The Local Government Performance Index ranks the top 100 Canadian cities on their financial transparency and performance over the 2012 financial year.
Since the first edition in 2007, the comprehensive annual report has pushed municipal governments across Canada to implement more effective and standardised financial reporting. This year’s report is no different, as Index scores have improved right across the country. Many cities have scored very highly by providing generously informative reporting, though a few cities still only provide minimal detail and have seen their rankings fall this year.
Hosted at www.lgpi.ca, and measuring almost 30,000 individual data points, the Index is designed to shed light on how Canada’s largest municipalities are performing in comparison to others in their province and across the country. The index includes the top 100 cities in Canada as well as the capitals of all provinces and territories.
In addition to ranking cities based on financial transparency, the Index also features an extensive database of financial data from the audited financial statements of all 100 cities. In conjunction with the latest census data, this enables the Index to present absolute, per person and per household figures for a large variety of data points – everything from taxes and debt levels to spending on transport and salaries.
Ranking highlights:
Markham maintains its 1st place ranking from last year, but must share the spoils with Edmonton and Mississauga this year as those two cities get their best ever result.
After jumping to 5th place in last years report, Toronto drops back down to the same 22nd place it received in 2011, despite getting the exact same score as last year – a reflection of the overall improvement of scores across the country.
Yellowknife scores the best of the Territories’ capitals, tying for 14th in only its second year of being included in the Index.
Kitchener and Saskatoon are the most improved cities this year, both finishing in joint 22nd position.
Kelowna, the top ranked city for 2009 and 2010, recovers just one point short of 1st this year, having dropped to 9th in last year’s report.
Visit the LGPI website for the full report: http://www.lgpi.ca
