Like many other municipalities — and similar to previous years — housing and infrastructure are among the top priorities for Chatham-Kent at an annual provincial conference.
London is hosting this year’s Association of Municipalities of Ontario conference, which kicked off this past weekend and is one of the largest on record, with about 2,000 registered participants.
There are sessions to discuss housing, homelessness, women’s leadership, cyber security, electronic permitting, municipal risk and liability, infrastructure, energy innovation, health care and broadband access over the four-day event.
Chatham County. Alysson Storey, who’s attending her first AMO conference, called it a valuable experience to meet with government ministers, as well as network with other municipal representatives.
She’s noticed many common themes.
“Housing — I’m hearing that every discussion I have with my elected official colleagues,” she told The Daily News. “Whether they’re from a small rural community, or a large urban centre.”
Other Chatham-Kent delegates include Couns. Brock McGregor, Carmen McGregor, Marjorie Crew, Jamie McGrail and Mayor Darrin Canniff.
Storey said the municipality is feeling the pinch from rising insurance rates, “which is a huge budget impact for us.”
Climate change, erosion and agriculture are among the other topics Chatham-Kent is slated to have meetings on with ministry representatives.
The councilor said that the chance to speak with delegates from other municipalities is crucial.
“We’re often looking for partners on regional projects,” Storey said. “Now we can have someone to pick up the phone to ask for advice.
“Just the connections, and even friendships, could really benefit us as elected officials when we’re trying to do our jobs.”
At the event, Premier Doug Ford announced a new $1.2 billion fund, the Building Faster Fund, to reward communities with cash if they hit home-building targets.
Storey said Chatham-Kent is hopeful, but more details are needed.
“We need that provincial buy-in to help us address our major housing issues, as well as infrastructure,” she said.
Challenges include the number of roads and bridges within the municipality.
London hosted the AMO conference in 2011 and 2014. It was slated to return to the city in 2021 but transitioned to a virtual event due to the pandemic.
– With files by Calvi Leon