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Policy, research and advocacy activities are undertaken by ROMA. Matters which affect rural communities are brought to the attention of the provincial and federal governments.

2020

Improving rural broadband is a top priority for ROMA.

The COVID pandemic has put the need for reliable, affordable internet connectivity in to sharp relief. Given the patchwork of connectivity across the province, ROMA and AMO jointly reached out to major telecommunications industry players seeking ideas on how to help the most challenged communities during the state of the emergency – such as offering low-cost Mobile Internet Sticks (USBs) at a reduced rate or setting up temporary wireless hotspots for rural residents.

Overall, feedback was positive, with each telco responding with their own efforts to address the challenge. They also recognize limits to existing networks, which has opened the door for further conversation.

In June, the provincial government launched a $150-million broadband and cellular program. This is part of a larger $315 million commitment that included funding for the Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN) and the Southwestern Integrated Fibre Technology (SWIFT) project. These are both municipally/regionally driven projects to improve connectivity in rural Ontario.

Federal action is also expected soon. ROMA continues to work with AMO to advocate for long-term solutions. The federal and provincial government commitments to date are encouraging. All orders of government and the private sector need to work together to find innovative solutions. As planning for the economic recovery unfolds, broadband connectivity across all of Ontario will be key to the province’s future.

2019

New Broadband Strategy Announced for Rural Canada. June 27, 2019
ROMA Comments on Broadcasting Telecomms Legislative Review Panel. January 11, 2019

2018

ROMA Standing Up for Forestry: Good News for Species at Risk

ROMA Letter to The Honourable Michael Tibollo, Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services re Fire Protection and Prevention Act. July 25, 2018

ROMA letter to the Minister of Innovation, Science & Economic Development re Proposed Changes to the 3500 MHz Band. July 24, 2018

ROMA Letter to the Minister of Public Services and Procurement Government of Canada on the Federal government’s New Vision for the Canada Post. April 23, 2018

ROMA Letter to the Minister of Infrastructure regarding work on the Canada-Ontario Infrastructure Bilateral Agreement announced in March of this year. April 23, 2018

ROMA Letter to the Minister of Health and Long Term Care regarding regarding new government rules threatening to impose unreasonable fines on struggling long-term care (LTC) homes. April 23, 2018

ROMA Letter to the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services RE: Comments on Draft Fire Regulations (Proposal No: 18-CSCS002 & 18-CSCS004). March 28, 2018

ROMA Letter to the Chair and Chief Executive Officer Ontario Energy Board Re: EB-2017-0319. March 5, 2018

ROMA Letter to the Associate Vice-President Research (interim), OMAFRA - U of G Partnership, Office of Research, Strategic Partnerships, Professor, School of Environmental Design and Rural Development regarding support for the proposed research that looks at the relationship between Aggregate Extraction and Agriculture. January 18, 2018

ROMA Speaks Policy Highlights. January 17, 2018
Read policy highlights covering:

Fiscal Sustainability: Advancing the Local Share Campaign
Rural Infrastructure
Economic Vitality in Rural Communities
Emergency Service Costs
Land Use Appeal Reform: From OMB to LPAT
Recreational Cannabis Legalization
Social Vitality in Rural Municipalities
Growing a Rural Voice: Succession Planning for the Future
Reconciliation in Rural Ontario

ROMA Conference Backgrounder. January 2018
This will be ROMA’s second standalone conference and the last large municipal gathering before the provincial election. The forum shines a spotlight on the pressing challenges and emerging opportunities facing Ontario’s rural communities.

ROMA’s 2018 Pre-Budget Submission: Local Share Submission to the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs. January 11, 2018

The Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA) is pleased to participate in the pre-budget consultations undertaken by the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs. ROMA joins with the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) in supporting a plan for long-term fiscal sustainability for all municipal governments across the province. We believe this sustainability can be significantly improved through the “Local Share” proposal.

2017

2017 ROMA Conference Conference Backgrounder

ROMA 2017 Pre-Budget Submission to the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs January 26, 2017
The Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA) brings a rural lens to all policy and programming decisions that impact rural municipal governments. Rural municipal capacity is directly connected to the policy context that the province establishes. ROMA, through the rural caucus of the Association of Municipality of Ontario (AMO) supports the "What's Next Ontario" initiative explained in the AMO pre-budget submission. This submission will apply a rural lens to that work.

