Tillsonburg council members, officials participating in AMO conference
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Tillsonburg Mayor Stephen Molnar and CAO Kyle Pratt planned to join about 1,400 participants for the Association of Municipalities Ontario (AMO) 2021 Conference from Aug. 16-18.
The annual conference is a chance for municipal officials to discuss and move forward on shared challenges, to learn, and to create new opportunities that benefit their communities.
For the second time in AMO’s 120-year history, the entire conference program would be offered online, hosted by the City of London. The 2021 event had more than 40 speakers, sessions and workshops.
Keynote presenters include Premier Doug Ford and key ministers, NDP leader Andrea Horwath, Liberal leader Steven Del Duca, Green Party leader Mike Schreiner, and AMO president Graydon Smith.
During the conference, Molnar and Pratt planned to meet with the Minister of Transportation, ministerial representative for Municipal Affairs and Housing, the Minister of Infrastructure, the Minister of Long-Term Care and the ministerial representative for Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade.
Conference sessions and speakers covered a wide range of topics, including the impact of COVID-19 on municipal service delivery; women in leadership; broadband connectivity in Ontario; transforming long-term care; community para-medicine, inclusivity and mental health; municipal insurance costs; property assessment in a post-pandemic world; and changes to conservation authorities.
Sessions related to affordable and attainable housing, long-term care solutions, economic recovery post-pandemic and transit options within Southwestern-Central Ontario were of particular interest to the Tillsonburg delegation.
“This conference is an important opportunity for us to forge strong, positive working relationships with upper levels of government and learn from our peers in other municipalities,” said Molnar in a media release.
“As we continue to grapple with the impact of COVID-19 on our communities, it’s essential to have dialogue and discuss the path forward to economic and social recovery,” added Pratt.
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