Councillors Heading to FCM Annual Convention in Vancouver
Thursday, May 30, 2013 @ 4:11 AM
Prince George, B.C.- The Federation of Canadian Municipalities will start gathering in Vancouver today, and will get down to work tomorrow.
The annual general meeting will see reps from municipalities and districts across the country, talk about a variety of common issues. Nearly all of the members of Prince George City Council will be attending the conference which wraps up on Monday June 3rd.
The FCM will be hearing from MP Denis Lebel , Federal Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities. He is expected to deliver the Federal response to the on going request for infrastructure funding. In Budget 2013, the Federal Government outlined a new “Building Canada Plan” for 2014/15 that promises $47 billion in new funding to support local and economic infrastructure projects. Of that amount, $6 billion is to go to provinces, territories and municipalities under current infrastructure programs in 2014-15 and beyond.
“I think this will spur the discussion with the Provincial Government” says FCM Director and Prince George Councillor Garth Frizzell, “Because now, each of our caucuses will have to get in on the discussion of cost sharing with the Provincial Government.”
With infrastructure funding no longer on the front burner, Frizzell says the new issue facing communities across the country is housing, an issue that is expected to come from the Big Cities Mayors conference. “Housing has been on our (FCM) radar for a long time, as many of the Federally supported housing programs were slated to come to the end of their natural cycle at the end of 2014 and it appeared it hadn’t been recommitted. So now that we’ve got the infrastructure commitment for 2014, there’s going to be a focus on housing as one of the other issues.”
Of particular interest to communities in Northern BC will be a workshop on partnerships with the resource extraction companies. With billions of dollars of investment poised for Northern B.C., the workshop will look at best practices in preparing for a sudden influx of a large workforce, and the aftermath when that project is complete. One of the panel members is from Yellowknife who can share his community’s experience following the end of the gold mining days and the resurgence of activity when the diamond mines opened. One of the issues to be discussed is how communities can negotiate a “more equitable distribution of social and economic benefits from extractive activity”.
And what has become an annual issue, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business has issued it’s latest report on Municipal spending. The report blasts the major cities for increases in spending that have grown far and beyond the rate of inflation or population growth. Frizzell says he fully expects the report will be talked about, “Their timing is on the eve of the FCM’s AGM and that ensures there will be more discussion about it. They are right, spending has gone up, but the (report’s) explanation on why that spending goes up , that’s the part I would expect has gotten overlooked.”
Denis Lebel is not the only Federal politician to address the FCM, NDP leader Thomas Mulcair, Liberal leader Justin Trudeau and Green Party leader Elizabeth May are also scheduled to speak.
Comments
Well, remember, they are buying carbon offsets so that the CILA can get into the treeplanting business. ;-)
==================================
“With billions of dollars of investment poised for Northern B.C.”
It has been poising for many decades ….. just the inflationary increases in the Billions are mindboggling.
ATCO trailers ….. I recommend them, keeps the Alberta company busy the world over.
We are lucky to have them so close so they can siphon money out of the BC economy with each project that needs temporary housing. ;-)
Video conferences and teleconferences are not as effective as in-person or face to face meetings.
Posted by: JohnnyBelt on May 30 2013 8:09 AM
Video conferences and teleconferences are not as effective as in-person or face to face meetings.
————–
That may be true but do they really need to send (almost) all of them?
I’d rather they did these rather than going to China.
To even suggest that teleconferences or video conferences would be “just as effective” for an event such as this shows a complete lack of any concept of how the world works.
I will agree I don’t think they should all be going (2-3 maybe) but not attending in person is not an option. Like it or not, this is where business gets done and if we’re not there then I can guarantee you we will lose out on funding opportunities.
“âmore equitable distribution of social and economic benefits from extractive activityâ.
AKA gouge the tax payers for more money, are our mayor and council attending this or actually hosting it.. because we are constantly being taken for more and more to pay for less and less
Hmmm, was someone suggesting only the PG contingent should tele or video conference realitycheck? Thats what your response suggests. Perhaps the whole thing should be done electronically, saving the taxpayers of Canada millions of dollars. There is absolutely no reason to meet face to face in this day and age.
Just an excuse for a taxpayer funded getaway!
FCM president Karen Leibovici said the following in response to the latest CFIB analysis of municipal spending: âMunicipalities have known for DECADES that the way we fund cities in Canada is unfair and unsustainable. The CFIB should stop trying to change the topic and face facts: local governments don’t have the tools to build the kind of communities Canada needs to thrive in the 21st century. Canadians deserve a solution from all orders of government, not just more talk.”
http://www.fcm.ca/home/media/news-releases/2013/statement-by-fcm-president-karen-leibovici-on-cfib-analysis-of-municipal-spending-trends.htm
Apparently the FCM has been around since 1901.
If anyone wishes to gauge the effectiveness of the organization over the past DECADES, then I would like to know why it has taken DECADES to lobby the senior governments to remove the unfairness and unsustainability of funding cities in Canada.
Over the DECADES, what ha been there goal and where are they on achieving that goal?
For starters find out who in the world has a better system and why are we not adopting or adapting that system?
BCRAcer wrote: “this could be just as effective with video conferencing….and a lot less expensive”
Given that what Karen Leibovici said shows that they have not been effective with respect to funding the work of municipalies BCRacer happens to have hit the nail on the head.
As someone on here recently reminded us of: “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again but expecting different results.” ;-)
Dragon: ” There is absolutely no reason to meet face to face in this day and age.”
You obviously don’t attend many meetings. I have, and can say that a lot more gets accomplished face to face rather than sitting on the other end of a camera or phone.
