From May 26 to June 4, 2018, in the framework of PLEDDG Project, a study tour to Canada for representatives of Association of Ukrainian Cities (AUC) took place. During the visit, its participants had a chance to attend the Federation of Canadian Municipalities Annual Conference (FCM), which serves as a platform for discussion of topical social, economic, ecological, and political issues at the national level, with the representatives of all Canadian municipalities involved.
The aim of the PLEDDG-organized study tour to Canada was to give Ukrainian municipal leaders an opportunity to learn about Canadian best practices in democratic governance and local economic development. Specifically, they learned about environmental sustainability programs managed by FCM, such as FCM’s Green Municipal Fund, models for supporting gender equality at the municipal level including FCM’s Women in Local Government program, as well as met Canadian regional municipal member based associations to review decentralized models for reginal office management.
During the tour, the Ukrainian delegation visited two Canadian cities – Тоronto, Ontario, and Halifax, Nova Scotia. In Toronto, Ukrainian delegates took part in meetings and discussions held at the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Association of Ontario Municipalities (АМО), and Administration Service Center. Owing to that, they managed to learn how cities and associations defined specific quality indices of the services rendered, collected data on deliverables of the activity, and analyzed those data. They also better understood the principles for creating regional and sub-regional municipal associations and managing thereof, and the principles of their interacting with the members. Moreover, they extended their knowledge as to what facilitated efficiency of the activity on environmental sustainability and gender equality, efficient use of necessary instruments and resources, and how they could be adapted for their being used in the AUC context.
During the FCM’s Annual Conference in Halifax, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as the keynote speaker, which gathered about 2000 representatives of large and small municipalities of Canada, the Ukrainian delegation learned about FCM’s activities, its structure, policies, and programs. Besides, they had the opportunity to listen to representatives of the Canadian Government speaking on important social, economic, ecological, and political issues, as well as interact with FCM members.