At the recent Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) Conference held in Ottawa, delegates identified tariff uncertainty and municipal housing and infrastructure as the leading issues of concern.
This year’s event marked the 15th consecutive AMO attendance for Graydon Smith, the MPP for Parry Sound-Muskoka, who previously served as AMO president and now holds the position of Associate Minister of Municipal Affairs.
Spanning four days, the conference brought together representatives from various municipalities, including those from Muskoka.
Smith noted the strong participation from communities throughout the region. “We were involved in 30 meetings in three days, along with numerous informal discussions in elevators and hallways,” he said. “You never know where the next great idea is going to come from.”
Among the pressing topics addressed, municipal infrastructure and housing topped the list, along with worries regarding tariffs and trade relations with the United States.
“Community leaders across Ontario are concerned about the future,” Smith stated. “Premier Ford isn’t taking any guff from that guy south of the border and the message I heard from municipalities was about collaboration in these times to enact meaningful change.”
Concerns surrounding affordable housing and infrastructure have persistently emerged in AMO conferences over the years, and this year remained no exception. In response to these issues, Smith emphasized the Premier’s recent announcement of a $1.6 billion investment aimed at accelerating home and infrastructure construction.
“We’re already witnessing the importance of this funding right here in Muskoka,” Smith remarked, pointing to a $50 million allocation for water and sewer projects in Huntsville that will directly support the construction of additional homes.
Overall, Smith expressed his satisfaction with the conference’s outcomes and looked forward to the next AMO gathering in 2026.
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A 15th Annual AMO Conference. Beginning to repeat like the world’s conferences on climate change. Since 1979 and the problem, global warming, seems to only get worse. But the 30 meetings in 3 days seems a bit intense. One an hour for 10 hours for 3 days! Maybe a statement made in the heat of the interview?
“Conference highlights key concerns..” Any guesses as to the topics?
Housing has tanked. And hurling bundles of cash at the problem just seems to be creating a well fed problem.
If roads and sidewalks (the ones which exist) are infrastructure, then our infrastructures sucks. No need to get together and bemoan the fact. Just drive over them on the way to work. Then see if you can come up with the money and people to correct the problem.
And tariffs? I wonder if ‘the donald’ cares that the AMO is concerned. I think that can be left for Premier Ford to mess with. And he won’t be taking any “guff from that guy south of the border!” Sheesshh!
And if one was not aware of these problems before attending this conference, what planet are you visiting from?
I do like the quote “You never know where the next great idea is going to come from!” That’s a fact. But did one show up? That great idea. What was it and where was it from? Or is it still missing and as elusive as the solution to global warming some 45 years down the road. Or was it’s existence the topic of any one of those 30 meetings?
I too will want to echo the comment made by Paul Whillans. “What drivel!”
There is no affordable housing in town due to the exorbitant cost of the District’s water and sewer.
$200+/month or $2,400+/year is typical. And rising.
$100+/month even if you are away and have zero usage.
Including the costs shown/hidden on our property taxes.
After spending $45K to hook up to the District’s old, leaky, unreliable systems.
In the past Graydon Smith said the District’s water and sewer cost is “UNSUSTAINABLE”, “ALARMING”, “UNACCEPTABLE”, “people are struggling to pay their bills”.
Capital costs are “incredible”. “Per user cost of capital I can’t imagine is even close to anybody else”.
$128,000 cost per household in Baysville for example. $22.4 million for 350 users or 175 households. Cost is no object at the District.
In fact the District actually prevents affordable water-only housing to be built as in the past.
Either hook up and pay exorbitant amounts or no permit for you.
That explains why many old forested areas in Muskoka are wiped out instead of building on all the empty fields around.
The $50 million was part of another District project that is disastrously over budget.
https://doppleronline.ca/huntsville/mountview-plant-decommissioning-and-expansion-of-golden-pheasant-plant-tracking-to-budget-commissioner/
I’d like to echo Mr. Whillans in thanking Minister Smith for his great work representing Parry Sound Muskoka at such an important conference. Housing is such an important concern for all municipalities, almost as important as the very hard work needed to correct ten years of incompetent and malicious Trudeau governance. Fortunately we have great politicians like Minister Smith and MP Aitchison who are up to the task.
Back in the day, I was an Executive in a provincial ministry. Of course, managers under me were always wanting to attend various conferences on the public dollar. If approved, I insisted on a written full report upon their return.
If they had presented such a vacuous report as this (“attended 30 meetings”), it would be the last conference they attended funded by taxpayer money.
I and the public would want to know what they had learned and any actionable ideas they had upon return. Surely, we all can expect more from our tax dollars from our MPP and Council attendees. What drivel !!!!