Local Government Finance

This course pro­vides a basic under­stand­ing of pub­lic and local gov­ern­ment finance. The course dis­cuss­es the chang­ing role and size of gov­ern­ment, the bud­get process, issues relat­ing to alter­na­tive ser­vice deliv­ery, sources of rev­enue for local gov­ern­ments, fis­cal rela­tions among gov­ern­ments in Cana­da, and strate­gic finan­cial thinking.

Course at a glance
  • Aimed at individuals interested in moving into higher level responsibilities in the local government field; our student body includes municipal government employees in planning, corporate services, economic development, operations, finance, and more.
  • Fully online asynchronous course, accessible through eClass, the University of Alberta’s eLearning management tool.
  • Participate in online discussions with peers from all over Canada and expand your professional network.
What you will learn

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

  • Discuss the appropriate role of municipal government in the economy and in relation to other levels of government in Canada.
  • Analyze the municipal budget process and the methods of forecasting revenue and expenditure budgets.
  • Evaluate the various sources of municipal revenue, including the role of property taxes and user charges in financing municipal services.
  • Examine the constitutional, legal, and institutional aspects of intergovernmental relations and the role of municipal government in the constitutional framework of Canada.
  • Explore issues relating to municipal infrastructure and the various options of financing infrastructure.
  • Identify alternative service delivery options for the provision of municipal services and issues relating to municipal fiscal sustainability.
This course has no prerequisites

Students from all educational backgrounds welcome. You can register for this course without applying and enrolling in a program.

Take note:

Currently counts towards:

Applicants intending to enrol in a program are encouraged to apply as soon as possible to lock in their course requirements since they are prone to change.

*If you are already enroled in this program, please refer to your specific program requirements as outlined at the time of your admission: Bear Tracks > Academic Advisement.

Email

naclaa@ualberta.ca

When will
this course be offered?

New course schedules are released each June and November.

Course not yet scheduled

This course is not currently scheduled, but may be offered in an upcoming term.

New course schedules are announced each June and November.

Sign up for updates

Interested in future offerings of this course? We can let you know when this course becomes available.