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MPA Major Research Papers

From 1990 until 2023, all Western Master of Public Administration students completed a faculty-supervised Major Research Paper. Starting in 2024, students complete a Research Report that is not individually supervised.

At the time of submission, students may opt to publicly release their papers. This series contains all publicly available papers completed since 1990.

The program does not endorse the content of these papers which are the independent research of the students. The papers are owned by the authors and posted here with their permission.

If you are the author of an MPA research paper and would like to have that paper removed from this database please contact .

Major Research Papers from 2016 2016

The Role of Local Government in China’s Urbanization: The Relationship Between Local Land Finance and Government-Led Urbanization, Ying Qiu

Municipal and Developer Success Rates at the Ontario Municipal Board: A London, Ontario Case Study, Dan Scheid

Driving Decision-Making: An Analysis of Policy Diffusion and Its Role in the Development and Implementation of Ridesharing Regulations in Four Canadian Municipalities, Lisa Shields

Housing First in Canada: A New Approach to Homelessness and Best Practices for Municipal Implementation, Shelly Steffler

Major Research Papers from 2015 2015

The Perfect Storm: Emergency Management Regulations and Small Municipalities in Ontario, Jennifer Alexander

Institutional Collective Action in Ontario’s Fire Service: Conducive and Inhibiting Factors of Local Collaboration of Fire Safety Inspections and Enforcement, Brian Arnold

Transitioning The Canadian Democratic System Into The Era of Digital Governance: A Longitudinal Study of First Time Online Voting and Voter Turnout in Ontario Municipalities, Chris Bantock

A Matter of Size: An Investigation Into How the Size of Municipality Impacts What It Values in a Municipal Association, Neale Carbert

The Study of Knowledge and Attitudes of Students in Chinese Universities Towards Canadian Political and Local Issues, Huiwen Chen

Stories of Youth Politics in Action: Uncovering Youth Political Spaces for Local Governments, Adam Fearnall

Public Service Motivation at a Small Suburban Municipality: An Analysis of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivators and the Characteristics of Employees of the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury, Tami Kitay

Sharing the Lived Experience of Public Housing: A Critical Discourse Analysis and Perspectives from Residents of Public Housing in London, Ontario, Tim Smuck

Public Health Funding: Results of a Quantitative Analysis Exploring the Influence of Local Public Health Unit Characteristics on the Provision of Provincial and Local Funding, Sandy Stevens

Major Research Papers from 2014 2014

Open Data and Big Data Programs in Local Government Policy Analysis, Susan Chase

The Impacts of Land Use Growth Restrictions Upon Municipal Finances: A Comparative Study of a Rural Municipality, an Urban Settlement Municipality, and a Primary Settlement Municipality, Douglas Herron

Visible Minorities: What Individual Characteristics Determine Electoral Success in Municipal Councils in the Greater Toronto Area?, Guhad Hersi

Strategic Asset Management in the City of Hamilton: An Analysis of the Integration of Strategic Planning and Management Elements into Municipal Infrastructure Asset Management Programs, Brent Kittmer

Citizen Engagement in Budget Planning in Ontario Municipalities, Melihate Limani

Public Engagement Trends in Southwestern Ontario’s Municipalities, Marcy Puzanov

Food Safety Program Performance in Ontario, Matthew Ruf

Development Permit System Policy Development in Ontario: Factors that Contribute to Implementation, Natalie Stopar

Policing in Ontario: Financial Impacts and Opportunities, Michael Touw

Post-Secondary Promises: What Do Ontario Municipalities Expect to Realize from University Satellite Campuses?, Brittney Yeats

Major Research Papers from 2013 2013

Public Participation in Municipal Service Delivery Review, Noah Atlin

Landowner Behaviour in the Upper Thames and Grand River Watersheds: A Study of Factors That May Explain the Conservation Behaviour of Farmers, Jeffrey Brick