10-06-2025, 01:28 PM
Oh the Urbanity has a video talking about Montreal politics:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpFpcEdrj3s
It is rather interesting, their political system is very different from the rest of Canada (no surprise there, everything about Montreal is very different).
It is relevant to us however, as I've heard many people argue for amalgamation. Yet Montreal has boroughs, and he argues here that can be a strength.
I don't know if it's really a good thing, but I think two things are clear to me. First, it is not clear it is a benefit to amalgamate. And the main benefit of amalgamation is "efficiency" and I think there can be efficiency from amalgamation, but often there is not (when local context is lost, you also gain inefficiencies) and worse, efficiency should not be the only (or even primary) goal. Since more efficiency might lead to worse outcomes. (e.g., it is very "efficient" how the cities clear snow from sidewalks from a municipal perspective)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpFpcEdrj3s
It is rather interesting, their political system is very different from the rest of Canada (no surprise there, everything about Montreal is very different).
It is relevant to us however, as I've heard many people argue for amalgamation. Yet Montreal has boroughs, and he argues here that can be a strength.
I don't know if it's really a good thing, but I think two things are clear to me. First, it is not clear it is a benefit to amalgamate. And the main benefit of amalgamation is "efficiency" and I think there can be efficiency from amalgamation, but often there is not (when local context is lost, you also gain inefficiencies) and worse, efficiency should not be the only (or even primary) goal. Since more efficiency might lead to worse outcomes. (e.g., it is very "efficient" how the cities clear snow from sidewalks from a municipal perspective)