FCM's 2011 Advocacy Days

Building the federal-municipal relationship

During FCM's annual Advocacy Days meetings, more than 100 mayors and councillors from every Canadian province and territory come to Ottawa to meet with their federal counterparts. The meetings provide an opportunity to:

• build relationships between federal and municipal elected officials;
• discuss and build support for the government's long-term infrastructure plan (outlined in Budget 2011); and
• begin thinking about the federal-municipal partnership on other issues critical to Canadian cities' and communities' success.

See picures from our 2011 meetings.

The following three points highlight the importance FCM places on federal-municipal partnering to support key federal policy issues:

1. Smarter government through better partnership: In the last few years, federal and municipal governments have worked closely to support the Canadian economy amid a global economic crisis, and rebuild Canada's aging roads, bridges, and water systems. We must continue to work together to protect our economy, communities and taxpayers in the years ahead.
2. Long-term infrastructure plan: The federal government is following through on its budget commitment to develop a long-term infrastructure plan by 2014. The plan must build on what we have achieved together by putting core federal investments - such as the Gas Tax Fund and the Building Canada Fund - on solid ground for the next 10 to 20 years.
3. Looking beyond infrastructure: Federal and municipal governments must collaborate on other national issues that need more cooperation and longer-term planning. These issues include:
   
   
   • fighting crime and policing our streets;
   • improving public transit and cutting traffic gridlock;
   • conserving energy and protecting our environment; and
   • working with the private sector to build more rental housing, so families, seniors and new Canadians have affordable places to live.