City councillor Garth Frizzell represented northern B.C. on a national level during the Federation of Canadian Municipalities annual conference last weekend.
Frizzell has been on the board of the federation for three years, but it is his first time serving on the executive, and was elected the chairperson of the B.C. caucus of the federation.
"For me it's big. Prince George may be a city of 77,000, but we're viewed as the most rural community [on the board]," he said.
Frizzell said his appointment will give him a chance to bring issues important to rural and northern communities to the fore.
The federation has the ear of the federal government, he said. Prime Minister Stephen Harper was expected to meet with FCM delegates in Halifax for the annual conference, but it conflicted with the presentation of the Throne Speech.
"[But] I personally got a chance to talk with [NDP leader] Jack Layton and [Green Party leader] Elizabeth May," he said. "They are paying attention to what we have to say."
High on the list of issues is the Green Municipal Fund and federal gas tax grants to municipalities, he said. As a member of the executive, Frizzell will get to vote on each application to the Green Municipal Fund -a $550 million fund available to municipalities for green projects in areas including brownfield development, clean energy and waste reduction.
The Federation of Canadian Municipalities is the advocacy group for Canada's towns and cities.
"It's about making sure the issues the members want get on the agenda," said Frizzell.
