Municipalities work hard to keep Canadians safe and secure. They’re on the front lines when floods, wildfires and other emergencies strike. Police and other local first responders also face a growing list of public safety challenges—from implementing cannabis legalization to tackling the opioid crisis, from rail safety to border security. Every new challenge strains already limited local resources.

We advocate for more tools to help municipalities plan for and respond to emergencies, as well as for better collaboration among orders of government to provide safe communities and protect Canadians from health and security risks. We also equip municipalities with key resources to help them meet their public safety responsibilities.

All of us want to feel safe and secure in our homes and in our neighbourhoods. Municipalities are leaders and vital partners in ensuring exactly that.


Featured news & resources

See featured resources, news, events and training related to Public safety.
News
FCM welcomes federal bail reform measures, urges continued collaboration to strengthen community safety

FCM welcomes federal bail reform measures.

Resources
Municipal priorities ahead of the next budget

FCM’s recommendations in full to the federal government ahead of the upcoming fall 2025 federal budget.

Resources
Track smart: Safety, innovation, service

In partnership with CN, this FCM Collective webinar will help community leaders to better understand the strategies, technologies and methods employed to ensure safe and sustainable railway operations. Participants will hear about CN’s Fire and Suppression fleet, a custom-designed in-house fleet of five trains that can deploy fire fighting resources to remote and inaccessible areas.

Resources
The future of rural Canada

Rural Canada is fundamental to the country’s future—not just as the source of our food, energy and resources, but as a driver of economic growth, resilience, and national prosperity.

News
FCM Calls on Federal Parties to Focus on Canadians’ Priorities and to Come up with Lasting Solutions

FCM outlines Canadians’ top priorities at the local level and calls for lasting solutions from federal parties.

News
FCM statement on the 2023 federal budget

Taneen Rudyk, President of FCM, issued this statement following the tabling of the 2023 federal budget.

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56%
police officers employed by municipal police services
18%
police officers employed in RCMP contract policing
$14.7B
total operating expenditures for police services in Canada, 2016-2017
Related focus areas
Explore the topics we’re working on related to public safety.

Cannabis

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Legal cannabis is now produced, sold and consumed in our cities and communities. We advocate for tools that help keep all Canadians safe and well served in this new environment.

Opioid crisis

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Cities and communities are on the front lines of the opioid crisis, working to stop overdose deaths. We're leading the call for a coordinated national response by all orders of government.

Rail safety

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Transporting dangerous goods by rail can put communities at risk. We work alongside the federal government to ensure municipalities are equipped to respond to rail emergencies and keep Canadians safe.
© 2025 Federation of Canadian Municipalities