ROMA Board Highlights
2025 ROMA Conference: Rural Routes
Rural municipal leaders are gearing up to attend the ROMA Conference in Toronto, which is coming at an important time in the provincial-municipal relationship.
The ROMA Board recognizes the importance of the annual conference and that this year’s conference comes at a politically dynamic time. Programming has been curated to support rural leaders including the main stage panels focusing on rural homelessness, health services and water and wastewater infrastructure.
Also mark your calendars for Sunday morning when ROMA’s Board Zone representative welcome members to individual zone meet ups to hear about ROMA priorities and provide input and feedback to the Board. Not sure where you belong? Check out the ROMA Zone map.
- Zones 1-5: 10:30 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.
- Zones 6-10: 11:30 am to 12:15 p.m.
Court Grants ROMA Intervener Status in Railway Dispute
In recent years, major railways have started refusing to pay their share of capital and maintenance costs for Ontario municipal works. This responsibility is legislated by Ontario’s Drainage Act and has applied to all landowners since 1859.
In 2023 as part of a coordinated municipal strategy, Chatham-Kent started a claim in the Court of the Drainage Referee seeking an order to address CP Rail behaviour. Given the impact on dozens of rural municipalities, ROMA applied for intervener status to ensure that the Court understands widespread nature and impact of major railroad behaviour. In late 2024, the court granted ROMA’s request.
Intervener status will allow ROMA to advance its position that national railways are not exempt from the Drainage Act or municipal by-laws by virtue of their status as federally regulated entities. ROMA will have the opportunity to submit evidence to the Court based on data submitted by almost 30 impacted municipalities.
Building Relationships with Government
The ROMA Board had the good fortune to meet with several provincial ministers in the fall of 2025. The latest, in December, was Associate Minister of Forestry and Forest Products, Kevin Holland. Assoc Min. Holland is a former ROMA Board member representing the northwestern Ontario zone. It was a productive two-way discussion about rural priorities.
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