Bola Ademolu & the CDMM Framework

Bola Ademolu developed CDMM out of a sustained engagement with the economic challenges facing Canadian municipalities — particularly smaller cities and communities that have been left behind by conventional economic development approaches.

The framework emerged from a simple observation: communities that own the enterprises serving their essential needs retain the economic activity those enterprises generate. Communities that don't, don't. CDMM is the structured application of that insight — a practical framework for building local ownership, reducing essential costs, expanding housing, and retaining community wealth over time.

Bola's work on CDMM has produced formal proposals for Halifax Regional Municipality and New Brunswick municipalities, alongside a growing body of research on the economic mechanisms, governance structures, and implementation pathways that make the model viable.

Municipal Proposals Developed

Evidence-Based

Every element of CDMM is grounded in economic evidence and modelled projections. The framework makes no claims it cannot support.

Community-Centred

CDMM is designed to serve communities, not institutions. The measure of success is the lived experience of residents — lower costs, better housing, more opportunity.

Practically Oriented

CDMM is built for implementation, not just advocacy. It provides the governance structures, enterprise models, and phased pathways that municipalities need to actually build the model.

The Community-Driven Municipal Model is designed to adapt to communities of different sizes, economies, cultures and systems of government. Its principles can be explored in Canada, the United States, Eastern Europe, Russia, and communities around the world, with each municipality adapting the framework to its own laws, institutions, resources and local priorities.

CDMM strengthens the ability of residents and families to have a meaningful voice in the economic future of their communities. Through permanent housing, pathways to homeownership, locally retained economic value and productive community assets, the model is designed to help current families build security and generational wealth while creating stronger foundations for future generations.

Its broader purpose reaches beyond economics. Local ownership, economic participation, housing security and meaningful community involvement can contribute to stronger, more resilient and peaceful communities by giving people a genuine stake in the places they call home.

The principle is universal: We only get one life to live, and everyone deserves a fair shot at it — no matter where on the planet they live.