The goal of this course is to better understand how Canadian cities are formally governed — how local and regional governments are structured, what levels of government are responsible for different local services, and how local policy decisions are made, including the municipal budget process. The course is divided in two parts. First, we examine the general features of Canada's system of urban governance — the basic machinery of local government and municipal administration; the mandate and functions of local agencies and regional authorities; and the role of federal and provincial governments in local affairs. Next, we dive deeper into the local policy process, particularly how municipal governments raise and spend money to deliver public services.