Productive meetings with provincial ministers at ROMA conference

WEST GREY, ON – West Grey participated in five meetings with provincial ministries at this year’s Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA) conference in Toronto earlier this week.  The delegation meetings are a foundation of the conference and an excellent opportunity to discuss local issues with provincial ministers and staff.

“I am pleased with the receptive and engaging dialogue at each of the delegation meetings,” said West Grey mayor Kevin Eccles. “We were very clear in our discussions regarding the urgent need for sustainable funding and collaboration between both orders of government. We left each meeting with commitments from the province and an open invitation for staff to continue discussions.”

West Grey’s delegations included outlining the pressures and costs of managing infrastructure, the far-reaching impact of emergency department closures at rural hospitals, the complications of inadvertently merging properties on title and the essential need for collaboration between municipal police services and the Ontario Provincial Police regarding mutual aid.

West Grey also joined the municipalities of Arran-Elderslie and Brockton for a joint delegation with the Ministry of Health.  In meetings with Minister Sylvia Jones, Parliamentary Assistant Robin Martin, and MPP Rick Byers, the three mayors were able to provide detailed information regarding the impact of ongoing emergency department closures and, equally important, table a request for a regional working group to explore options and review the 48 recommendations from a recent consultant review commissioned by Brockton and Arran-Elderslie.

“Quality health care is integral to the vibrant communities we enjoy in rural Ontario,” said Mayor Eccles.  “Minister Jones, PA Martin, MPP Byers and ministry staff were quite open and engaging.  I look forward to continued conversations with all parties.”

The annual ROMA conference hosts over 1000 attendees from across Ontario offering opportunities to attend workshops, speaker events, and networking forums.