The City of Toronto’s International Alliance Program (IAP) has maintained formal bi-lateral relationships with other cities around the world for decades . These relationships aim to expand international business development opportunities, as well as municipal knowledge-sharing and cultural exchange activities, to strengthen the ties between Toronto and its partnership cities.

Shifting trends have created a new reality for the role cities play on the global stage. The increased prominence of city-to-city diplomacy has led many jurisdictions to adapt their international approaches.

The IAP has recently been updated to provide the City with a framework and policies it can use to maintain a more diverse, productive, responsible and collaborative set of bi-lateral relationships with municipalities around the world.

The council approved staff report, updating the City’s International Alliance Program, outlines changes to the eligibility criteria and the assessment process, and provides an overview of the overall program goals.

There are now two main relationship categories:

  • Long-term Partnership City agreements, and
  • Short-term International Project agreements.

The report also outlines updated eligibility criteria, assessment processes, approval and signing authorities for the establishment of any new IAP relationship agreements, including identification of the financial resources needed to deliver activities associated with the agreement and, as appropriate, consultation with other levels of government as key components of the assessment process.

Full details on program operations will be released early in 2025 with a one-portal entry process as well as the centralization of corporate coordination of IAP activities.

For more information on the International Alliance Program, please contact international@toronto.ca

For more information on business trade and export development, please contact export@toronto.ca