Abbreviation FCM Headquarters Ottawa, Ontario | Legal status Non-profit corporation | |
Formation March 18, 1937; 79 years ago (March 18, 1937) Merger of Union of Canadian Municipalities
Dominion Conference of Mayors Type Local government organization | ||
The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM, (French) Fédération canadienne des municipalités) is an advocacy group representing over 2000 Canadian municipalities. It is an organization with no formal power but significant ability to influence debate and policy, as it is a main national lobby group of mayors, councillors and other elected municipal officials. It negotiates with the Government of Canada's departments and agencies on behalf of municipalities, and administers a number of funds.
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History
In 1901, the Union of Canadian Municipalities was formed to represent the interests of municipal governments. Another association, the Dominion Conference of Mayors was established in 1935. In 1937, these two associations were amalgamated into the Canadian Federation of Mayors and Municipalities which in 1976 would be renamed the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.
FCM was instrumental in negotiating the federal government's 2005 "New Deal for Cities" programme, under which Canadian federal gasoline taxes are remitted to municipalities.
Successes
• Delivering $2 billion each year to municipalities from a permanent federal Gas Tax Fund. Over the next 20 years, this gas tax transfer will be worth $40 billion to cities and communities.
• Successfully advocating for significant federal funding towards the $123-billion municipal infrastructure deficit. In the 2009 budget, the federal government committed more than $12 billion over two years in new and accelerated infrastructure funding to municipal priorities.
Sustainable development
• FCM's Green Municipal Fund (GMF) provides below-market loans and grants, as well as education and training services to support municipal initiatives that improve air, water and soil quality, and protect the climate. This programme was established by the Chrétien government in 2001 with $100 million "to stimulate investment in innovative municipal infrastructure", and "to support municipal government action to cut pollution, reduce greenhouse gases and improve quality of life".
Global engagement
• Since 1987, FCM's international department has helped more than 200 Canadian municipalities and associations engage in development cooperation in more than 40 countries across Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and the Caribbean.