Over the next four weeks, municipal leaders from across Canada will gather in four very different communities: Calgary, Edmonton, Corner Brook, and Winnipeg. Each of these cities will play host to meetings, discussions, and conventions that will bring together mayors, councillors, reeves, and municipal staff from across the country. From Newfoundland and Labrador to Alberta to Manitoba, local leaders will be sitting face to face, talking about the challenges they share and th

Welcome to Cross Border Interviews, the show where we dive into the insights of municipal political leaders from across Canada. Our mission is to shine a light on the dedicated individuals who, day in and day out, work around the council table to shape the communities we call home. For today’s episode, we chat City of Duncan Mayor Michelle Staples The City of D uncan serves as an economic hub for the Cowichan Region. They provide healthcare, retail and professional services,

It’s shaping up to be one of the largest gatherings of municipal leaders Alberta has seen in years. From November 12th to 14th, mayors, councillors, and administrators from across the province will converge on downtown Calgary for the Alberta Municipalities convention — a three-day summit where the people who help run our cities, towns, and villages come together to debate, decide, and chart the path forward. They’ll be tackling some of the biggest issues facing local governm

A significant step toward strengthening relationships between municipalities and First Nations communities took place in Saskatoon this month. The Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association, known as SUMA, and the Office of the Treaty Commissioner have formalized a new partnership through the signing of a memorandum of understanding. The agreement was signed following a traditional Pipe Ceremony at the Office of the Treaty Commissioner, with Treaty Commissioner Dr. Kathy W

Strychnine — a name that carries a long legacy across the Prairies. For decades, it was the go-to pesticide for gopher control in Alberta. That is, until the federal government began phasing out its use on Richardson’s ground squirrels back in 2020 — and then banned it outright in 2024. The small animal at the centre of it all — the Richardson’s ground squirrel, known more commonly as the gopher — has been described as “a destructive force across the prairie provinces, threat

A three-way race is taking shape to determine the next president of Alberta Municipalities, following last month’s municipal elections. The organization is seeking a new full-time president after incumbent Tyler Gandam, Mayor of Wetaskiwin, was defeated in his bid for re-election. Three candidates have put their names forward to lead the provincial municipal association: Penhold Mayor Mike Yargeau, Grande Prairie Councillor Dylan Bressey, and Calgary Communities First Party C