Tag: AMO

Emergency Council Meeting to Discuss Impact of Bill 23

Published on by Adam A. DonaldsonLeave a comment

You may have heard about the Government of Ontario’s Bill 23, the More Homes Built Faster Act. Literally introduced the day after the October 24 municipal election, the legislation proposes to change significant portions of municipal planning policy to, in theory, increase the development of housing units. With the first round of feedback about the legislation coming due, the new Guelph city council will assemble to have their say. Continue reading “Emergency Council Meeting to Discuss Impact of Bill 23” →

Competing Vision for Cities on Day Two of the AMO Conference

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Day two of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario conference brought two big speakers with some different ideas about the needs of cities. In one slot was the man currently serving in the post of the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, and in the other was the man who’s currently the only elected opposition leader in the Ontario legislature, and they offered very different visions indeed. Continue reading “Competing Vision for Cities on Day Two of the AMO Conference” →

Upbeat Ford Addresses AMO and Ontario Mayors at Annual Conference

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They tell you to open with a joke, and that’s what Premier Doug Ford did as one of the first speakers at this year’s Association of Municipalities of Ontario conference in Ottawa on Monday. Ford made light of his viral encounter with a bee at a media availability on Friday, and then dug into substance by assuring Ontario’s municipal leaders that the challenges they’re facing are manageable. Continue reading “Upbeat Ford Addresses AMO and Ontario Mayors at Annual Conference” →

Schreiner Tells AMO Conference That Greens Have Got Their Back

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On the last day of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario’s annual conference, Guelph MPP and Mike Schreiner got his chance to assume the virtual stage and talk to the delegates. Schreiner’s focus was that Greens aren’t just the people that municipalities should turn to for environmental issues, but that they have a plan for housing and other areas necessary for the post-pandemic recovery. Continue reading “Schreiner Tells AMO Conference That Greens Have Got Their Back” →

Ford Kicks Off AMO Touting Ontario as COVID Success Story

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This week is the annual Association of Municipalities of Ontario conference, which typically takes place live and in-person in Ottawa, but for the second year in a row the whole thing is being held virtually. As usual, the Premier of Ontario kicked things off with a speech, and Doug Ford began AMO 2021 on a positive note touting Ontario’s success overcoming COVID-19 thanks to strong provincial/municipal relations. Continue reading “Ford Kicks Off AMO Touting Ontario as COVID Success Story” →

Schreiner Wants Less Cheerleading More Regular Leading from Ford

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The annual Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) conference wrapped up on Wednesday with some speeches from opposition leaders including Green Party of Ontario leader and Guelph MPP Mike Schreiner. After Premier Doug Ford’s somewhat rosy appraisal of the current response to COVID-19 on Monday, Schreiner notes there’s still a long, long way to go, and a lot of stuff that’s been overlooked by the provincial government. Continue reading “Schreiner Wants Less Cheerleading More Regular Leading from Ford” →

At AMO, Ford is Optimistic While the City of Guelph Comes with a Wish List

Published on by Adam A. Donaldson1 Comment

The annual conference of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) kicked off Monday in an unusual way: remotely. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, representatives from many of Ontario’s 444 municipalities will not be descending on Ottawa this week, but will instead be meeting via teleconference, and the effects of the pandemic will definitely be a big part of the conversations. Continue reading “At AMO, Ford is Optimistic While the City of Guelph Comes with a Wish List” →

Clark Cancels Amalgamation Talk, Announces New Money for Cities

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After months of work getting feedback on the efficiencies and usefulness of two-tier regional governments, and just weeks after receiving the report, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Steve Clark announced at an AMO Meeting in London today that amalgamation will not be forced on Ontario municipalities. Continue reading “Clark Cancels Amalgamation Talk, Announces New Money for Cities” →

City Engineer Gets a Promotion to the Command Level

Published on by Adam A. Donaldson1 Comment

Just in time for the annual meeting of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario this coming week, the City of Guelph has named the latest addition to its executive staff with Kealy Dedman being promoted as Guelph’s new Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for Infrastructure, Development and Enterprise Services. Continue reading “City Engineer Gets a Promotion to the Command Level” →

GUELPH POLITICAST #133 – Cathy Downer on AMO

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At city council this week, a resolution from the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) to support the North America Free Trade Agreement and stand with governments across Canada against Donald Trump’s aggression on trade was passed unanimously. You may be asking, “What good does that do?” You may also be asking, “What the heck is AMO again?” Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #133 – Cathy Downer on AMO” →