Ottawa – Today, FCM announced the appointment of four new representatives to the Green Municipal Fund (GMF) Council. Councillor Gabrielle Blatz, Councillor Waye Mason, Parminder Sandhu and Councillor Shanon Zachidniak each have extensive experience and expertise which will aid GMF Council in its critical work to guide and support GMF as it helps municipalities accelerate their switch to sustainable solutions.
Gabrielle Blatz
Gabrielle Blatz was first elected on to city council in Wetaskiwin, Alberta in 2019. As a Metis woman, she has always had deep roots and passion for environmentalism. With her role on council, she has been able to transfer that passion for the environment into her community. In 2021, Wetaskiwin became home to an edible urban forest after she highlighted the benefits of urban forests in a presentation. This became the catalyst in her career for exploring ways for smaller municipalities to become leaders in accessible sustainability practices. Climate action, sustainability and green initiatives are the future of our country, and it will take communities of all sizes to make a positive impact on generations to come.
Waye Mason
Waye Mason is a community leader, entrepreneur, educator and municipal Councillor representing Halifax South Downtown. Re-elected to his third term as Councillor in 2020, he is known for his social media savvy and relentless constituency work.
Waye has grown businesses, led member organizations and developed the arts and culture sector in Nova Scotia for over two decades. His career in the music industry spanned artist development to live event production, and he has become a well-known business and strategic consultant both inside and outside the cultural sector.
As Councillor, he currently serves as a board member of the Halifax Partnership, Chair of the Transportation Standing Committee, and as Regional Council’s Indigenous Community Liason, as well as other advisory committees of Council.
Parminder Sandhu
Parminder Sandhu is an entrepreneur with over 25 years experience operating at the intersection of public policy needs and private sector innovation to deliver market-based solutions. His experience includes starting and scaling businesses, managing investment portfolios, and public service. He has served on several boards and advocates for governance, outcomes orientation, and being mandate driven.
Shanon Zachidniak
Shanon is serving her first term as the Ward 8 City Councillor in Regina, SK. In that role, she is the co-chair of the Community Advisory Group for the city’s Energy & Sustainability Framework.
A passionate community builder, her work has included management roles with several organizations. She has a master’s degree in Environmental Studies and a bachelor’s in Journalism.
She has served on the board of several non-profits and is the founder of Regina’s award-winning EnviroCollective & co-founder of Food Regina.
The members of the GMF Council are leaders from the federal, municipal and environmental sectors. One-third of Council members are Government of Canada representatives, one-third are elected municipal officials appointed by FCM's Board of Directors, and one-third are external members representing the public, private, academic and environment sectors. We're proud to have these innovators and champions of environmental sustainability on the GMF Council.
GMF is a $1.65 billion endowment from the Government of Canada and delivered by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, which proudly supports municipalities of all sizes across Canada in bringing their sustainability projects to life. Since its inception two decades ago, GMF has invested in 1,738 projects, helped avoid 2.75 million tonnes of CO2 and helped create 12,908 person-years of employment.