County of Renfrew officials met with the Honourable Prabmeet Singh Sarkaria, Ontario’s Minister of Transportation at the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) Conference in Ottawa earlier this week. Also taking part in the meeting (from left) were Chief Administrative Officer Craig Kelley; Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke MPP Billy Denault, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming; Councillor Glenn Doncaster, Operations Committee Chair; Renfrew County Warden Peter Emon and Lee Perkins, Director of Public Works and Engineering. County of Renfrew photo
Renfrew County Warden Peter Emon says the last week of networking has been crucial to advancing the needs of the community.
He and other representatives met with several Members of Provincial Parliament during the Association of Municipalities of Ontario Conference in Ottawa, which brought in close to 3,000 advocates from hundreds of municipalities and organizations across Ontario between August 17th and 20th.
Emon explains that their participation was “crucial in advancing local and rural priorities to ensure that the needs of the community are heard at the provincial level,” providing context and on-the-ground facts to the ministers that develop, implement, and recalibrate policy or replenish funds serving residents.
Among the discussions held between county delegates and provincial officials include:
- Ministry of Education – Advocated for continued EarlyON funding to support families through early childhood programs
- Ministry of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security – Requested expansion of Learn and Stay Grant eligibility for Primary Care and Advanced Care Paramedics in rural Eastern Ontario
- Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness – Discussed funding to protect farmland through a coordinated regional plan
- Ministry of Energy and Mines – Raised concerns about outdated electrical grid infrastructure and its impact on rural development
- Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming – Requested funding for the Algonquin Trail bridge near Highway 17 at Bissett Creek; proposed updates to Municipal Accommodation Tax regulations for rural communities; and advocated for increased base funding for the Ontario Highlands Tourism Organization
- Called on the Ministry of Health for continued funding for Mesa’s Mental Health, Addictions, and Homelessness Outreach Teams
- Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade – Requested increased core funding for Business Enterprise Centres, including Enterprise Renfrew County
- Ministry of Transportation – Proposed innovative safety and traffic solutions for the ongoing expansion of Highway 17
- Ministry of Emergency Preparedness and Response – Advocated for Automatic Aid Agreements between paramedic services across Ontario to improve emergency response
- Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services – Urged updates to Ontario Works rates to reflect inflation and better support vulnerable residents
The Warden also thanked Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke MPP Billy Denault for his continued support in advocating for key issues within Renfrew County.
(written by Kasey Egan)
