Canadian cities call for ‘reinvention’ of relationship with federal government

VANCOUVER – The Federation of Canadian municipalities is calling on Ottawa to create a national framework for dealing with local governments, especially as the federal government puts more money into local infrastructure.

The federation, which represents almost 2,000 municipalities across the country, released a report at its conference in Vancouver titled The State of Cities and Communities.

The report notes there is no formal constitutional relationship between the cities and the federal government, which the federation says leads to short-term funding decisions that don’t meet the needs of municipalities.

The federation says there have been some recent successes, such as a 10-year federal infrastructure funding plan and the addition of the Gas Tax Fund, but the report says that’s not enough.

The report acknowledges this would be a reinvention of the relationship between the cities and the federal government, but it says the status quo is a relic of the 19th century.

Federation president Karen Leibovici says cities are seeking a more formal partnership with Ottawa that recognizes the role municipalities have in addressing many of the issues citizens care about, from transit to traffic gridlock.