EDMONTON — The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) has announced the formation of a brand new Defence Task Force aimed at strengthening collaboration between local municipalities and the federal government. Rebecca Bligh, FCM President and Vancouver City Councillor, officially announced the initiative on Friday during a press conference held at the Edmonton Convention Centre.
Speaking on the launch, Rebecca Bligh highlighted that the world is currently facing significant geopolitical shifts, making the reinforcement of Canada’s defensive posture an urgent and tangible national objective. The task force aims to align local governments with federal defence initiatives by bringing together diverse stakeholders, including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and various Chambers of Commerce, to ensure municipalities can effectively back national security efforts.
The FCM’s move comes on the heels of the Liberal government’s commitment to invest an additional $81.8 billion over the next five years to bolster the Canadian Armed Forces. As Canada aims to allocate up to 5 percent of federal spending toward defence by 2035, Bligh emphasized that local government involvement is vital. Municipal participation is especially crucial to ease the strain on local infrastructure and urban systems when military bases expand.
Edmonton Mayor Andrew Knack noted that Edmonton has a major role to play in this strategy as the closest major metropolitan city to the Arctic and northern regions—territories critical to national sovereignty and long-term defence capabilities. He added that Edmonton is uniquely positioned to contribute due to its leadership in innovation, artificial intelligence (AI) research, and advanced manufacturing.
The newly formed Defence Task Force will be co-led by Councillor Will Cole-Hamilton from Comox, British Columbia, and Councillor Connie Glenn from Kingston, Ontario.