Certainly, there are many things that can be accomplished with a phone call/video. This type of conference is not one of them.
The new BC Hydro PG building will be 85,000 square feet and have a life expectancy of 75 years. Construction costs are $25 million. That is $294/sf
Construction cost seems to be RCMP building 63,000 sf $22.7 million not including land, demolition, construction management, architectural design and professional services which brings the total to around $39 million. That is $360/sf.
I know the RCMP station cost of $22.7 million is bare bones construction cost since it states what is not included. I do not know what is included in the BCHydro building but if there is anything included in that that is not included in the bare bones construction cost of the RCMP building the cost differential between the two buildings will widen even more.
As it stands, the RCMP building is 22.5% more costly than the BCHydro building. It is easy to see from the difference between the two as they are constructed why the prime reason why the cost is so different.
I also think this is an indicator of why this City cannot handle its financial house properly.
=======================================
JB, I too have been to tons of conferences for a variety of purposes. Lots of fun talking to people. Unless there is follow up, you might as well have stayed at home and thought about how you can work more effectively.
Yes, most people get “pumped” up at these things, or think they are pumped up …. within a couple of week or less, everything is back to the habits you and the organization you work with have formed over the years.
Organizational culture is difficult to break.
Housing has been on our radar. That brings up the question of How much is the Victoria Towers Apt. building on 20th going to end up costing the taxpayers?? Who is going to be living in the building if it ever gets up and running?? I hope it will be nice like it was once , and families will be able to live there as its close to a School. I hope its going to be a safe place for people to live and have a live in manager. I hope its not going to turn into a big government funded slum,like it ended up before taxpayers bought it.
gus: “JB, I too have been to tons of conferences for a variety of purposes. Lots of fun talking to people. Unless there is follow up, you might as well have stayed at home and thought about how you can work more effectively.”
Agreed. It does depend on the person. If you’re a passive participant there’s not a whole lot of value.
“With infrastructure funding no longer on the front burner,”
So one of the biggest issues facing local governments is now on the back burner? Other than taking was anything done? Were any people appointed to a sub-committee to contact the province and the feds to follow up or did they all throw their hands in the air decide the issue was too big and head down to Robson Street for a little shopping. It will come to the top of the pile for discussion in another 10 years.
If these meetings are all talk and no action they might as well be by teleconference.
It is time to look at how many of these types of conferences are conducted. This type of model has been around since early train travel. Probably time to take it up a notch.
There are exiting alternate models.
If you want an example of “best practices”, I would suggest you look at TED talks and their approach. Audience members have to apply and compete for a limited number of seats to participate. However, the high quality events are video recorded in a professional manner and put online free for anyone with Internet access to view.
With some tweaks (i.e. online, real time voting on resolutions, etc.), I am sure the same type of approach could eliminate attendance by many of the participants, save considerable funds and extend the proceedings to a broader audience through the Internet.
Even the concept of video conferencing has
evolved from the earlier generations of technology. Often when the term is used, we have different takes on its effectiveness based on our own personal experiences.
Don’t tell me the intricacies of what you are going to do … do it. I judge by action, not by promises or trying.
A joint agreement between feds, province and municipalities is needed which will outline the issues and the solutions and who is going to be responsible for what.
I know if I were the feds I would not simply hand over the money without some quality control strings attached.
I am expecting a lot of good to come from the municipal auditor such as setting some sort of value for money standard. In other words, if you build a palace of a police station, as an example, do not expect the feds or province to pay for it.
JB: “If you’re a passive participant there’s not a whole lot of value.”
There should not be any passive participants at that type of conference. They are all politicians. A passive politician is an oxymoron.
Wonder if Rob Ford is attending. Now that would be fun!!! ;-)
Hey Gus .. not often I find my self supporting JB but I interpret his definition of passive might include politicians:
acting like sheep following the misguided leader (i.e. Mayor Green and council, Prime Minister Harper and the Conservative MPs, etc)
sitting on their hands and doing nothing after returning from conference .. council members could be reaching out into the community by attending and talking to various community groups instead of awaiting the pilgrims to show up in chambers with hat in hand
I agree that all politicians like to talk (as do most posters on this site) however, I think until a politician actually does something to improve our state, then JB is spot on with his accusation of “passive” .. he could have used much stronger language had he chose to. ;-)
Gus: ” Construction cost seems to be RCMP building 63,000 sf $22.7 million not including land, demolition, construction management, architectural design and professional services which brings the total to around $39 million. That is $360/sf.”
Isn’t it amazing how much architectural ugliness 39 million dollars can buy?
Yikes!
I think it would be easy to find so-called ‘passive participants’ in a room full of people, many who love the sounds of their own voices. Everybody is different, even politicians.
I do agree that actions are important after a conference like this, but communication is also important.
Talk is cheap? Just sometimes.
Yesterday on the news….( don’t quote these figures )
Overspending by Canadian municipalities:
Vancouver-300%
Toronto-500%
Montreal-800%
I wonder where PG would sit ?
JB, I attend multiple meetings via conference call every month and have excellent results from them. That’s why we continue using the method. I stand by my statements.
For me, conference calls are great for a project team which has members in distant locations. Everyone is focused on converging issues towards project completion.
To explore new tools, methodologies on a comparative basis and speak to people who are generally at the top of their field, there is nothing like a trade show in such NA cities as Chicago, or almost any of the capital cities in Europe.
Having P.G. councillors attend the FCM shindig is a waste of taxpayer’s money.
An expenses paid getaway. A perk.
Fine for private business, go for it, but this is paid for by the public. Not good.
metalman.
Comments for this article are closed.