Municipal Affairs

Cross Border Network
  • 0.0 (0)
  • Politics
  • Updated Weekly

From the bustling streets of Vancouver to the serene coastlines of the Maritimes, and all the way up north to the breathtaking landscapes of the Arctic, we're embarking on an expedition that will connect us, inform us, and empower us. This isn't just another show; it's your portal into the pulse of your local community and every community across our vast and diverse country.

  1. BC Municipal Leaders Talk Shared Challenges

    23m ago

    BC Municipal Leaders Talk Shared Challenges

    Thousands of local elected officials from across Canada gathered in Edmonton, Alberta, last month for the Federation of Canadian Municipalities' 2026 Annual Conference and Trade Show, marking 125 years of municipal leadership, collaboration, and advocacy. Over the course of the four-day convention, representatives from British Columbia connected not only with delegates from their own provinces, but with municipal leaders from coast to coast to coast.  The event provided an opportunity to share ideas, discuss common challenges, and strengthen partnerships within Canada's municipal sector. While in Edmonton, we caught up with numerous municipal leaders from across the British Columbia to discuss their attendance and how things are going in their community.Today's guest include: Tofino Mayor Dan Law, Clearwater Mayor Merlin Blackwell, and Kamloops Councillor Nancy Bepple.  ----- Support The Show Today: https://www.crossborderinterviews.ca/support-the-show Join The Show: https://www.crossborderinterviews.ca/be-part-of-the-show  ------ Listen To The Show: Apple: https://apple.co/41p5I2I Spotify: https://bit.ly/3tkvb0E  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/crossborderinterviewswithchrisbrown ------ Follow Us On Social Media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crossborderpodcast/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/crossbordernetwork.bsky.social  Threads: https://www.threads.net/@crossborderpodcast  Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/CrossBorderInterviews/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/crossborderinterviews/  Website: https://www.crossborderinterviews.ca/ Municipal Affairs is Part of The Cross Border Network ©2026

    20 min
  2. Swan River's Long Road Home

    2d ago

    Swan River's Long Road Home

    If you've been following the news this week, you've seen the images: roads washed away, neighbourhoods underwater, and families forced to leave their homes with little more than the essentials. For the people of Swan River, this isn't just another flood. It's their second major flood in less than a month. The water is finally starting to go down, but very slowly. In some parts of town, it still has metres to drop before people can even get back into their homes. That means hundreds of families are stuck waiting—not able to clean up, not able to rebuild, just waiting for the water to let them in. And as anyone who's lived through a disaster knows, sometimes the waiting is the hardest part. While communities like Dauphin are beginning to recover, Swan River faces a much longer road ahead because the water simply has nowhere to go. The flooding has damaged roads, rail lines, homes, and businesses. Infrastructure that was almost repaired after the first flood has now been washed out all over again. For Mayor Lance Jacobson, the toughest part has been watching what his residents are going through. He's described people as being "coiled up like a spring"—ready to get home, ready to start cleaning up, but unable to do anything until the water recedes. It's an emotional toll that's difficult to put into words. Municipal leaders are often the first people residents turn to during emergencies like this. They're coordinating the response, helping families find support, and already thinking about what recovery will look like months from now. At the same time, they're working with the province and hoping for additional help from the federal government because rebuilding after two historic floods isn't something any community can do alone. Today, we're going to talk about where things stand in Swan River, what residents are facing in the days and weeks ahead, and what governments at every level can do to help communities recover from disasters that seem to be happening more often. Joining me today is the Mayor of Swan River, Lance Jacobson. ----- Photos and Video of Swan River Flooding by: Swan Hills Ranch Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Swan-Hills-Ranch-100064662402914/ ----- Support The Show Today: https://www.crossborderinterviews.ca/support-the-show Join The Show: https://www.crossborderinterviews.ca/be-part-of-the-show  ------ Listen To The Show: Apple: https://apple.co/41p5I2I Spotify: https://bit.ly/3tkvb0E  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/crossborderinterviewswithchrisbrown ------ Follow Us On Social Media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crossborderpodcast/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/crossbordernetwork.bsky.social  Threads: https://www.threads.net/@crossborderpodcast  Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/CrossBorderInterviews/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/crossborderinterviews/  Website: https://www.crossborderinterviews.ca/ Municipal Affairs is Part of The Cross Border Network ©2026

