Highlights from ROMA’s March Board Meeting

The ROMA Board met on March 11. Here are some of the highlights:

• Focus on Rural Post-COVID Recovery: Rural Ontario has been changing for some time and the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated that change. At the meeting, the Board discussed next steps on their action plan, Opportunities for Rural Ontario in a Post-COVID World. The plan, launched at the 2022 ROMA Conference in January, looks at how to re-think rural Ontario’s role in the economic and social vitality of the province. Its five key themes include digital connectivity, housing, access to service, workforce development and growth opportunities. Stay tuned for ROMA Zone-based sessions to present the plan and gather your insights and ideas on how we can bring it to life.|
   
• ROMA’s launches Housing Committee: As an immediate priority, the Board approved creating a Housing Committee to inform ROMA’s advocacy on affordable and attainable housing in rural Ontario. The committee will include municipal staff and other housing experts, as well as ROMA Board members. It emphasizes the unique needs and capacities of rural Ontario, while aligning its work with the municipal sector. To that end, the Board also received a presentation of AMO’s Blueprint for Action: An Integrated Approach to Address the Ontario Housing Crisis.
   
• Approval of 2022 Strategic Objectives: The Board also approved its strategic objectives for 2022. ROMA will strive to advance rural municipal priorities, with a focus on the ROMA Action Plan to support the prosperity and essential role of rural communities to the pandemic recovery. ROMA will also maintain strong partnerships across Ontario to ensure a strong and unified municipal sector heading in to the provincial election.

Learn more from ROMA Chair Robin Jones.