AMO Watchfile - March 28, 2024

In This Issue
- 2024 is an AMO Board election year!
- Application for the PJ Marshall Awards is open.
- Conservation Authority regulations.
- Information to assist Municipalities in flood preparedness.
- Consultation on Ontario Energy Board Act changes.
- Consultation on Rural Economic Development Strategy.
- Nominations open for Lieutenant Governor’s Award.
- Applications open: My Main Street Fund.
- Applications open: Rural Transit Solutions Fund.
- Consultation: 2025 National Construction Codes.
- Strategies for Navigating Conflict Relationships for Strong Council Outcomes.
- Land Use Planning - Foundations and Deeper Dive workshops.
- AntiSemitism and Anti-Islamophobia: Spring workshops.
- Councillor Training - Refresh and refine your leadership, May workshop.
- Advanced Councillor Training Series to revitalize your leadership.
- Municipal Codes of Conduct Workshop: Essential to Good Governance.
- Understanding Competing Human Rights - Upcoming workshop.
- OSUM 2024 - Join the OSUM Executive and colleagues in beautiful Orillia.
- Canoe spring webinar series starts soon.
- Upcoming webinar: Measurement and Verification for Energy Projects.
- Don't forget to vote for Elliot Lake on March 29 and 30 - Kraft Hockeyville!
- Ontario Bike Summit - April 3 - 5, 2024, Waterloo.
- Captive wildlife resolution.
- Leading local change through Canada's net-zero building codes.
- Call for delegates to SIESLR Conference.
- Invasive Species Action Fund.
- Recorded webinar on energy project siting.
- Future of Aging Summit: May 15-17.
- Careers: Guelph, Georgina, and Peel Regional Police.

AMO Matters
Elections for positions to the AMO Board of Directors will occur at the AMO Annual Conference, hosted by the City of Ottawa in August 2024. Click here for answers to some frequently asked questions if you are considering running.

The Peter J. Marshall Municipal Innovation Award celebrates municipal governments in Ontario that implement new and innovative ways to make public services, facilities, and infrastructure better for Ontarians. View full details here.

Provincial Matters
Regulatory changes under the Conservation Authorities Act to support streamlined, timely and consistent conservation authority permitting decisions and ensure permit decisions are focused on natural hazard considerations will come into effect April 1.

As Ontario flood season arrives, MNRF has circulated a fact sheet with roles and responsibilities to assist municipalities in flood preparedness (French versions 1 & 2). Information is also available online.

The Minstry of Energy is consideration changes to the Ontario Energy Board Act that would require broader consultation by the OEB (including with municipalities) and increase the leave to consult threshold. Submissions due by April 7.

The province is conducting a survey to inform the creation of a Rural Economic Development Strategy. Share your ideas on how the province can support rural communities plan for economic success.

Nominations are open for the Lieutenant Governor’s Medal of Distinction in Public Administration, Ontario’s highest honour for public service. Nominate someone from your municipality by April 30.

Federal Matters
The Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario and the Canadian Urban Institute are offering two streams of funding for initiatives to support main streets in southern Ontario. Apply by March 31.

Infrastructure Canada is now accepting applications for the Planning and Design Projects Stream of the Rural Transit Solutions Fund (up to $50,000). Visit their website for more information.

The Canadian Board for Harmonized Construction Codes is consulting on proposed changes for the 2025 national codes. Feedback collected will also serve as consultation for Ontario’s 2026/27 Building Code. Submissions due April 14.

Education Opportunities
AMO’s Navigating Conflict for Elected Officials is an invaluable resource for AMO members and your councils. Learn how to move from conflict to collaboration in the June 26 - 27 Navigating Conflict workshop. If you have completed this training already, take your skills to the next level at the April 9 - 10 Advanced Strategies to Navigating Conflict workshop.

AMO’s is offering two education opportunities focused on planning issues and strategies: April 17 Foundations in Planning workshop builds foundational knowledge and insight into planning legislation and municipal roles and responsibilities. Our April 18 Advanced Land Use Planning workshop includes analysis of case studies and lessons learned to build your strategic management and decision making on local planning matters.

Don’t miss this time limited opportunity: register for the April 24 antisemitism workshop and the May 15 anti-islamophobia workshop. These important workshops provide you invaluable insight on the historical and contemporary roots of antisemitism and anti-islamophobia, how to address these and how to build relationships and allyships.

The Councillor Training interactive workshop delves into the key areas of your responsibility as an elected official in a forum where you can ask questions that you can’t always raise locally. Register for the May 14 Councillor Training workshop today.

As an elected municipal official we know the pressure you deal with is real and we are here to support you. AMO has developed Advanced Councillor Training in 3 sessions focused on core elements of leadership. Register for the May 8 Session 1 workshop, May 29 Session 2 workshop, and the October 2 Session 3 workshop.

As AMO and municipalities await provincial direction, your Association has developed a course that helps and guides municipal leaders in the development, communication, adherence, and issues management of codes of conducts. Register for the April 25 Code of Conduct workshop today.

AMO and Hicks Morley have developed training to support municipal elected officials and council in understanding their obligations related to human rights and understanding how to manage seemingly competing human rights. Register for this important Competing Rights May 23 workshop.

Join your small urban colleagues May 1 - 3 for discussion, examination and advocacy on matters unique to your communities and to hear provincial leaders. View the full program and register today.

LAS
The Canoe Procurement Group is hosting a series of webinars this spring. Join our colleagues at Canoe on April 11 at 11am as they discuss their experience helping governments prepare for natural disasters like floods and fires. Register here to attend.

‘You can’t manage what you can’t measure’. Measurement & Verification is the missing link that plays a crucial role in energy projects. Join SaveONenergy with us on April 18 at 2:30pm to explore how to monitor and assess your project outcomes. Register here today.

Municipal Wire*
Elliot Lake was named as a Top 4 Finalist for Kraft Hockeyville, the only Ontario community to be in this year’s contest and they are looking for all of Ontario’s support for votes! On March 29 and 30, please visit Kraft Hockeyville and vote for Elliot Lake. There is no limit to how many votes you can cast so don’t miss your chance to vote!

The Ontario Bike Summit (OBS) is Canada’s largest cycling and active transportation conference. OBS brings together municipal and industry leaders, policy makers, and advocates from communities across the province to share their expertise and best practices, in an effort to make Ontario more bicycle friendly.

World Animal Protection is asking municipalities to support and adopt a resolution to restrict the keeping of exotic wild animals in Ontario.

Efficiency Canada's Municipal Guides contain everything you need to leverage the 2020 model codes to enhance building performance, drive decarbonization, and amplify local benefits in climate action initiatives.

Explore economic trends impacting Canada and the world at the Summer Institute on Economic Security and Local Resilience (SIESLR) conference on July 18-19, 2024 in Orillia. Register by June 1.

The Invasive Species Centre with support from Ontario's Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry opens the Invasive Species Action Fund intake. The fund assists municipalities in combating priority species. Apply by April 11.

A recording is available of a March 26 webinar with representatives from IESO, MECP, MNRF, OMAFRA and MMAH to discuss how municipalities can address siting considerations for energy projects.

The Future of Aging Summit in Toronto from May 15-17 will bring together policymakers and others focused on building age-friendly societies. See the speaker lineup and register at agingsummit.ca.

Careers
Program Manager of Zoning Services - City of Guelph. Closing date: April 14.

Senior Development Planner - Town of Georgina. Closing date: April 10.

Analyst-Time and Labour - Peel Regional Police. Closing date: April 9.