Annapolis County’s warden in position to help shape Canada’s future
Annapolis County’s warden was just elected to the top municipal board in the country.
Timothy Habinski is now a member of the board of directors of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. Elections took place at the FCM’S June 1-4 national conference, which drew 2,000 municipal leaders from across Canada to the nation’s capital.
Habinski said it was an honour to be chosen by his peers to serve on the national board, and he sees that as an extension of his service to Annapolis County.
“Some of our biggest challenges here in Annapolis County are also national challenges - whether that’s jobs, growth, or climate change,” he said. “I’ll be taking our local realities to the FCM table, and we’ll be pressing for federal action that makes life better here at home and across Canada.”
Habinski leads a council that is being recognized for spearheading several movements including creation of its own fibre optic Internet service, creating economic and cultural ties with cities in China, and opposing unfettered clear cutting of Crown land in Annapolis County.
FCM is the national voice for 2,000 local governments, representing more than 90 per cent of all Canadians. As a member of FCM’S board, Habinski will help set the direction for an organization that is effectively transforming the role of municipalities on the national stage.
During the last year, FCM has achieved unprecedented engagement with the federal government on local priorities, said a media release from Annapolis County. Following intensive advocacy by FCM, Federal Budget 2017 committed to invest $81 billion in infrastructure over 11 years — including affordable housing, transit expansions, green infrastructure, and rural, northern and remote priorities.
“This is a critical year coming up for municipalities,” Habinski said. “We’ve got unprecedented federal investment on the table, but we need to make sure they get the details right. Then we’ll be ready to turn investments into real outcomes in our community: better roads, faster commutes, more affordable housing, and cleaner air and water. And that means economic growth and a higher quality of life.”