FCM Special Advocacy Fund Information
Fact sheet and Q&A regarding the Federation of Canadian Municipalities' Special Advocacy Fund for the 2019 federal election.
FCM
Special Advocacy Fund
Election 2019 is a vital opportunity to propel local governments to new heights. Seizing this moment will take our biggest effort ever. To help make that happen, FCM's Board of Directors has approved a Special Advocacy Fund.
This 2-year Special Advocacy Fund will drive an intensive, multi-faceted campaign to keep municipal priorities front-and-centre heading into Election 2019, as well as in the crucial first months of a new government. It will be FCM's largest and most ambitious campaign, reaching out to every federal party. The fund is supported by FCM members on a voluntary basis.
FCM has delivered unprecedented gains for municipalities, starting with Election 2015. We can't risk seeing federal parties move on from local priorities. Election 2019 is our vital opportunity to build on our historic gains and to make municipal progress "the new normal" for years to come.
Questions and Answers
Q: What is the Special Advocacy Fund?
The last federal election was a turning point that propelled municipal priorities onto the national agenda like never before. The next election is a vital opportunity to build on those gains. To ensure we have the right tools to seize this moment, FCM's Board of Directors has approved a 2-year Special Advocacy Fund. This fund is supported by FCM members, using a fee structure similar to how membership fees are determined.
Q: What will the fund be used for?
The last federal election was a turning point that propelled municipal priorities onto the national agenda like never before. The next election is a vital opportunity to build on those gains. To ensure we have the right tools to seize this moment, FCM's Board of Directors has approved a 2-year Special Advocacy Fund. This fund is supported by FCM members, using a fee structure similar to how membership fees are determined.
Q: Why is this fund important?
FCM has delivered unprecedented gains for municipalities, starting with the last federal election. Now more than ever, all federal parties understand that local solutions tackle national challenges. Our Election 2015 breakthrough has created new opportunities, and new expectations.
To seize this moment - and to build on our historic gains- we need the right tools. We can't risk seeing federal parties move on from local priorities. Election 2019 is our vital opportunity to make municipal progress "the new normal," and to keep our priorities front-and-centre for years to come.
Q: How much are municipalities being asked to pay?
FCM staff has worked out a fair and reasonable fee structure, similar to how membership fees are structured. In general, FCM's largest members will pay larger contributions, while the majority of members will pay from under $100 to $1,000 per year, for two years. Members have the option of paying in one lump sum, or over two years.
Q: Is the fund mandatory?
The Special Advocacy Fund is voluntary, and not tied to FCM membership. However, it's a vital opportunity for municipalities to take our historic progress to new heights and to continue to deliver for Canadians the same way we always have — together.
What municipal leaders are saying about FCM's Special Advocacy Fund:
Our choice in the next federal election is simple: either we continue to move forward as local governments, or we fall back. If we get this right, we'll see federal parties competing to support municipal priorities. We'll see a federal government that understands why full partnership with municipalities is the only way forward. Election 2019 is our opportunity to make that happen. We can't leave anything to chance.
— Don Iveson Mayor, Edmonton, AB
FCM has proven that it can deliver for communities of all sizes. We saw this in the last election, when our work put local issues on the federal map. We've seen it since then through the unprecedented federal investments that FCM has helped secure. Now we need to take this advocacy to the next level, to build our local priorities into the heart of the next government's mandate.
— Ray Orb Reeve, Rural Municipality of Cupar No. 218, SK
Resolution:
That the Town of View Royal (not) support the FCM through a contribution to the Special Advocacy Fund in the amount of $1050.00
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