The County of Renfrew delegation met with the Ministry of Emergency Preparedness and Response to discuss the need for sustainable funding for the Emergency Management Program. Involved in the meeting (from left) were Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke MPP John Yakabuski; Councillor Michael Donohue, Health Committee Chair; Associate Minister Trevor Jones and Renfrew County Warden Peter Emon. County of Renfrew photo
Representatives from Renfrew County actively engaged with several Members of Provincial Parliament during the 2024 Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) Conference, seeking funding to enhance programs that enrich the lives of local residents. The annual conference, held in Ottawa from August 18-21, 2024, is Ontario’s premier educational forum for municipal leaders, drawing 2,500 participants from across the province.
Renfrew County Warden Peter Emon emphasized the importance of the county’s participation in the conference, noting that it plays a crucial role in ensuring that the community’s needs are communicated to the provincial government. “We reaffirmed our commitment to fostering meaningful collaborations and continued advocating for the strategic investments needed to support our community,” Emon stated. “County delegates spoke of working together with provincial and municipal partners to address our challenges and create opportunities that will continue to make Renfrew County a leader in Ontario.”
In addition to attending sessions and workshops, Renfrew County’s elected officials and senior staff participated in five delegation meetings with provincial ministries. These meetings focused on key issues affecting service delivery and quality of life in the county:
- Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions: Advocated for additional program and capital funding for Mesa, the county’s collaborative initiative launched earlier this year to address homelessness, addictions, and mental health challenges.
- Ministry of Education: Requested more spaces for safe and affordable child care for families in Renfrew County.
- Ministry of Emergency Preparedness and Response: Discussed the need for sustainable funding for the Emergency Management Program and the establishment of a coordinated volunteer corps to assist municipalities in creating a surge capacity for civil protection.
- Ministry of Long-Term Care: Sought base funding to continue the Community Paramedicine Long-Term Care program and increased support for additional hours of direct client care across the county.
- Ministry of Finance: Expressed concerns about delays in property tax reassessment and urged the province to commit to a firm date for the reassessment, ideally before the next election cycle.
Warden Emon noted that the primary goal at the 2024 AMO conference was to discuss workable solutions with key decision-makers to enhance the community and align the county’s strategic plan initiatives. “We also benefited from the opportunity to learn from other communities, from presenters in sessions and hallway conversations,” he added. “We had productive discussions with government officials and made significant progress on issues that are vital to our community’s well-being and future development. We had good conversations about the complexities of homelessness, mental health, and addiction crises that we and other rural communities are facing. The government committed to working with us on more options for treatment and assistance to those in need.”
The AMO is a non-profit organization representing nearly all of Ontario’s 444 municipal governments. AMO supports and enhances strong and effective municipal governance in Ontario and promotes the values of municipal government as a vital component of Ontario’s and Canada’s political systems.
(Written by: Emma Butler)