Packed agenda for ROMA Board pre-holiday Board Meeting
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Good news: Rural schools get provincial reassurance Rural schools will stay open, even as the government considers lifting the moratorium on school closures for boards supervised by the province, according to media reports quoting Education Minister Paul Calandra. “This is a huge relief for many rural communities and we appreciate the Minister’s clarity,” said ROMA Chair Christa Lowry. “Rural schools are more than places to learn, they are important community hubs that support students, families and the broader community.” Just last month, ROMA wrote the Education Minister urging protections for rural schools. The Board reinforced this message to Municipal Affairs Minister Rob Flack and Rural Affairs Minister Lisa Thompson at their December meeting. Rural school closures force children to be bused much further, detrimental to student learning and a deterrent to new residents and businesses that drive growth. “Sustaining rural schools is necessary given their critical role in the local economy and the social fabric in our communities,” wrote Chair Lowry in the letter to the Minister. The ROMA Board is pleased that the Ontario Government agrees. Ministers meeting: ROMA Board gets jump on advocacy The ROMA Board’s December agenda included a focused meeting with Municipal Affairs Minister Rob Flack and Rural Affairs Minister Lisa Thompson. With record numbers of delegation meeting requests, the ROMA Board decided to meet with the two Ministers in December instead, to get their undivided attention on top shared rural priorities: Rural municipalities have 17% of the province’s population, but manage 31% of Ontario’s roads and bridges. ROMA is seeking a dedicated carve out of the provincial Building Faster Fund for small, rural and northern communities. In light of the province’s Primary Care Action Plan, ROMA will re-engage with partners in the health sector in 2026 to refresh the 2024 rural health paper, titled Fill the Gaps. The update will look at if and how the provincial plan is playing out in rural communities, which continue to struggle with access to primary care doctors and nurses. Take action: OMERS’ governance changes The ROMA Board was briefed on provincial changes to how the OMERS pension plan is governed. Recommended by a special advisor and moved quickly into legislation without consultation, the approach will give municipalities less voice in the pension plan. AMO believes the existing two-board structure is working, keeping the pension plan accountable and independent from politics. AMO has developed tools and resources to help municipal leaders spread the word and advocate on this important, though complex subject. Use this deck and this toolkit to educate yourself and your colleagues about what's happening, including key messages, and Q&As. Pass a Council resolution and send a letter to the Ministers of Municipal Affairs & Housing and Finance. What does it mean: Consolidation of Conservation Authorities The ROMA Board supports efforts to expedite planning approvals but speed must not introduce new risks around environmental protection, water quality, and protection of people and property. ROMA is seeking to work with the province on its plans to consolidate 36 conservation authorities into seven regional authorities, with oversight by a new Ontario Provincial Conservation Agency (OPCA). The new agency will have powers to issue binding guidelines to CAs on matters such as performance, service level standards, and asset management. The scale of the proposed seven regional CAs could negatively impact real-time emergency response, erode local decision making and accountability, and undermine CAs ability to effectively balance watershed management and community growth plans. ROMA is asking the province to increase funding to align with a new provincial agency directing Conservation Authority work, and to establish an implementation working group, including rural municipal representatives, to finalize the design and manage the rollout. Rural innovation: Renfrew County applies community paramedicine model to addictions and mental health Renfrew County is using a community paramedicine approach to meet the needs of those experiencing mental health and addictions challenges. Community paramedicine has been used effectively to address elderly residents with complex medical needs. Renfrew County Paramedic Chief Mike Nolan said that as homelessness, opioid addiction and mental health challenges have increased, Renfrew County has launched “mesa,” a collaborative approach to providing compassionate care in the community. Learn more on the mesa webpage. 2026 Conference: Double the Ministers’ Forums Mark your calendars because the 2026 ROMA Conference will feature two opportunities to ask questions of provincial cabinet members – each forum will have separate panels of Ministers and focused on specific topics. Municipal veteran Norm Gale will moderate. The sessions are to be held on Sunday and Monday afternoon. Plan ahead and be ready to queue up with your Qs! Happy Holidays and Happy New Year from the ROMA Board. See you at ROMA 2026: Rural Ontario’s Leaders Conference. |