La lente construction de la démocratie municipale au Canada : retour sur deux moments clés du XXe siècle

This research note proposes to highlight the value of bringing together work from political science with work that is more focused on urban history. We believe this is necessary at a time when actors in Canadian municipal democracy (elected officials, citizens, civil servants) seem to be enjoying renewed interest from political scientists, and when a body of work on the transformations of Canadian cities in the 20th century exists across several disciplinary fields. A historical perspective, including work in history but also in urban planning, allows us to highlight key moments that have shaped both the design and practices of municipal democracy in Canada's major cities. Two pivotal periods in the 20th century stand out in particular: the urban reforms of the early 20th century and the 1960s and 1970s, marked by resistance to urban renewal policies. In our view, their legacy is still evident today in the way we view the role of elected officials, professionals, and citizens.