    27 min
  3. Ontario Leaders Chart Path Forward at FCM

    2d ago

    Ontario Leaders Chart Path Forward at FCM

    Thousands of local elected officials from across Canada gathered in Edmonton, Alberta last month for the Federation of Canadian Municipalities' 2026 Annual Conference and Trade Show, marking 125 years of municipal leadership, collaboration, and advocacy. Over the course of the four-day convention, representatives from Ontario connected not only with delegates from their own provinces, but with municipal leaders from coast to coast to coast.  The event provided an opportunity to share ideas, discuss common challenges, and strengthen partnerships within Canada's municipal sector. While in Edmonton, we caught up with numerous municipal leaders from across Ontario to discuss their attendance and how things are going in their community. Today's guests include: Timmins Mayor Michelle Boileau, Burlington Councillor Rory Nisan and Greater Sudbury Councillor Natalie Labbée ----- Support The Show Today: https://www.crossborderinterviews.ca/support-the-show Join The Show: https://www.crossborderinterviews.ca/be-part-of-the-show  ------ Listen To The Show: Apple: https://apple.co/41p5I2I Spotify: https://bit.ly/3tkvb0E  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/crossborderinterviewswithchrisbrown ------ Follow Us On Social Media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crossborderpodcast/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/crossbordernetwork.bsky.social  Threads: https://www.threads.net/@crossborderpodcast  Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/CrossBorderInterviews/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/crossborderinterviews/  Website: https://www.crossborderinterviews.ca/ Municipal Affairs is Part of The Cross Border Network ©2026

    18 min
  4. Where Do Municipalities in NFLD Stand Today?

    2d ago

    Where Do Municipalities in NFLD Stand Today?

    Thousands of local elected officials from across Canada gathered in Edmonton, Alberta last month  for the Federation of Canadian Municipalities' 2026 Annual Conference and Trade Show, marking 125 years of municipal leadership, collaboration, and advocacy. Over the course of the four-day convention, representatives from Newfoundland and Labrador connected not only with delegates from their own provinces, but with municipal leaders from coast to coast to coast.  The event provided an opportunity to share ideas, discuss common challenges, and strengthen partnerships within Canada's municipal sector. While in Edmonton, we caught up with numerous municipal leaders from across Newfoundland and Labrador to discuss their attendance and how things are going in their community.Today's guests include: St. John's Mayor Danny Breen, Torbay Mayor Craig Scott, and Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador President Amy Coady ----- Support The Show Today: https://www.crossborderinterviews.ca/support-the-show Join The Show: https://www.crossborderinterviews.ca/be-part-of-the-show  ------ Listen To The Show: Apple: https://apple.co/41p5I2I Spotify: https://bit.ly/3tkvb0E  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/crossborderinterviewswithchrisbrown ------ Follow Us On Social Media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crossborderpodcast/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/crossbordernetwork.bsky.social  Threads: https://www.threads.net/@crossborderpodcast  Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/CrossBorderInterviews/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/crossborderinterviews/  Website: https://www.crossborderinterviews.ca/ Municipal Affairs is Part of The Cross Border Network ©2026

    16 min
  5. Collaboration for Stronger Local Communities

    3d ago

    Collaboration for Stronger Local Communities

    Municipal leaders across Canada are facing many of the same challenges: aging infrastructure, rising construction costs, attracting and retaining skilled staff, and ensuring local councils have the tools they need to govern effectively. Those issues were front and centre as provincial and territorial ministers responsible for local government gathered, In Jasper, Alberta, to discuss the future of municipalities.  Among the key topics: improving municipal codes of conduct, addressing harassment directed at elected officials and municipal employees, retaining chief administrative officers, expanding training opportunities for newly elected councils, and finding better ways to assess and finance the infrastructure communities depend on every day. The meeting also featured discussions with the federal government on the need for more stable, predictable infrastructure funding and ensuring national policies work for municipalities of every size, while reducing administrative hurdles and recognizing provincial and territorial priorities. What comes out of these conversations could have a lasting impact on communities across Saskatchewan and across Canada. Joining us today is Saskatchewan Government Relations Minister Eric Schmalz to discuss the outcomes of the meeting, what they mean for Saskatchewan municipalities, and the priorities he'll be advancing as governments continue working together on local governance and infrastructure. ----- Support The Show Today: https://www.crossborderinterviews.ca/support-the-show Join The Show: https://www.crossborderinterviews.ca/be-part-of-the-show  ------ Listen To The Show: Apple: https://apple.co/41p5I2I Spotify: https://bit.ly/3tkvb0E  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/crossborderinterviewswithchrisbrown ------ Follow Us On Social Media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crossborderpodcast/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/crossbordernetwork.bsky.social  Threads: https://www.threads.net/@crossborderpodcast  Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/CrossBorderInterviews/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/crossborderinterviews/  Website: https://www.crossborderinterviews.ca/ Municipal Affairs is Part of The Cross Border Network ©2026

    17 min
  6. STREETER: What Does Canada Mean To Your Community?

