Hundreds of Municipal Leaders Gathering Online for 2021 AMO Conference

TORONTO, Aug. 3, 2021 /CNW/ - The Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) will host its annual AMO Conference, August 15 to 18, offering its entire program online for the second time in the organization's 120-year history.

Building on the success of the 2020 Conference – the largest gathering of municipal government leaders since the COVID-19 pandemic began – this year's event will be Ontario's top educational forum for municipal governments, featuring more than 40 speakers, sessions and workshops, reflecting the broad scope of municipal responsibilities.

"AMO is a meeting place where Ontario's municipal leaders – and all governments – come together," said AMO President Graydon Smith. "Over the last year, municipal governments, the province and the federal government have done important work to confront some of the most important challenges facing our communities. I know that work will continue at the 2021 Conference."

Keynote presenters include Ontario Premier Doug Ford and key ministers, NDP Leader Andrea Horwath (Leader of the Official Opposition), Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca, Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner, and AMO President Graydon Smith.

Sessions and speakers will cover a wide range of topics, including COVID-19, its impact on municipal service delivery and charting our economic recovery; climate change; women in leadership; broadband connectivity in Ontario; transforming long-term care; community paramedicine; diversity, bias, inclusivity and mental health; municipal insurance costs; property assessment in a post-pandemic world; changes to Conservation Authorities, and much more. Program details are available at www.amo.on.ca.

Municipal staff and elected officials will take part in more than 400 online delegation meetings with provincial ministries. Provincial ministers will also take live questions from municipal elected officials in three online forums, each covering a different theme: health, social services and education; economic recovery and growth; and environment and infrastructure development post-COVID.

While the virtual conference is hosted by the City of London, people will be participating directly from hundreds of communities across Ontario. Registered media will have access to the entire conference online. Reporters are encouraged to register well in advance by contacting Jacqueline Demers at demers@redbrick.ca.

AMO is a non-profit organization representing almost all of Ontario's 444 municipal governments. AMO supports and enhances strong and effective municipal government in Ontario and promotes the value of municipal government as a vital and essential component of Ontario and Canada's political system.

Follow AMO on Twitter, @AMOPolicy, and use the official conference hashtag #AMO2021

For further information: Brian Lambie, AMO Media Contact, 416-729-5425, lambie@redbrick.ca