Today Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador (MNL), the Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities (NSFM), the Union of Municipalities of New Brunswick (UMNB) and the Federation of Prince Edward Island Municipalities (FPEIM) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate on research and advocacy designed to meet the shared needs of their members.
Municipalities across the country face escalating pressures with limited resources. Having many shared advocacy and membership development goals, the four Atlantic associations have agreed to work collaboratively on research, policy analysis and other activities when they feel it is in the collective best interest of their members to do so.
“There has never been a more important time to work together. Signing this MOU is a commitment to building a stronger network for coordinated research and development,” says Sheila Fitzgerald, President of MNL.
“There is strength in numbers,” says NSFM President Pam Mood. “Using our collective voice will ensure we amplify our impact when it comes to issues and concerns that are uniquely Atlantic Canadian.”
“Four heads are better than one,” says Wayne Sturgeon, President of UMNB. “Municipalities in our region face common challenges, so it makes sense to work together and find common solutions.”
“Collaboration is not new for our associations,” says Bruce MacDougall, President of the FPEIM. “This agreement builds on our current relationship and will support the important work we do on behalf of municipal governments across Atlantic Canada.”
The four associations are positioned to play a significant leadership role in creating the conditions for a coordinated, regional approach to shared priorities such as the municipal fiscal framework. This will be one of their first priorities. Improving the way municipal governments raise the revenue required to provide vital services to residents is necessary.
The four associations represent 448 local governments in Atlantic Canada and a combined population of more than 2.3 million people.