Bruce and Grey Mayors have been attending the annual Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA) conference in Toronto where more than 1,600 from as many as 300 municipalities are in attendance from January 19th to January 21st.
ROMA gives local municipal leaders and representatives the opportunity to highlight the unique challenges facing their rural communities.
Among those in attendance are Arran-Elderslie Mayor Steve Hammell and Councillor Moiken Penner.
The Mayor and Councillor will make delegations to the Ministry of Health to advocate for Financial Support for Rural Health Care Services as a Provincial Priority and find innovative solutions especially for staffing challenges to return Emergency Care in Chesley to 24/7.
They will also present to the Ministry of Infrastructure a request for additional funding opportunities for small municipalities for aging infrastructure specifically our bridges.
Ministry of the Solicitor General to explain that small municipalities are under a financial strain due to inflation, increased service demands and infrastructure deficits, increased OPP costs are crippling municipalities ability to balance budgets and provide essential services.
“Any time we are able to speak directly with provincial officials, is an opportunity to focus on solutions to our most pressing concerns impacting our community,” said Mayor Steve Hammell
