Portage la Prairie city councillor Joe Masi has once again been endorsed by his council to let his name stand for election to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) board of directors.
Masi, who serves as Chair of Finance for the city and has been a board member with the FCM since May 2023, says he was honoured to receive the endorsement during a recent council meeting.
"I was very pleased that last night at our council meeting, I once again got the endorsement from my council to let my name stand for the Federation of Canadian Municipalities elections," Masi says. "You cannot run as a candidate without that resolution, so I was very honoured."
This will be Masi’s third term running for the national role. He says the work is not only beneficial for municipalities across Canada, but also ensures Portage la Prairie has a voice on important municipal matters.
"I think it's good for Portage la Prairie as well," he says. "I always think when I’m at the board table, how will this impact Portage la Prairie? How is it going to impact our residents?"
The FCM board election will take place during the organization’s annual conference, scheduled this year for Ottawa. The vote will be held June 1, with Manitoba delegates choosing their provincial representatives.
Masi, a longtime advocate in the municipal sector, spent 20 years as the executive director for the Association of Manitoba Municipalities before taking a brief retirement and returning to public life with his election to Portage city council in 2022.
A voice for Portage on national issues
Masi says the issues discussed at the national level often directly affect the City of Portage and its residents, and having someone from the city on the FCM board ensures their needs are heard.
"Portage la Prairie is close to my heart, obviously," Masi says. "Sometimes, these programs at the national level just don't quite fit smaller municipalities. We are a city, but we're a smaller urban centre compared to Toronto. So it's important that our voice be heard at the national level."
Among the key issues Masi expects to remain in focus for the FCM are infrastructure funding, affordable housing development, and public safety. He also highlighted the need for continued pressure on bail reform and policing costs.
"Public safety is obviously going to be a big one," he says. "You heard at the recent AMM convention, our mayor participated in a press conference with the Minister of Justice, and bail reform is at the top of that list."
Masi says the FCM board has already adopted a policy to support bail reform, and he plans to ensure the issue remains a national priority following the federal election.
Working through change with experience
As chair of the FCM's Election Readiness Working Group, Masi has played a lead role in preparing municipal leaders for the coming changes in federal leadership. He says that work gives him insight into what municipalities need to advocate for once a new government is in place.
"I really want to be at the table when this new government comes in," he says. "We’re going to need to work with them right away on issues like tariffs, infrastructure, and a new funding model."
One of Masi’s proudest contributions to the board, he says, was pushing for the adoption of a national policy on bail reform—an issue that he and other Manitoba caucus members brought forward after incidents in Portage and across the province.
"Up until that point, there was not a policy on bail reform," Masi says. "I think the three of us from the Manitoba caucus were a big part of that."
He adds that while the council's endorsement includes permission to submit expenses for FCM participation, there’s no cost to the city.
"We're very fortunate here in Manitoba that the Association of Manitoba Municipalities covers those costs," Masi says. "So even though the resolution says the city pays, there’s actually no cost to the City of Portage la Prairie."
If elected, this will be the final time Masi serves a one-year term on the board. Starting next year, FCM board terms will shift to two years.
"I think it was a good move by the Federation," he says. "You just get going and you’re already back in an election. So a two-year term will be a positive change."
The election takes place June 1 at the FCM annual conference in Ottawa.