Reynolds: Cities' response 'critical' to Syrian refugee crisis

Ward 11 Coun. Lynne Reynolds joined municipal leaders from across Canada in delivering a unified response to the humanitarian crisis facing Syria.

Board members of The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) meeting in Fredericton unanimously passed an emergency recommendation to co-ordinate the efforts of cities and communities across the country to amplify the effectiveness of local initiatives already underway.

“Municipalities are critical to the success of Canada’s response to this deeply troubling situation,” said Reynolds, a FCM director.

“The City of Greater Sudbury will join communities across our country to play a key role in any effort to resettle families fleeing violence in Syria. Through our co-ordinated actions, we can maximize the size and the speed of Canada’s response.”

The recommendation establishes an FCM task force on Refugee Resettlement to coordinate an effective response from the local government perspective.

The task force will enable municipalities to share information and best practices. It will also provide an efficient means of coordinating with provincial, territorial and federal counterparts to meet immediate and urgent resettlement targets.

The Federation of Canadian Municipalities is the national voice of municipal government. In leading the municipal movement, FCM works to align federal and local priorities, recognizing that strong hometowns make for a strong Canada.