Written By Jan Sims
MIDDLESEX CENTRE - Infrastructure, housing, and health care were among the key topics discussed at the recent meeting of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, or AMO, conference held in Ottawa.
The annual conference brings together thousands of people from municipalities across Ontario to discuss mutual concerns and meet with provincial representatives.
Middlesex Centre’s delegation included Mayor Aina DeViet and councillors Sue Cates and Jean Coles. As well as participating in conferences sessions, they met with provincial representatives including Lambton-Kent-Middlesex MPP, Steve Pinsonneault, who is also the Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Rural Affairs.
The agenda included the topic of support for rural economic development. “The reason that is important to us is because we rely largely on property taxes to provide services,” says DeViet. “It’s really hard to ask residents to pay for big projects, even if we have reserves. It’s a lot of money for people,” adds DeViet.
More funding for rural transportation networks was also part of the discussions. “There is a need for people in the rural areas to be able to get to places,” says DeViet.
A key feature of the conference is to make the province aware of local needs. For Middlesex Centre, that includes transportation improvements to support economic growth such as a new highway interchange. “If we’re going to start developing along the 402 corridor, we’re going to need access to the roads,” says DeViet.
The Middlesex Centre delegation also met with representatives from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, to talk about alternative approaches to financing development charges to improve housing affordability.
“I think we had good meetings,” says DeViet. “We felt heard… It’s always good to get in front of the Ministers and reinforce what we need and when we need it,” adds DeViet.
