Over the past decade, the legal framework that enables Canadian municipalities to carry out their activities and collect revenues has evolved in all provinces. Most major cities have been granted some new revenue sources. Yet, little is known about how cities actually use them or how they have benefitted.

The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed the importance of cities as partners in implementing and enforcing national and provincial policies, programs, and services.

Far from being static, Canadian municipal law is in a period of transition. The legal scope of municipal authority has expanded over the past 25 years as most provinces have revised their general municipal acts and adopted special legal arrangements for major cities