City Hall 101 - A Civics With Jen Course
A Self Paced Online Course
Understand How Toronto Works — And How to Make It Work for Your Community
Available Starting June 15, 2025 | $125 | 6 Modules | Self-Paced
Are you passionate about your neighbourhood? Curious how decisions at Toronto City Hall affect your life—or how you can influence them?
City Hall 101 is a self-paced civic learning course designed for Toronto residents who want to better understand how the city works. Whether you're a first-time advocate, a community leader, or considering a run for council in 2026, this course is your foundation.
📚 What You'll Get
6 video modules (1 added per week)
Accompanying readings, exercises, and case studies
Access via Google Classroom starting June 15
Optional monthly live Q&A office hours with the course creator
Ongoing updates through the lead-up to the 2026 Toronto municipal election
Who This Course Is For
Residents who want to understand and engage with local government
Community organizers, activists, and neighbourhood advocates
Anyone considering running for city council or supporting a candidate
Curious voters who want to be more informed
Course Modules
Module 1: Wait… Who’s Actually In Charge Here?
How Toronto’s municipal government is structured — who does what, and why it matters.
Module 2: How Decisions Get Made
The life cycle of a City Hall decision: from idea to motion to vote to implementation.
Module 3: The Money Stuff
Understanding the city budget, how money gets allocated, and why that pothole still isn’t fixed.
Module 4: Your Role in All This
How to write, speak, organize, and engage with City Hall — from public consultations to deputations and more.
Plus Two Bonus Modules
Bonus Module A: A Month at City Hall – A Real-Time Case Study
Follow along with one month of Toronto City Council and committee meetings. We’ll walk through key items, track how decisions unfold, and connect the dots between what you’ve learned and what’s happening in real time.
Includes:
A curated agenda of meetings and issues to follow
Commentary and breakdowns from me
Prompts and reflection questions to help you analyze the month like a pro
Bonus Module B: A Short History of Toronto City Hall
From amalgamation to strong mayor powers — this is your crash course in how we got here, who shaped the system, and why it still matters.
Includes:
A timeline of major shifts in city governance
Key players and pivotal decisions
Reflections on how history informs today’s challenges
Course Fee
$125 CAD - payable via e-transfer
How to Enroll
Fill out the short enrollment form here:
Click HereYou’ll receive a confirmation email with payment instructions and next steps.
Once payment is received, you’ll be added to the Google Classroom on June 15, 2025 when the course opens.
If you enroll after the start date you will be given access to your classroom within 2 business days after payment is received.