AMO Watchfile - January 23, 2025

- Municipal property taxes on The Agenda.
- NEW Health and Safety Water Stream fund - webinar.
- Provincial Animal Welfare Services Act, 2019 Act consultation.
- Call for applications - Great Lakes water quality initiatives.
- Book your AMO 2025 Conference Hotel!
- AMO Education - Workshops addressing and supporting your leadership.
- Stable and predictable natural gas pricing.
- Introducing the All Risk Municipal Grant.
- Blog: Risk Trends to Follow in 2025.
- LAS ASE Service Summer Intake now open!
- Municipal Series: Net Zero Planning and Low Carbon Initiatives.
- Are you ready to take the next step in your municipal career?
- New AMCTO-Mitacs Municipal Innovation Program.
- IPAC Emerging Leaders Conference.
- Save the date: Scotiabank 2025 Affordable Housing Summit.
- Careers.

AMO Matters
AMO Director of Policy and Government Relations, Lindsay Jones, spoke to TVO’s Steve Paikin about pressures on municipal property taxes and the need for a new provincial-municipal fiscal framework.

Provincial Matters
Apply for Ontario’s new Health and Safety Water Stream fund to help municipalities and First Nations build, repair and expand aging water infrastructure. Register for the February 5 informational webinar.

The province is currently consulting on regulations related to the sale and transfer of dogs in Ontario, record-keeping requirements and potential exceptions to puppy mill prohibitions (PAWS Act). Comments due February 1.

Federal Matters
The Canada Water Agency is accepting applications for initiatives that improve Great Lakes water quality and ecosystem health under the Great Lakes Freshwater Ecosystem Initiative. Applications can be submitted for eligible projects until February 13, 2025. Municipalities are eligible.

Education Opportunities
You can now book your accommodations for the 2025 AMO Conference in Ottawa August 17-20. Here is where you will want to click for all the information you need and links to conference hotels. Registration will open soon!

AMO has assembled an array of workshops focused on supporting and strengthening your role as a local leader. From asset management planning, land use planning, indigenous-municipal relations, navigating conflict, communications through local crisis, strategic thinking, planning and communication, understanding anti-semitism and islamophobia and so much more. AMO is also offering registration discounts. Check it all out here.

LAS
LAS offers a Natural Gas Program that provides stable and predictable annual commodity pricing for municipal accounts through professional management and competitive supply arrangements. Over the last five years, a typical LAS client has saved more than 10% on their commodity costs.

Investing in Municipal Risk Resiliency - LAS and IPE are proud to introduce the All Risk Municipal Grant. This initiative recognizes and supports innovative risk management practices within Ontario municipalities.

In 2024, we identified key risk trends. As we enter 2025, the risk landscape continues to shift, driven by technological advancements, changing workforce dynamics, environmental challenges, and growing regulatory pressures.

LAS is looking for 2-3 municipalities to join our Automated Speed Enforcement Service by beginning of the summer. If you are interested or for more information, contact Tanner Watt.

Have you made a commitment to net zero and don’t know where to start? Join the IESO’s guest speaker, our very own Christian Tham, in the next Municipal Series webinar on January 31. Christian will lay out practical steps to take and provide real life examples to help you on your low carbon journey. Click here for more information and to register.

Municipal Wire*
The Ontario Municipal Administrators Association (OMAA) A is here to support your journey to becoming a CAO. Join us for an Aspiring CAO Event or explore our educational resources including the CAO Profile and certificate program with York University to help you build confidence and competence. Leadership awaits-you bring the ambition, we’ll provide the roadmap.

AMCTO is partnering with Mitacs to establish a new municipal internship program. AMO is pleased to support the implementation of this program as part of our Municipal Workforce Development Project.

The Institute of Public Administration of Canada is hosting a professional development event for early-to-mid career public servants in Toronto on January 24.

Join industry experts in meaningful discussions on February 19th to tackle housing-related challenges at regional and national levels. Please reach out to Scotiabank’s events team for additional information.

Careers
Executive Director of Operations/ Deputy City Engineer - City of Windsor. Closing Date: February 21, 2025.

Executive Director, Transit Windsor - City of Windsor. Closing Date: January 28, 2025.

Manager of Planning Policy - Oxford County. Closing Date: February 3, 2025.

Analyst, Corporate - Peel Regional Police. Closing Date: February 2, 2025.

Engineering Technician II, Outside. County of Simcoe. Closing Date: February 16, 2025.