Electricity: Affordability and Access - Backgrounder
It’s critical that municipalities have a voice in energy policy. Municipal concerns about energy are two-fold. First, as large consumers of energy for public facilities, energy prices impact municipal budgets. Second, energy policies impact large industrial consumers and residential customers, who are both critical ratepayers in the community.

Energy: Natural Gas Expansion - Backgrounder
ROMA, along with northern and rural communities across Ontario have been advocating for the expansion of natural gas to more of their communities. This is because natural gas is significantly less expensive than oil heating or electricity, which has been rising in price exponentially. The result has been increased costs for municipal governments, businesses and residents, which reduces quality of life and economic growth.

Municipal Infrastructure - Backgrounder
Municipal governments own more of Ontario’s infrastructure than any other order of government. Most of it is essential to our economic prosperity and our quality of life.

Ontario Needs Modern, Sustainable Policing - Backgrounder
Under the Police Services Act, Ontario municipal governments are fully responsible to provide police services in Ontario communities. In many smaller, rural communities, where municipalities cannot provide police services, they contract out local policing to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).

2016

AMO President's Remarks on Canada Post Review. September 27, 2016
AMO President Lynn Dollin presented remarks to members of the federal Standing Committee tasked to review the future of Canada Post. AMO is urging the federal government to respect municipal decision making authority and to have meaningful consultations with the sector if there are to be operational changes to Canada Post that impact local communities.

ROMA Letter to Minister Naqvi re OPP Billing Model. April 19, 2016
On behalf of ROMA, the ROMA Chair expresses concern regarding the current OPP billing model and the impacts of specific structures being included in the property count as households, including seasonally occupied recreational trailers, mobile homes, and wind turbines.

For the Good Of All Ontarians - ROMA Video
ROMA produced a video that shares the story of rural Ontario, our story. For some this will be a reminder, for others new information. Please show it to your whole council and do get in touch with your zone representative so ROMA can continue to be that strong advocate. It’s a pleasure to be here with you for the premiere showing of the ROMA Video!

2016 ROMA Pre-Budget Submission
ROMA submission to the Clerk, Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs. January 26, 2016.

2015

Development Charges and Planning Reform. October 28, 2015
ROMA letter to Peter Tabuns, MPP Toronto-Danforth, Chair Standing Committee on Social Policy re Bill 73, The Smart Growth for Our Communities Act, 2015.

Reviewing Off-Road Vehicle Safety in Ontario – ROMA’s response. April 10, 2015
ROMA’s submission to the Ministry of Transportation requested that the government clarify how it will address many ongoing concerns of rural municipal governments as it reviews ORV safety. ROMA believes that this review needs to be viewed through a Rural and Northern Lens so that municipal governments will not be exposed and impacted by any unintended consequences that may emerge from this proposed initiative.

The Rural and Northern Lens & A Voice for Rural and Northern Ontario. February 24, 2015
The Rural and Northern Lens was created by the AMO Northern and Rural Working Group in 2006, after noting that many of the challenges facing rural and northern communities had one commonality—a lack of forethought about the consequences of applying a one-size-fits-all approach to a specific policy area. The Lens was revised in 2011 and then in 2015. The Lens is meant to be employed by provincial ministries to assess the impacts of new policy initiatives or changes in existing programs before they are implemented. It is meant to function as a flexible tool that all ministries can use to ensure their policies are road-tested before implementation.

The Lens has a list of questions for the government to use as a way to measure the effectiveness of its programs. The questions address each phase of the development of policy and program initiatives: considerations; delivery options; communications; and measuring and reporting.

3500MHz Rural Broadband Policy. January 5, 2015
On behalf of the Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA), our many thanks to the municipalities from across Ontario who took the opportunity to write Industry Canada regarding the possible loss of rural broadband services. You responded in unprecedented numbers and it had the desired impact. Minister James Moore has made the final decision that will allow those providing internet service to rural Ontarians to maintain their spectrum licenses. The decision also will not reclassify rural license areas.

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