CISAL (Peru, 2017)
Fort St. John participated in a Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) program to share its expertise and leadership in resource economy management, economic development and gender equality with local government officials in Peru. The relationship helps build more sustainable and inclusive communities in resource-based regions in Columbia and Peru through partnerships and learning opportunities from their Canadian counterparts.
The Sustainable and Inclusive Communities in Latin America (Communidades Inclusivas y Sostenibles en América Latina) (CISAL) is a five-year program of FCM. It involves a number of municipalities from B.C. and across Canada that have experience successfully diversifying their local communities from single-employer and/or resource-based economies. The long-term outcome is that vulnerable groups within communities in South America impacted by the mining sector enjoy increased social benefits and sustainable, and inclusive economic opportunities by learning from Canadian municipalities that faced similar challenges.
In 2017 Mayor Lori Ackerman signed an agreement with the mayors of Chumbivilcas province in the Cusco region of Peru to work in the strengthening of the planning of local economic development and the inclusion of women in municipal development processes.
Mayor Ackerman, senior city staff, and local economic development officials traveled to the Cusco region to assist local governments with sustainable economic development planning, government transparency and accountability in mining areas, and shared best practices in effective local government operation. The travel was funded by FCM through grants provided by Global Affairs Canada.
Fort St. John will host a delegation of women leaders from Chumbivilcas as part of a study tour in Spring 2018. The women will tour local resource extraction facilities and visit non-profit organizations. They will also meet with local First Nation, business, and community leaders to discuss inclusivity and gender diversity.