Ottawa, ON – At a time when municipalities are central to delivering on Canada’s economic, infrastructure and climate priorities, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) has appointed Berry Vrbanovic as Chair of the Green Municipal Fund (GMF) Council for a two-year term, effective April 1, 2026.
“Mayor Vrbanovic’s appointment reflects both deep experience and a strong track record of delivering results,” said Rebecca Bligh, President of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. “At a time when municipalities are helping drive economic growth, tackle housing and advance climate solutions, his leadership will ensure the Green Municipal Fund continues to deliver innovative, scalable solutions in communities across the country. This is about delivering—and doing so with speed, discipline and impact.”
Mayor Vrbanovic brings more than three decades of municipal leadership and a strong track record in advancing sustainability at both the local and global levels. He has been actively involved with FCM since 2000, including serving as FCM President from 2011 to 2012, and is currently a member of the Big City Mayors’ Caucus. He previously served on the GMF Council and the FCM Environmental Issues and Sustainable Development Committee.
He also brings meaningful experience in climate and sustainability to the Council, including through his role as Co-President of United Cities and Local Governments—the global network representing local and regional governments—having been elected to this role by his peers globally. In this position, he has focused on bringing the voices of Canadian cities to the United Nations, including to the forefront of debates such as the COP21 Paris Climate Change agreement and the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
“I am honoured to take on the role of Chair of the FCM Green Municipal Fund Council,” said Mayor Vrbanovic. “The Green Municipal Fund is a proven tool that helps communities move from planning to implementation — accelerating projects that strengthen local economies, create jobs and deliver measurable results for residents. With a newly approved Three-Year Plan in place, I look forward to working with Council and staff to ensure GMF continues to support communities in delivering innovative, scalable solutions at a pivotal moment for Canada.”
Mayor Vrbanovic succeeds Mayor Alan DeSousa, whose term as GMF Council Chair concludes on March 31, 2026. Mayor DeSousa joined the GMF Council in 2018 and served as Chair for two terms, during a period of significant growth and evolution for the Fund.
The FCM Executive thanks Mayor DeSousa for his significant service to the Green Municipal Fund Council. During his tenure, GMF expanded its impact through the launch of major climate adaptation initiatives, including the addition of two initiatives to its portfolio: the Local Leadership for Climate Adaptation (LLCA) initiative and the Growing Canada’s Community Canopies (GCCC) initiative. These initiatives are helping safeguard communities while delivering economic benefits.
FCM’s Green Municipal Fund (GMF) is a globally unique organization providing funding and education to municipalities to help them both reach net-zero and build resilient communities, while also delivering economic and social benefits such as jobs, housing and infrastructure. Since inception in 2000, it has helped reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2.98 million tonnes, funded more than 16,000 person-years of employment, and contributed $1.53 billion to the national GDP via the more than 2,736 approved projects. GMF manages approximately $2.4 billion in programs funded by the Government of Canada.
The Federation of Canadian Municipalities is the national voice of municipal governments, with over 2,000 members representing more than 90 per cent of the Canadian population.
For more information, please contact:
FCM Media Relations, (613) 907-6395, media@fcm.ca