The City of Thompson’s leadership had the opportunity to connect with the City of North Battleford at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities annual conference in Regina last week, beginning a new collaboration between the cities to share and develop approaches to public safety and community development.
The City of North Battleford and the City of Thompson are both communities of comparable size: both share similar opportunities that come with being a regional service center, along with the challenges of public safety and social issues that stem from it as well.
The two communities are also in discussions with other small cities facing similar issues to expand their partnerships, bring more ideas to the table, and enhance their collective lobbying power.
“Collaboration is critical for the future of small cities across Canada. More and more Canadians are migrating to larger urban centers, yet the importance of small cities hasn’t diminished,” said Mayor Colleen Smook. “Cities like ours need to work together to make our communities safer, more beautiful, and remind people across the country of the opportunities we offer.”
City of North Battleford Mayor David Gillan, in a press release issued, noted that “a partnership with Thompson, helps both communities to develop leading-edge innovation, to find opportunities, and develop best practices that will substantially enhance our respective capacities. This partnership has the potential to expand the understanding of our communities and create new options and approaches that can make our municipalities even better places to live and prosper.”
The Northerner 