2025 ROMA Presentations
PROGRAM proceedings
Sunday, January 19
Zone Meetings 1-10- ROMA 2025
Concurrent Sessions: 1:00 pm - 2:15 pm
- Barb Ryner, President, Municipal Court Managers’ Association
- Stephen Dimanno, POA Manager, Kawartha Lakes
Rural Responses to Mental Health and Addictions
- Michael Nolan, Director of Emergency Services and Chief of the County of Renfrew Paramedic Service
- Dr. Scott Neufeld, Assistant Professor, Brock University
- Kristin Wheatcroft, Director, CMHA Agriculture Wellness Ontario
- Jennifer Dailloux, Deputy Mayor, Township of Algonquin Highlands
Agricultural Economic Development
- Pam Duesling, PhD, Director of Community Planning and Development, Town of Pelham
- Danielle Sharman, Farm Policy Analyst, Ontario Federation of Agriculture
- Vince Brennan, Executive Director, Ontario Association of Agricultural Societies
- John Turvey, Senior Policy Advisor, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness
Supports for Indigenous Rural Community Members
- Ashley Pitawanakwat, Urban Indigenous Homeward Bound Program Participant, Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres
- Karolyn Harris, Senior Program Advisor, Housing & Homelessness, Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres
Plenary Programming
2:45 pm
What can be done to end Rural Homelessness?
- Alina Turner, CEO, HelpSeeker Technologies
- Terri Lee Kelford, Alliance to End Rural and Remote Homelessness
- Margaret Quirk, Mayor, Town of Georgina
- Indigenous homelessness expert (TBC)
Monday, January 20
Plenary
8:30- 9:45 am
ROMA Chair, Christa Lowry
The Hon. Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario
Concurrent Sessions 10:15-11:30
Navigating Approvals for Energy Procurement
- Barbara Ellard, Director Resource and System Adequacy, IESO
- Lisa Asbreuk, Cunningham Swan
- Claire Dodds, Director of Planning and Development, Bruce County
Insights into AMO's Healthy Democracy Project
- Petra Wolfbeiss, Director, Membership Services, Association of Municipalities of Ontario
- Stewart McDonough, Advisor, Municipal Engagement, Association of Municipalities of Ontario
Cyber Security - We've Had a Breach, What Now?
- Dan Mathieson, Former Mayor, City of Stratford, Special Advisor, Office of the President, Toronto Metropolitan University – Municipal Engagement & Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst
- Randy Purse, CD, PhD, CTDP, Senior Advisor, Cybersecurity Training and Education, Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst, Toronto Metropolitan University
Strengthening Relationships Between First Nations and Municipalities
- Chief Sherri-Lyn Hill, Six Nations of the Grand River
- Deputy Grand Chief Chris Plain, Anishinabek Nation
- Chief Brent Niganobe, Mississauga First Nation
Learning Lunches 11:45-12:45pm
Sponsored by AdvantAge
Sponsored by Enbridge Gas
Sponsored by Epcor
Sponsored by Hydro One
Sponsored by IESO
Sponsored by MPAC
Sponsored by ONE Investment
Concurrent Sessions 1:15pm- 2:30 pm
Navigating the Future of Municipal Waste Management
- Peter Hargreave, President, Policy Integrity Inc.
- Annette Gilchrist, CMO, AOMC, CAO/Clerk/Treasurer Township of Bonnechere Valley
- Betsy Varghese, Technical Group Strategist, Waste Management, Dillon Consulting
Leadership to Protect Employees from Unreasonable Behaviour
- Frank Cesario, Partner, Hicks Morley
- Hilda MacDonald, Warden, County of Essex
- Brooke McLean, Chief Executive Officer, Bruce County Public Library
Keeping Ontarians Safe - Emergency Services Updates and Advocacy
- Rob Grimwood, President, Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs
- Greg Sage, President, Ontario Association of Paramedic Chiefs
- Lisa Darling, Executive Director, Ontario Association of Police Service Boards
Recent Changes in Land-Use Planning: A Rural Perspective
- Andria Leigh, OPPI President and Director of Planning and Growth, Innisfil
- Jack Van Dorp, Chief Planner, Bruce County
- Dr. Ashleigh Weeden, Principal Consultant, Rural Futures Research
3:00pm
Marit Stiles, Leader of the Official Opposition and NDP
Robin Jones, President, AMO
Lindsay Jones, Director of Policy, AMO – AMO’s 2025 Pre-Budget Submission
Brian Rosborough, Executive Director, AMO – Advocacy Update
Tuesday, January 21
Insight Breakfasts 7:30-8:15am
Sponsored by LAS
Sponsored by NWMO
Sponsored by OLTCA
Sponsored by Ontario One Call
Sponsored by AirBnB
8:30-10:00am
Bonnie Crombie, Leader, Ontario Liberal Party
The Canada We Want: Reflections on the U.S. Election and the Path Forward
- Jordan Simmons, Co-founder/CEO, Nominee
Mike Schreiner, Leader of the Green Party of Ontario