In This Issue:
- Take a look at AMO’s Holding Public Meetings Handguide.
- Make Your Municipal Move campaign update.
- Proposed Harmonization of Municipal Road Construction Standards.
- Ontario Heritage Framework Transformation: Archaeology Program changes.
- July 1 Deadline for BPS energy reporting.
- Consultation on 2026-2029 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy.
- Webinar on Build Canada Homes.
- Celebrating 70 years of Ontario’s Small Urban Municipalities: keynote speaker announcement.
- Supporting your Run for Municipal Office in 2026: Resources and Workshops.
- Indigenous Candidates Thinking of Running for Office.
- Better Rural Data for Better Municipal Decisions - join us April 2.
- Blog: Public-Sector Identification in the Age of AI.
- Canoe Webinar: Procurement Confessions.
- OPPI is seeking a Public Interest Representative.
- IPAC Emerging Leaders Conference.
- FCM’s Board nominations are now open.
- Careers.
AMO Matters
AMO's Holding Public Meetings Handguide addresses challenges that may arise in public meetings and engagements. This handguide offers practical tools and resources to ensure decorum, structure, and clear communication so that residents can contribute to meaningful discussions. This is one of seven guides found within AMO’s Leading with Respect Handguides, which all provide practical tools to help councils and staff manage conflict and foster a culture of civility.
AMO’s Municipal Move Campaign has generated nearly 18 million impressions, helping to raise awareness of municipal careers in Ontario and the vital role of local government. Don’t miss out -- use our Campaign Toolkit to make the most of this momentum.
Provincial Matters
The Ministry of Transportation is seeking feedback on a proposed regulation that would set mandatory road construction standards for municipalities. Provide feedback by March 30.
The Ministry of Citizenship and Multiculturalism is proposing changes to Ontario's Heritage Framework to streamline archaeological assessments and set criteria for evaluating Licensed Consultant Archaeologists’ compliance records. Provide feedback by April 5.
Municipalities must report annual energy use and greenhouse gas emissions to the province by July 1. This helps manage costs, identify energy-saving opportunities, and reduce emissions.
Federal Matters
Environment and Climate Change Canada is seeking feedback on their Sustainable Development Strategy by May 12. Provide feedback through online questionnaire, by e-mail, or through participating in an upcoming webinar.
On April 24th, Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada will host a webinar explaining Build Canada Homes’ portal and investment policy framework in Ontario. Register now on Microsoft Teams.
Education Opportunities
In this milestone year, the 2026 Conference program content is a reminder of why OSUM matters to your leadership. Join Opening Keynote, Althia Raj, who will set the stage on the state of provincial and federal politics. View program outline and register now.
AMO is offering programs designed to support aspiring candidates and returning elected officials. Whether you are considering your first run for office, seeking re-election, representing an underrepresented community, or a youth, we have a program tailored for you. Resources range from helping you make the decision to run or run again, to building your team, crafting your message, and getting out the vote, and includes the Lead Where You Live guide for key steps in the process. Register for workshops and access resources here.
AMO has expanded their Healthy Democracy Leadership Series. AMO is offering a series of workshops for urban Indigenous peoples thinking about running for municipal office in the October 2026 elections. These sessions will provide insights and strategies to build your understanding and confidence around how to become a candidate and run a campaign. Register here.
HEAR Initiative (Health, Economics, Adaptation in Rural Communities Initiative) is developing a new province-wide rural data platform designed to support more informed decision-making in rural communities. Join us for an interactive information session on Thursday, April 2 at 12:00 p.m. to learn how household-level rural data can help strengthen municipal planning, funding applications, council decisions, advocacy efforts, and long-term community resilience across rural Ontario. Register for the free session here.
LAS
As identity fraud becomes more sophisticated with the use of AI tools, our FOI and Privacy Program Management program partner, Vayle, explains why public-sector verification practices must evolve. Read the blog.
Join Stéphanie and Tony from Canoe as they share some of the strangest stories they’ve encountered in the world of procurement. Register here for ‘Procurement Confessions: The Good, The Bad, and the “Did That Really Just Happen?”’ on March 25th at 10:00 AM.
Municipal Wire*
The Ontario Professional Planners Institute (OPPI) is seeking a Public Interest Representative (PIR) to fill a volunteer OPPI Council position the governance term of June 2026 to June 2028. Experience in a field other than planning is required. The deadline to apply is April 10, 2026.
The Institute of Public Administration of Canada is hosting a professional development event focused on service delivery excellence on April 21. Register for virtual or in-person attendance.
Are you motivated by influencing and driving change on a national scale? Are you interested in defining municipal priorities? If so, submit your nomination to join FCM’s Board of Directors today! The nomination process is now open for those who wish to run for FCM Board of Directors.
Careers
Associate Director, Communications - Association of Municipalities of Ontario. Closing Date: April 3, 2026.
Policy Advisor - Regional Municipality of Durham. Closing Date: March 29, 2026.
Asset Management Analyst - City of Belleville. Closing Date: April 6, 2026.
