Transparency in Canadian Housing under the Housing Partnership Framework

Canada, Decentralization, Federalism, Fiscal Federalism, Intergovernmental Relations, Political Autonomy, Provinces, Subnational Autonomy

Authors: Jennifer Wallner & Robert Breen – Housing in Canada is increasingly unaffordable. Between 2000 and 2019, the percentage increase of housing prices was approximately three times higher than the percentage increase of median nominal income (Zhu et al., 2023). Furthermore, between 2020 and 2022, housing prices rose by 30% (August 2022). While improvements are anticipated, the affordability crisis is detrimental for Canadians (CMHC, 2025a).

Federalism in the Digital Age: How Federal Structures in Germany and Canada Impact Digitalization Policy

Canada, digitalization, Education, Federalism, Germany, Health Care, Identity, Infrastructure, Provinces, Service Delivery, Subnational Autonomy, Technology

Author: Jella Ohnesorge – Digitalization policy is characterized by its dynamic development and cross-cutting qualities, as well as the fact that many countries are overwhelmed by it. During the COVID-19 pandemic it became very clear how important digital governance is and how beneficial effective digitalization policy can be for citizens and public administration alike.

Ontarians Need to See the Power of Their Own Government

Canada, Cities, Democracy, Education, Environment, Federalism, Fiscal Federalism, Health Care, Identity, Local Governance, Natural Resources, Ontario, Provinces, Service Delivery, Subnational Autonomy

Author: Jennifer Wallner – Another Ontario election has come and gone. And less than half the population noticed. In 2022, a sparse 4,701,959 people voted. With only 44.06% of eligible voters turning out, that election set the record for the lowest voter turnout ever in the province. This election, one where the province and Canada face real threats with devastating consequences from our closest ally, fared little better. Essentially, Ontarians issued a collective ‘meh’.

The Complexity of Abortion Laws: Federalism’s Impact on Women’s Reproductive Rights

Brazil, Canada, Decentralization, Federalism, Fiscal Federalism, Gender, Health Care, Identity, Service Delivery, Subnational Autonomy

Author: Shaoni Chakraborty – Abortion is a deeply complex and contentious issue that involves questions of healthcare, morality, legality, and gender rights. The regulation of abortion laws is often influenced by a country’s legal, cultural, religious and political frameworks. Federalism, which divides governmental powers between national and constituent unit governments, can have profound effects on the accessibility and implementation of abortion laws, which in federal systems can often differ significantly between levels of government.

Benefit or Barrier? The Effects of Federalism on Digitalization in Public Administration

Brazil, Canada, Decentralization, digitalization, Education, Federalism, Forum, Germany, Health Care, Service Delivery, Subnational Autonomy

SPECIAL SERIES: Digitalization of Public Administration in Federal Countries – Author: Valere Gaspard. When discussing the process of the digitalization of public administrations in federal states, a fundamental question is continuously posed in the background: what is the relationship between federalism and digitalization?

Federalism: Boon or Bane for Childcare? A Look at the Global North and Global South

Canada, Childcare, Covid, Federalism, Germany, Intergovernmental Relations, Switzerland

Author: Angelina Romanchik – Childcare is emerging as a key area of policy interest for many governments across the globe, particularly in the wake of the pressures that the COVID-19 pandemic instigated on the family unit. Childcare is a distinct policy field, but one that also cuts across other significant areas of governmental responsibility: health, education, and social welfare. Federal systems of government, by virtue of the fact that approximately forty percent of the world’s population live in federations, play a significant role in the provision and efficacy of childcare globally. Both the development and implementation of childcare policy requires a successful collaborative effort between all levels of government. Often, multilevel governance can hinder the effective actualization of these policies, and this reality can be observed in global north countries such as Canada, Germany and Switzerland. Global south countries like Brazil, India, and South Africa also see similar issues between government systems and the realization of social policy. The trends observed amongst the aforementioned federations in the global north and global south highlight intersecting similarities and challenges which have implications for childcare policy development and service delivery. Exploring and understanding the relationship between governance and childcare policy in federations provides an opportunity to re-evaluate how child welfare and development is approached in federal and federal-type systems. In late 2021, the Forum conducted an international comparative research project on this very topic. Increased knowledge of policy and practice in federations can support identification of dynamics that impact childcare provision and quality, and thus pave the way for improvements in childcare delivery by federal and subnational governments in both the global north and global south.

Federalism and Climate Change: An Ever-Changing Approach to a Never-Changing Problem?

Canada, Climate Change, Covid, Federalism, Intergovernmental Relations

Author: Tamoghna Sengupta – Over the course of time, the issue of climate change has taken center stage as an alarming cause of earth’s deterioration. Climate change is a long-term shift or a global change in the earth’s climate pattern. Since the Industrial Revolution, anthropogenic activities have catalyzed the process of change within the climate. As a result of the increased impacts of climate change on ecosystems and extreme weather, governments have started taking initiatives in order to combat the growing challenges that humans consequently face for survival. The results of climate change are felt globally and require collective action by governments of all countries, irrespective of whether their governance structure is unitary or federal. Unfortunately, evidence suggests that some of the initiatives in federal countries have been ineffective, as the policies adopted have been insufficient in producing a solution that would tackle the issue at a larger scale. In order to understand some of the shortcomings, the article will delve into some of the challenges that federal governance systems face in combatting climate change and the actions that have been adapted as restorative measures.