Niagara-on-the-Lake is bringing its top priorities directly to the province this week as council and senior staff meet with provincial ministries at the Rural Ontario Municipal Association conference.
The annual conference runs Jan. 18 to 20 at Queen’s Park and provides a forum for municipalities to raise local issues with provincial decision-makers, including the proposed Glendale Eco-Park, affordable housing, municipal funding, rural transit and interprovincial trade barriers.
The town’s communication’s co-ordinator, Marah Minor, said confirmed meetings with several provincial ministries will focus on housing, infrastructure, sustainability, economic development, municipal capacity and heritage support.
Confirmed attendees include Coun. Erwin Wiens, who is also the deputy lord mayor, Couns. Andrew Niven and Maria Mavridis, chief administrative officer Nick Ruller and associate director Lauren Kruitbosch, with another staff member yet to be determined.
Minor said discussions will include provincial support for the proposed Glendale Eco-Park, opportunities to use surplus government land for affordable housing and renewal of the Municipal Modernization Program, a provincial funding program for municipalities.
Other topics slated for discussion include improving rural transit connectivity and reducing interprovincial trade barriers, “while protecting local planning authority,” she said.
The town says a news release outlining outcomes from the conference is expected later this week.
