Municipal spending outpaces population growth

A Canadian Federation of Independent Business study issued today says municipal spending in Canada’s four biggest cities far outpaces population growth and the rate of inflation. SFU political science professor Patrick Smith acknowledges cities are spending more but there are several reasons for that, including downloading of needed services by senior levels of government. “We live in a constitutional regime from the 1860s when three-quarters of Canadians were rural,” Smith says. “Now we are three quarters urban and 60 per cent metropolitan.” SFU public policy professor Doug McArthur is also available to comment.

Patrick Smith, 778,782.3088, 604.291.1544 (h), psmith@sfu.ca
Doug McArthur, 604.786.0016 (cell), doug.mcarthur@sfu.ca