City council has approved the proposal to host a board meeting of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) in 2025 or 2026.

Council accepted the proposal at its meeting Monday when it instructed city administration to submit a proposal to host the meeting.

The FCM holds four meetings annually of its board of directors. Two of them are hosted by Canadian municipalities.

Coun. Ted Laking, who is also the president of the Association of Yukon Communities, put forward the motion to host the meeting on May 1.

An administrative report prepared for council says there are economic benefits to hosting the meeting.

There would be, for instance, the potential to book up to 150 hotels rooms, conference space rentals and sales of tourism-related products and services.

These benefits contribute to the local economy, support businesses and enhance the city’s reputation as an active participant in the FCM, says the administrative report.

It says the Yukon Convention Bureau has confirmed that a conference of this size could inject upwards of $350,000 into the local economy.

The closing date for the request is June 30.

Laking was in Ajax, Ont. in March representing the Yukon at FCM meetings.