Big City Mayors urge federal investment for downtown revitalization

Josh Morgan and other Big City Mayors are asking the feds to include money for downtown projects as part of a nation building initiative. Gerry Dewan explains.

Canada’s largest cities are calling on the federal government to prioritize downtown revitalization, citing the critical role these urban cores play in national economic growth and community well-being.

The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) annual convention this week saw the Big City Mayors’ Caucus present a unified front, requesting significant federal funding in the upcoming budget to address a range of pressing issues impacting downtown areas.

London Mayor Josh Morgan, who chairs the Big City Mayors’ Caucus, emphasized the urgent need for action.

“We know the downtowns are suffering. We know that downtowns are hurting, and we know that revitalization of our downtowns is a nation-building project,” Morgan stated.

The caucus, representing 23 of Canada’s largest municipalities, argues that healthy downtowns are not only tourism gateways but also crucial hubs for investment and job creation.

“So not only is this our calling card to the world for tourism, but investments, every industrial investment, every person who visits a city thinking about bringing jobs or a factory here, they usually land in hotels in our downtown core,” Morgan explained.

The mayors highlighted that downtown cores across Canada are grappling with interconnected challenges, including escalating mental health issues, addiction crises, and a severe lack of affordable housing. These factors, they argue, directly affect public safety and the overall perception of a city’s health.

To address these concerns, the caucus has put forth practical priorities for all levels of government to focus on ahead of Budget 2026, aiming to strengthen downtowns and drive economic growth. Key proposals include:

Keeping downtowns moving: Enhancing investment in public transit and maintaining essential infrastructure like roads and bridges. The mayors propose doubling the community stream of the Build Communities Strong Fund and restoring the Canada Public Transit Fund to $30 billion.

Ensuring housing for all: Tackling record levels of homelessness and increasing affordable housing options. The caucus advocates for $3.5 billion annually from the federal government to reduce chronic homelessness by 50 per cent by 2030 and integrating homelessness prevention into an updated National Housing Strategy.

Tackling organized crime: Addressing issues like illicit drug supply, gun violence and extortion that impact urban safety. This includes enhancing the federal Building Safer Communities Fund and establishing a federal-municipal working group to combat organized crime.

Morgan noted that while federal investment is crucial, each municipality would retain the flexibility to set its own priorities. For London, potential “big ticket” projects under consideration include replacing the aging city hall, originally built in 1967, and exploring the creation of a transit hub near the RBC Place London convention centre, possibly in partnership with Via Rail.

“The general infrastructure of the city, water and wastewater capacity, feed not only the whole city, but the investments and residential density that can occur in our downtown core,” Morgan added, stressing that downtown improvements often have broader, city-wide benefits.

Morgan’s leadership on this front will continue, as he has been named chair of the Big City Mayors’ Caucus for another two-year term, a move that breaks with tradition.

The Federation of Canadian Municipalities, representing more than 2,000 municipal governments, backs this push, underscoring that strong, vibrant downtowns are fundamental to Canada’s economic success and the quality of life for its citizens.