In case you didn’t hear, there’s an election on. The 2021 Federal Election is well underway, and everyone has issues that are especially important to them, even the political leaders and staff at the City of Guelph. Before the weekend, the City sent out a press release listing their five priorities for this election, issues that they would like to see addressed by the candidates and their parties. These priorities, the release says, are essential to help Guelph meet its corporate goals.

So what the priorities? This is how they appear, and how they’re worded, in the City of Guelph’s own media release:

Invest in municipal infrastructure to stimulate economic recovery focusing on climate change adaptation and natural disaster mitigation-related infrastructure, Guelph’s Active Transportation network, and the City’s fibre-optic network

Advance the electrification of the transportation sector by funding electrical infrastructure upgrades, growing the local EV charging network, and continuing the electrification of Guelph Transit

Empower municipal climate-change leadership by funding net-zero carbon initiatives for new and renovated municipal facilities, helping Guelph reach its 40% tree canopy goal, and investing in the circular economy

Support housing attainability through policy change and funding for greater affordability across the housing spectrum, including home ownership, rental housing, and supportive housing

Implement the next Safe Restart Agreement to cover the projected 2021 Guelph Transit deficit and to support hard-hit City services until revenues stabilize post-pandemic

“These five priorities are vital to ensure Guelph is future ready, and they all require federal partnership and leadership to make them happen. I call on all candidates to pledge to work hand-in-hand with local government to deliver for our city,” said Mayor Cam Guthrie in a statement.

Guthrie will meet with the various Guelph candidates to make his case for these agenda items in person, but Guelph is one city out of a whole country of cities, so what difference does is make what we think is important? Well, that’s why the City of Guelph is also supporting the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ platform called, “Our Frontline Solutions.” Unlike Guelph’s plan, the FCM has four points, but there’s a lot of crossover in the substance.

The four issues that the FCM are laying out for this election are renewed economic growth through environmental sustainability, increased affordability and an end to chronic homelessness, the expansion of fast and reliable broadband internet, and more collaboration between all levels of government.

“After everything Canadians have been through, they deserve progress they can see—directly in the places where they live, work and raise families,” said FCM President Joanne Vanderheyden in a statement. “We’re showing all federal parties how working with municipalities means creating good jobs, getting housing built, protecting people from floods and wildfires, building out modern transit, closing the rural Internet gap, and engaging Canadians from east to west in the march to net-zero.”

“Working together is really the key to building a stronger, more inclusive and sustainable Canada on the other side of COVID-19,” Vanderheyden added.