    5d ago

    STREETER: What Does Canada Mean To Your Community?

    One of the greatest privileges of producing this show is travelling to communities and municipal conventions across Canada, where we have the opportunity to sit down with local leaders and hear the stories that shape our country from the ground up. With Canada Day here, there was one question I couldn't stop thinking about—one that felt especially fitting to ask the people who serve their communities every day: What does Canada mean to your community? Last week, we were in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, for the 2026 SUMA Regional Roadshow, where we posed that question to municipal leaders from across the province. Their answers reflect the pride, resilience, and shared values that make communities—and our country—strong. ----- Support The Show Today: https://www.crossborderinterviews.ca/support-the-show Join The Show: https://www.crossborderinterviews.ca/be-part-of-the-show  ------ Listen To The Show: Apple: https://apple.co/41p5I2I Spotify: https://bit.ly/3tkvb0E  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/crossborderinterviewswithchrisbrown ------ Follow Us On Social Media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crossborderpodcast/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/crossbordernetwork.bsky.social  Threads: https://www.threads.net/@crossborderpodcast  Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/CrossBorderInterviews/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/crossborderinterviews/  Website: https://www.crossborderinterviews.ca/ Municipal Affairs is Part of The Cross Border Network ©2026

    5 min
  7. STREETER: What Does Canada Mean To You?

    5d ago

    STREETER: What Does Canada Mean To You?

    One of the great privileges of producing this show is travelling across Canada, attending municipal conventions and visiting communities of all sizes to sit down one-on-one with local leaders.  Those conversations remind us just how diverse—and connected—our country truly is. As Canada Day is upon us, there was one simple but meaningful question we wanted to ask municipal leaders from across Alberta: What does Canada mean to you? Last week, we were in Red Deer, Alberta, for the 2026 Alberta Municipalities Summer Leaders' Caucus, where we posed that very question to elected officials from communities across the province. Here are their reflections, as we celebrate Canada and the people who help shape it every day. ----- Support The Show Today: https://www.crossborderinterviews.ca/support-the-show Join The Show: https://www.crossborderinterviews.ca/be-part-of-the-show  ------ Listen To The Show: Apple: https://apple.co/41p5I2I Spotify: https://bit.ly/3tkvb0E  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/crossborderinterviewswithchrisbrown ------ Follow Us On Social Media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crossborderpodcast/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/crossbordernetwork.bsky.social  Threads: https://www.threads.net/@crossborderpodcast  Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/CrossBorderInterviews/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/crossborderinterviews/  Website: https://www.crossborderinterviews.ca/ Municipal Affairs is Part of The Cross Border Network ©2026

    5 min
  8. Building Stronger Rural Communities

    5d ago

    Building Stronger Rural Communities

    The Government of Canada has opened applications for the Build Communities Strong Fund's Local Impact Stream, with more than $176 million earmarked over the next four years for infrastructure projects across the Prairie provinces.  The program is designed to help communities build or renew spaces that bring people together—from recreation facilities and community halls to parks, cultural spaces, and other public gathering places—with projects eligible for up to $1 million in federal funding. For rural municipalities, where aging infrastructure, rising construction costs, and limited tax bases often make it difficult to tackle major capital projects, this funding could present an important opportunity.  But questions remain about whether the program is flexible enough to meet the unique needs of rural communities and whether smaller municipalities will have the capacity to access these dollars. Joining us today to discuss what this announcement means for rural Alberta is Kara Westerlund, President of the Rural Municipalities of Alberta.  We'll talk about the opportunities this fund presents, the challenges municipalities still face, and what rural leaders hope to see from governments moving forward. All that and more on this edition of Municipal Affairs. ----- Support The Show Today: https://www.crossborderinterviews.ca/support-the-show Join The Show: https://www.crossborderinterviews.ca/be-part-of-the-show  ------ Listen To The Show: Apple: https://apple.co/41p5I2I Spotify: https://bit.ly/3tkvb0E  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/crossborderinterviewswithchrisbrown ------ Follow Us On Social Media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crossborderpodcast/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/crossbordernetwork.bsky.social  Threads: https://www.threads.net/@crossborderpodcast  Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/CrossBorderInterviews/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/crossborderinterviews/  Website: https://www.crossborderinterviews.ca/ Municipal Affairs is Part of The Cross Border Network ©2026

    25 min
See All (494)

About

From the bustling streets of Vancouver to the serene coastlines of the Maritimes, and all the way up north to the breathtaking landscapes of the Arctic, we're embarking on an expedition that will connect us, inform us, and empower us. This isn't just another show; it's your portal into the pulse of your local community and every community across our vast and diverse country.

Information

More From Cross Border Network

You Might Also Like