Municipalities work hard to keep Canadians safe and secure. They’re on the front lines when floods, wildfires and other emergencies strike. Police and other local first responders also face a growing list of public safety challenges—from implementing cannabis legalization to tackling the opioid crisis, from rail safety to border security. Every new challenge strains already limited local resources.

We advocate for more tools to help municipalities plan for and respond to emergencies, as well as for better collaboration among orders of government to provide safe communities and protect Canadians from health and security risks. We also equip municipalities with key resources to help them meet their public safety responsibilities.

All of us want to feel safe and secure in our homes and in our neighbourhoods. Municipalities are leaders and vital partners in ensuring exactly that.

56%
police officers employed by municipal police services
18%
police officers employed in RCMP contract policing
$14.7B
total operating expenditures for police services in Canada, 2016-2017
Related focus areas
Explore the topics we’re working on related to public safety.

Cannabis

Legal cannabis is now produced, sold and consumed in our cities and communities. We advocate for tools that help keep all Canadians safe and well served in this new environment.

Opioid crisis

Cities and communities are on the front lines of the opioid crisis, working to stop overdose deaths. We're leading the call for a coordinated national response by all orders of government.

Rail safety

Transporting dangerous goods by rail can put communities at risk. We work alongside the federal government to ensure municipalities are equipped to respond to rail emergencies and keep Canadians safe.
© 2024 Federation of Canadian Municipalities