Why the CAMC?
The Canadian Association of Municipal Communicators (CAMC) is the only organization created specifically for local government communications professionals, recognizing that communications undertaken for municipal government are unique.
Municipal communications are not comparable to private industry or non-profit communications. The output levels are different, the way in which communications need to be designed and executed is different, and the demands are definitely different. So, it kind of just stopped making sense for municipal communicators to be asked to join organizations focused mainly on private industry, or to get accredited by organizations that aren't specific to local government communications.
At the same time, the expectations for local government communications have grown exponentially, from the public and from Council. The community wants to know everything and they want to know it now – or, at least, they think they want to know everything. Meanwhile, Councils across hte country are (thankfully) seeing the importance of what we do, making public communications and public engagement key strategic priorities. Still, the higher demands placed upon municipal communicators always accompanied by higher capacity, meaning your skills are stretched further and further.
Finally, the abuse experienced by local government communicators as the face of the organization has hit a breaking point, with many communicators stating they feel burnt out, demoralized, and as though their work is under-appreciated. (For what it's worth, your work is very important, and you should be proud of how significantly your efforts impact your organization and your community.)
The CAMC was created to bolster the industry, providing members with opportunities tied to professional development and training, and networking and mentorship, along with shared resources and materials, and other membership benefits.
In doing so, we aim to bolster the entire industry, raising the profile of, and advocating for, municipal communicators. Our value outweighs membership fees.
Thank you for your support of the CAMC. Together, we can do more.