FCM has released its 2019 federal election platform, Building Better Lives, which outlines a vision for modernizing the relationship between communities and the federal government. The platform prioritizes action on infrastructure, public transit, housing, climate action, and rural and northern communities.
FCM’s platform is broadly supported by UBCM policy and addresses priorities identified by BC communities. UBCM is appreciative of the opportunity to provide input during FCM’s platform development and outreach.
The platform seeks to renew Canada’s core infrastructure, by permanently doubling the federal Gas Tax Fund transfer and boosting the Gas Tax Fund’s annual growth index from 2.0 to 3.5%. It also calls for a permanent funding mechanism for public transit and an acceleration of the mass adoption of low-zero-emission transit and municipal fleet vehicles.
On housing, Building Better Lives recommends increasing the supply of social and affordable housing and addressing gaps in the national housing strategy – including more supportive housing for those with mental illness and substance abuse problems, culturally appropriate affordable housing for indigenous households, and empowering local governments to identify surplus federal lands for housing projects. It also calls for the creation of a market rental preservation program, senior supports for aging in place, and a new forum for all orders of government to tackle housing affordability.
The platform seeks continued mitigation and adaptation efforts to address climate change including scaling up dedicated federal funding for critical disaster mitigation and climate change adaptation projects, creating a targeted program to update flood plain maps, and building up local government capacity to respond to climate risks. It also recommends building a rural lens and northern priorities into federal government, modernizing and streamlining funding tools that rural and remote communities rely on, and increasing broadband investments to achieve universal access.