The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) has invited Weyburn Mayor Debra Button to take part in a mission to Ukraine from December 6 to 15 under the auspices of the Municipal Local Economic Development (MLED) Project.
The MLED Project will implement a new $17 million CIDA-funded program in Ukraine that will contribute to improved economic opportunities for Ukrainians through more inclusive and effective local governments that meet the needs of their citizens and the business community, with support from enabling institutions.
The impact of the economic crisis in Ukraine has been significant and is compounded by the fact that Ukraine's enabling environment for business and investment is not fully consolidated. At the local level, cities have a role to play on creating a stable local environment conducive to the economic growth and investment, but knowledge and experience in business and investment planning is not sufficiently developed, constraining local economic development.
Cities require guidance on how to undertake proper investment planning, based on the territory's strengths and weaknesses as well as economic potential, and reach out to investors. Current and potential entrepreneurs could benefit from streamlined local procedures and better business development services from their municipalities, which do not have sufficient human and financial resources to properly provide these services.
A number of Canadian municipal experts, including mayors and city councillors, will be deployed under the auspices of the project to both provide strategic leadership and use a culturally-sensitive approach to build the capacity of Ukrainian local government representatives and staff.
Button will bring her experience and perspectives as a locally elected leader as well as experience partnering with the business community/private sector and also her perspectives of gender equality within the Canadian municipal context.
The overall aim of gender equality efforts within the MLED Project will be to promote gender-equitable local governance and economic development in which both men and women are active participants, sources of influence and beneficiaries of services.
MLED will support Ukraine's priorities for improving the investment climate and implementing decentralization and local government reform through transfer of new knowledge and tools related to local economic development planning, generating needed revenues and delivering related services. The program will also help partner cites to increase capacity and skills in outreach, promotion and public engagement with locally based enterprises, with the overall goal of providing better services to local businesses.
There are many benefits for Canadian municipalities to get involved in international development projects such as MLED, including the improvement of their own services through sharing and discussions of innovative practices; building the reputation of their municipality in Canada; and broadening partnership opportunities at a global level.
