30 May 2025
Ottawa, May 29, 2025 – Local and regional government leaders from G7 countries, represented by the Urban7 (U7) group, today presented their Urban7 Declaration: A Case for Constructive Multilevel Multilateralism to Cynthia Termorshuizen, Associate Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Personal Representative of the Prime Minister of Canada for the G7 Summit. The handover took place at the Annual Conference and Trade Show of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
With their message, local and regional governments seek to inform the 2025 G7 Leaders’ Summit, which will be held in Kananaskis, Alberta, from June 15 to 17, 2025. The handover was organized by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), which holds the 2025 chairmanship of the U7 under Canada’s G7 Presidency. The event was attended by FCM President Rebecca Bligh who spoke on behalf of the Urban7 networks during the official handover.
The Urban7 Mayors’ Declaration outlines the pivotal role of cities and regions in addressing today’s most pressing global challenges—from climate change and conflict recovery to affordable housing, democracy, and artificial intelligence. It emphasizes that constructive multilevel cooperation—anchored in a rules-based, democratic order—is essential for achieving the G7’s economic, social, and environmental objectives.
As the 2025 G7 Presidency is held by Canada, FCM has facilitated Canadian municipalities' leadership within the Urban7 framework and their engagement with G7 counterparts. The handover builds on momentum from the April 2025 U7 Mayors’ Summit in Kobe, Japan, where mayors from across the G7 united to advocate for the formal recognition of the U7 as an official G7 engagement group. The Urban7 Mayors’ Declaration sends a strong message from local and regional leaders to national governments: sustainable, inclusive progress depends on strong multilevel governance.
“Cities are on the frontlines of global change—whether it’s the housing crisis, climate impacts, or technological transformation,” said Rebecca Bligh, President of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM). “With today’s handover of the U7 Mayors’ Declaration, we are making the case that empowering cities and regions through formal engagement in the G7 will lead to better outcomes for people everywhere. Canada’s G7 Presidency is an opportunity to embrace true multilevel collaboration.”
The declaration urges G7 leaders to:
- Formally recognize the Urban7 as a G7 engagement group, ensuring structured and ongoing dialogue between local and national leaders.
- Strengthen cooperation across governance levels and create an enabling framework that provides cities, towns and regions with the authority, financial resources, and technical capacity to implement impactful solutions to global priorities including climate resilience, affordable housing, digital governance, and social equity.
- Support city-to-city cooperation, especially between the G7 and Global South, to tackle urban challenges and foster inclusive development worldwide.
- Ensure ethical and inclusive AI governance, empowering municipalities with knowledge, resources, and frameworks to responsibly integrate emerging technologies.
- Strengthen peace, democracy, and resilience through local action and transnational partnerships.
- Strengthen cooperation across governance levels and create an enabling framework that provides cities, towns and regions with the authority, financial resources, and technical capacity to implement impactful solutions to global priorities including climate resilience, affordable housing, digital governance, and social equity.
- Support city-to-city cooperation, especially between the G7 and Global South, to tackle urban challenges and foster inclusive development worldwide.
- Ensure ethical and inclusive AI governance, empowering municipalities with knowledge, resources, and frameworks to responsibly integrate emerging technologies.
- Strengthen peace, democracy, and resilience through local action and transnational partnerships.
Image 1: From left to right: Rebecca Bligh, FCM President, Cynthia Termorshuizen, Associate Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Personal Representative of the Prime Minister of Canada for the G7 Summit; Image credits: FCM
Image 2: From left to right: Rebecca Bligh, FCM President, Cynthia Termorshuizen, Associate Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Personal Representative of the Prime Minister of Canada for the G7 Summit, and Berry Vrbanovic, Mayor of Kitchener (CA). Image credit: FCM
About the Urban7
The G7 Urban7 (U7) advocates for a continuous dialogue between the G7 nations and municipal actors represented by national associations and supported by international city networks. It addresses the G7 Presidency and is moved forward by a strong urban alliance. The U7 Group is steered by the U7 Secretariat, consisting of ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability and the Global Parliament of Mayors (GPM). The city association from the country leading the G7 that year fulfills the role of chair and liaison with the G7 presidency for the group. In 2025, under Canada’s G7 Presidency, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) fulfills that role
About ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability
ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability is a global network of more than 2,500 local and regional governments committed to sustainable urban development. Active in 125 countries, we influence sustainability policy and drive local action for low-emission, nature-based, equitable, resilient and circular development. ICLEI Europe provides members in Europe, the Middle East and West Asia with a voice on European and international stages, a platform to connect with peers, and tools to drive positive environmental, economic and social change. ICLEI Europe works closely with an extended network of local and regional governments and partners on a broad range of topics.
ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability is a global network of more than 2,500 local and regional governments committed to sustainable urban development. Active in 125 countries, we influence sustainability policy and drive local action for low-emission, nature-based, equitable, resilient and circular development. ICLEI Europe provides members in Europe, the Middle East and West Asia with a voice on European and international stages, a platform to connect with peers, and tools to drive positive environmental, economic and social change. ICLEI Europe works closely with an extended network of local and regional governments and partners on a broad range of topics.
About the Global Parliament of Mayors
The Global Parliament of Mayors is a governance body of, by and for mayors from all continents with a vision of the world in which mayors, their cities and networks are equal partners in building global governance for an inclusive and sustainable world. Its mission is to facilitate debates between mayors, national governments and international organisations, drive systematic action to take on global and national challenges and opportunities to achieve political change on a global scale. The GPM builds on the experience, expertise and leadership of mayors in tackling local challenges resulting from global problems.
