Skip to main content
Date: Jan 19, 2024
Town of Erin council, staff set to attend ROMA 2024
The Mayor of Erin, alongside councillors and Town staff, will be attending the annual Rural Ontario Municipalities Association (ROMA) conference in Toronto next week.
The event, which runs from Jan. 21 to Jan 23, is an opportunity for municipalities to meet with key provincial leaders and attend symposiums about issues facing rural communities.
One of the key topics being addressed over the three-day conference is housing and growth.
"The provincial government is asking municipalities to supply infrastructure to help build homes for the province at the same time as it is reducing the fees we are able to collect for this infrastructure,” said Erin Mayor Michael Dehn. He also noted the importance of scientific study to guide growth in an environmentally sustainable manner.
“Having density numbers applied without having the underlying science completed well in advance of development may lead to a future crisis in rural communities if everyone is not following the data, exacerbated by global warming,” said Dehn.
The theme of the 2024 ROMA conference is “Closer to Home,” which focuses on rural access to healthcare. The association will be presenting research and recommendations on a sustainable healthcare system outside of urban centres.
Premier Doug Ford, Paul Calandra, Ontario’s Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing and provincial Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie are among the lineup of keynote speakers.
There will be speeches by community leadership expert Shane Feldman, on the future of work and journalist Althia Raj on how increasing polarization impacts public decision-making.
About ROMA
The Rural Ontario Municipalities Association is part of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO). ROMA represents small communities in government discussions and advocates for them in AMO meetings. The association advocates on issues surrounding housing, healthcare and more.