County delegates meeting new government reps at AMO conference

The Prince Edward County delegation to the annual AMO conference includes councillor Gord Fox, director of finance Amanda Carter, Mayor Robert Quaiff (beside MPP Stephen Lecce, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Infrastructure) County CAO James Hepburn and councillor Steve Ferguson, mayoral candidate.

Prince Edward County municipal leaders are in Ottawa this week meeting with new provincial Conservative government members attending the Association of Municipalities of Ontario’s annual conference.

The AMO is hosting 1,900 participants from 444 Ontario municipalities and has scheduled meetings on everything from the coming cannabis legislation, to gas tax funding, infrastructure, housing and seniors.

PEC Mayor Robert Quaiff is particularly interested in sessions related to infrastructure, affordable housing, indigenous relations, education and rural economic development.

He has met with Lisa Thompson, Minister of Education, and is to meet MPP Stephen Lecce, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Infrastructure.

“I met with Lisa Thompson and discussed the Sophiasburgh Hub proposal, plus (the now vacant) Queen Elizabeth school and fair market value,” said Quaiff, who also informed her of the LoveSong housing project for seniors under way at the former Pinecrest school in Bloomfield.

He was to meet today with Lecce.

“I am asking for a more stable and reliable source of funding for roads, water, wastewater and affordable housing,” said Quaiff.

In addition to the conference program, municipal staff and officials are taking part in municipal delegation meetings with provincial and federal ministries.

The County delegation includes councillors Gord Fox and Steve Ferguson (mayoral candidate); CAO James Hepburn and director of finance Amanda Carter.

Today the government signed a joint memorandum of understanding with the AMO that sets out principles and procedures of how the province consults with the AMO on provincial legislation, or regulations that have a significant impact on municipalities.

The signing of the agreement comes one year ahead of its renewal date.

AMO, a non-profit organization, has, for more than a century, brought together municipal, provincial and federal officials to work collectively to overcome municipal challenges and plan for the future.

Ontario’s Premier, Minister of Municipal Affairs, and the three party leaders were featured speakers and several additional provincial ministers participated.

Key session topics include cannabis legalization, trade, indigenous relations, climate change and disaster preparedness, waste diversion, ambulance dispatch, emerging technologies and Smart Cities, the 2018 municipal election, rural economic development.