County of Renfrew officials attend 2025 AMO Conference in Ottawa

County of Renfrew officials met with the Honourable Prabmeet Singh Sarkaria, Ontario’s Minister of Transportation at the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) Conference in Ottawa earlier this week. Also taking part in the meeting (from left) were Chief Administrative Officer Craig Kelley; Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke MPP Billy Denault, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming; Councillor Glenn Doncaster, Operations Committee Chair; Renfrew County Warden Peter Emon and Lee Perkins, Director of Public Works and Engineering. 

RELEASE DATE:

August 21, 2025

Representatives from the County of Renfrew met with several Members of Provincial Parliament during the 2025 Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) Conference, advocating for funding towards initiatives to enhance the lives of Renfrew County residents.

The annual conference, held in Ottawa from August 17-20, 2025, is one of the largest and most influential gatherings for municipal leaders and staff in the province and attracted close to 3,000 participants from hundreds of municipalities and organizations across Ontario.

Renfrew County Warden Peter Emon said the participation of County Councillors at the AMO Conference is crucial in advancing local and rural priorities to ensure that the needs of the community are heard at the provincial level.

“We were able to have some concentrated conversations with Ministers or their designates on a variety of issues,” he said. “It is important to provide context and on-the-ground facts to the Province as it develops, implements, recalibrates policy or replenishes funds serving our community. 

Aside from having dozens of speakers, sessions and workshops to choose from, Renfrew County elected officials and senior staff attended 10 delegation meetings before provincial ministries to discuss issues that directly impact service delivery and quality of life in Renfrew County:

• Ministry of Education – Advocated for continued EarlyON funding to support families through early childhood programs
• Ministry of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security – Requested expansion of Learn and Stay Grant eligibility for Primary Care and Advanced Care Paramedics in rural Eastern Ontario
• Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness – Discussed funding to protect farmland through a coordinated regional plan
• Ministry of Energy and Mines – Raised concerns about outdated electrical grid infrastructure and its impact on rural development 

• Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming – Requested funding for the Algonquin Trail bridge near Highway 17 at Bissett Creek; proposed updates to Municipal Accommodation Tax regulations for rural communities and advocated for increased base funding for the Ontario Highlands Tourism Organization
• Ministry of Health – Called for continued funding for Mesa’s Mental Health, Addictions, and Homelessness Outreach Teams
• Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade – Requested increased core funding for Business Enterprise Centres, including Enterprise Renfrew County
• Ministry of Transportation – Proposed innovative safety and traffic solutions for the ongoing expansion of Highway 17
• Ministry of Emergency Preparedness and Response – Advocated for Automatic Aid Agreements between paramedic services across Ontario to improve emergency response
• Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services – Urged updates to Ontario Works rates to reflect inflation and better support vulnerable residents

Warden Emon noted the objective at the 2025 AMO conference was to discuss workable solutions with key decision-makers to enhance the community. He also credited Chief Administrative Office Craig Kelley and the Senior Leadership Team for producing on-point and comprehensive documents outlining past achievements and requesting further investments.

“This led to meaningful discussions during the meetings and in the hallways throughout the Conference,” he added. “County Councillors worked hard in and out of delegation sessions to provide depth on the needs of our community, our successes and our plans for the future.”

The Warden also thanked Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke MPP Billy Denault for his continued support in advocating for key issues within Renfrew County.

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 values of municipal government as a vital and essential component of Ontario and Canada’s political system.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

Craig Kelley                          CAO/Deputy Clerk                                     613-735-7288

Tina Peplinskie                    Media Relations Coordinator                 613-735-7288