Canada is currently basking in global attention, with the federal election seen as (potentially) an epic political comeback story. In the UK, while there is a contrast to the 2024 General Election being implicitly drawn, that is as far as any comparative analysis goes. There are, however, elements of place-based policy and local government in Canada that are worth reflecting on here.

Historically in Canada, cities were considered ‘creatures of the provinces', and policy regarding municipal government tends to be a provincial domain. That means that policy that determines municipalities' tax base, ability to carry debt, and legal responsibilities can vary significantly from coast to coast. The federal government's direct interaction with cities has generally been constrained. One of the positive effects of that may be that it would generally be unthinkable for a federal cabinet minister to make pronouncements about local bin collections or parking charges.