FCM, Danger Ahead: The Coming Collapse of Canada's Municipal Infrastructure, has found that Canada's municipal infrastructure deficit is much worse than previously estimated and that the price tag of maintaining, repairing and replacing Canada's municipal
