In This Issue:
- AMO 2025 was a resounding success!
- AMO's first-ever Indigenous Reconciliation Action Plan.
- New investments in the Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program.
- 2025 PJ Marshall Municipal Innovation Award winners.
- Supply Ontario’s updated Vendor of Record (VOR) program.
- Ontario Community Environment Fund: Apply by Sept 24.
- Trade-Impacted Communities Program.
- Provincial consultations on electricity transmission planning.
- Rural Ontario Development Program opens for applications.
- Nominations for 2025 Excellence in Agriculture award.
- AMO Trade and Tariff Forum – October 24: Building Ontario’s Economic Resilience.
- Registration for AMO’s Second Annual Healthy Democracy Forum is open.
- AMO fall education workshops.
- 2025 All Risk Municipal Grant winners.
- Report on Food Insecurity & Food Affordability in Ontario.
- Ontario Professional Planners Institute launches free workshop series.
- New guidance for Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) safety.
- Careers.
AMO Matters
AMO welcomed over 3,000 attendees to the host city of Ottawa for three days of education, delegation meetings and networking opportunities. Thank you to our generous host, the City of Ottawa, sponsors, exhibitors and all who attended for making AMO 2025 a great success.
AMO launched its first-ever Indigenous Reconciliation Action Plan at the AMO Conference. This plan represents AMO’s next major, concrete step towards reconciliation and reflects AMO’s commitment to fostering relationships, listening, learning, and honouring Indigenous Peoples’ rights.
At the 2025 AMO Conference, Premier Ford announced a funding boost to the Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program, which is a big step towards responding to AMO’s call for municipal stimulus funding. Municipal infrastructure funding will help build more homes, grow the economy, and create job opportunities.
The City of Kitchener accepted the Peter J. Marshall Municipal Innovation Award at the 2025 AMO Conference in Ottawa on Aug. 19. This award is for its nationally acclaimed City Hall Service Centre.
Middlesex County accepted the Peter J. Marshall Municipal Innovation Award at the 2025 AMO Conference in Ottawa on Aug. 19. The award is for the CARE First Deployment Initiatives led by Middlesex-London Paramedic Service (MLPS).
The Town of Collingwood accepted the Peter J. Marshall Municipal Innovation Award at the 2025 AMO Conference in Ottawa on Aug. 19. The award is for the town’s rapid accessory dwelling unit program.
Provincial Matters
Unlock streamlined and cost-effective procurement with Supply Ontario’s Enterprise-wide VOR Program. Ontario municipalities have access to pre-qualified vendors for cost-effective goods and services under standardized terms, conditions, and pricing.
The Ontario government is providing almost $3 million through the Ontario Community Environment Fund to support community-based projects that support and restore the environment.
The Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade is accepting applications for project funding that responds to US trade disruption.
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.
Education Opportunities
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.
Subject matter experts will guide you through risks, opportunities and your responsibilities in a number of fall education workshops - planning matters, indigenous community competency, managing communications in crisis and planning for cybersecurity - elected municipal officials are answerable to. Check out the line up and register today.
LAS
Congratulations to the All Risk Municipal Grant Winners - Town of Midland, County of Huron and Town of Shelbourne. The LAS team awarded these grants in partnership with Intact Public Entities at the 2025 AMO conference.
Municipal Wire*
Public Health Ontario and Ontario Dieticians in Public Health released a report on Food Insecurity & Food Affordability in Ontario. The report highlights rising food insecurity, particularly among households receiving social assistance.
AMO is pleased to support OPPI in developing a series of free workshops, offered both in person and virtually, to address the shortage of planners in Ontario. Registration will open late August, so stay tuned.
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
Supervisor, Facilities Management - Peel Regional Police. Closing Date: September 5, 2025.
Director of Long-Term Care Services - City of Greater Sudbury. Closing Date: September 12, 2025.
Senior Policy Analyst/Analyste principal des politiques; analyste principale des politiques - Ministry of Finance/Ministère des Finances. Closing Date: September 12, 2025.
