In This Issue:
- Get access to MIDAS!
- Provincial consultations on electricity transmission planning.
- Rural Ontario Development Program opens for applications.
- Nominations for 2025 Excellence in Agriculture award.
- Applications now open for EASE Grant - apply by August 14th.
- Homelessness Reduction Innovation Fund: Apply by August 15.
- Don’t miss this year’s pre-conference workshops at AMO 2025.
- AMO Guide to Delegation Meetings 2025: Be prepared for your ministerial delegations.
- Registration for AMO’s Second Annual Healthy Democracy Forum is open.
- AMO fall education workshops.
- Training - Foundations for a Municipal Investment Strategy.
- Help to protect your residents.
- All Risk Municipal Grant announcement.
- Municipal website usability checklist.
- Blog: What are Group Benefits – really?
- New guidance for Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) safety.
- Careers.
AMO Matters
MIDAS - the Municipal Information & Data Analysis System - provides access to the Financial Information Returns (FIRs) data to all Ontario municipalities. MIDAS converts FIR data into meaningful reports and identifies multiple year trends. For access, municipal elected officials and municipal staff can email MIDASAdmin@amo.on.ca.
Provincial Matters
The provincial government is soliciting feedback on electricity transmission projects including the Greenstone Line, Windsor to Lakeshore Line, Bowmanville to GTA Line, Orangeville to Barrie Line, and Barrie to Sudbury Lines.
The Ministry of Rural Affairs is accepting applications to the modernized Rural Ontario Development (ROD) Program. Applications are being accepted through four intakes with the first open from June 24 – September 24, 2025.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness is accepting nominations for the 2025 Excellence in Agriculture Award recognizing individuals, businesses and organizations driving excellence in Ontario’s agri-food sector.
The EASE Grant offers up to $60,000 in funding for small capital projects that improve Ontario communities’ accessibility and enhance quality of life for people with disabilities and older adults.
Federal Matters
The Homelessness Reduction Innovation Fund provides grants for projects aimed at reducing homelessness. Find out about the process to apply and learn about the latest solutions. Sign up here.
Education Opportunities
This year’s AMO Conference includes an impressive slate of preconference workshops. These workshops will support your decision making from asset management, procurement practices and insights as well as maintaining your wellbeing as you lead your local communities. See more here.
AMO’s Guide to Delegation Meetings outlines best practices to help AMO members get the most out of your delegation meetings. You will find advice on the full delegation process, from submitting your request for a delegation, preparing, participating and following-up after your successful meeting.
AMO is holding a forum for its members, key stakeholders and partners to provide a reliable assessment of tariff and trade disruptions and their impact on Ontario municipalities and business sector. Forum discussion and content will include identifying measures to address and mitigate these impacts. This future facing event is an opportunity to build new alliances and relationships across impacted sectors in support of strong and effective economic advocacy. Register here.
We are pleased to be hosting the second annual AMO Healthy Democracy Forum October 18-19 at the Westin Harbour Castle Hotel in Toronto. This year’s discussions will focus on strategies to encourage and increase voter turn out, candidate attraction and retention as well as promoting civility and confronting harassment in Ontario’s municipalities. For more information and to register click here.
LAS
Now’s the time to enhance your understanding of municipal investments. This new on-demand training, which is perfect for municipal finance staff, will review the Municipal Act investment regulation, discuss current municipal finance challenges, and overview investment options available to the municipal sector.
Most residential property owners don’t know they are responsible for the maintenance of the buried water and sewer lines that run from the municipal connection to the exterior of their home. You can help them save money and time. Visit our program partner SLWC at the AMO Conference, booth #205 to learn how.
Our three All Risk Municipal Grant winners will be announced on August 18 at the AMO Conference. Each will receive $10,000 to support their innovative risk management solution. Stay tuned for more details.
What does a usable website look like? Our Barrier-free Website Builder partner is offering a valuable Usability Checklist. It has a tiered level of opportunities for municipal staff – from making quick wins to completing larger tasks that can completely transform residents’ and staff website experience.
If a municipality were shopping for a new group benefits insurance company or wanted to compare rates, the process isn’t a simple 24-hour turnaround. Read our blog to learn more, and if you have any questions, you could also visit our program partner at the AMO Conference, booth #201.
Municipal Wire*
Energy Storage Canada and the Energy Safety Response Group have published new guidance answering common questions and myths about BESS systems. This resource can help municipalities considering hosting projects under the LT2 energy procurement.
Careers
Director of Community Development - City of Temiskaming Shores. Closing Date: August 18th, 2025.
Economic Development Officer - County of Simcoe. Closing Date: August 8, 2025.
Planning Program Supervisor, Growth Policy & Analysis - County of Simcoe. Closing Date: August 8, 2025.
