FCM's Impact Across Canada

For more than 125 years, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities — better known as FCM — has served as the national voice of local government in Canada. Since its founding in 1901, municipalities from coast to coast to coast have come together through this organization to advocate for stronger communities, better infrastructure, and federal policies that reflect the realities Canadians experience every day at the local level. Today, FCM represents nearly 2,000 municipalities and 20 provincial and territorial municipal associations, giving it a voice that speaks on behalf of more than 90 percent of Canadians. From major urban centres to rural communities and northern regions, municipal leaders gather through FCM to share ideas, establish priorities, and address the challenges shaping communities across the country. But what does FCM actually mean for municipalities? How does its work affect residents on the ground? And how does one organization bring together the diverse perspectives, priorities, and realities that make up a country as vast and varied as Canada? To help answer those questions, we're joined by four municipal leaders who have each served as President of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. Together, they bring decades of experience from communities across the country and unique insight into how FCM advocates on behalf of local governments. Joining us today are Taneen Rudyk, President of FCM in 2022; Garth Frizzell, President in 2020; Clark Somerville, President in 2016; and Karen Leibovici, President in 2012. Together, they'll discuss why a unified municipal voice matters, how FCM works with governments at every level, and why the organization's work is important not only for municipalities, but for Canadians from coast to coast to coast. This is Municipal Affairs. ----- Support The Show Today: https://www.crossborderinterviews.ca/support-the-show Join The Show: https://www.crossborderinterviews.ca/be-part-of-the-show ------ Listen To The Show: Apple: https://apple.co/41p5I2I Spotify: https://bit.ly/3tkvb0E YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/crossborderinterviewswithchrisbrown ------ Follow Us On Social Media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crossborderpodcast/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/crossbordernetwork.bsky.social Threads: https://www.threads.net/@crossborderpodcast Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/CrossBorderInterviews/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/crossborderinterviews/ Website: https://www.crossborderinterviews.ca/ Municipal Affairs is Part of The Cross Border Network ©2026