Local Economic Development Practices Across the Northern Border

Abstract

This article provides a comparison of local economic development techniques in the province of Ontario, Canada, and the state of Michigan. Through an examination of the use of 57 different economic development practices, the author concludes that Ontario cities are more likely to practice a wider array of techniques across a variety of areas. Michigan cities are more likely to rely on financial incentives such as tax abatements, downtown development authorities, and tax increment finance authorities. Because Ontario and Michigan employ similar types of incentives, the author concludes that variation in the intensity of use of various techniques lies not in national differences but in the state/provincial enabling legislative frameworks.