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Mississippi Mills Council members and staff have returned from the 2024 Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA) Conference in Toronto, after joining almost 1,900 participants from across 300 municipalities, January 21-23.
Council participated in three ministerial delegations, meeting with the Honourable Kinga Surma, Minister of Infrastructure; Parliamentary Assistant Trevor Jones to the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Lisa Thompson; as well as MPP Stephane Sarrazin, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Energy. Mayor Christa Lowry also chaired a panel discussion on intimate partner violence as part of the conference program.
“ROMA 2024 was a very successful conference for Mississippi Mills,” said Mayor Lowry. “We had the opportunity for great conversations with Ministers, provincial staff, and other Municipalities. We appreciated the active support and advocacy from our local MPP, John Jordan, in our delegations.”
The conference presented many opportunities for networking, and Council members took advantage of being in the right place at the right time. Councillor Bev Holmes, Councillor Mary Lou Souter and Councillor Jane Torrance lunched with Lisa Thompson, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, while Mayor Lowry, in her capacity as Vice Chair of the ROMA Board, was invited to a private meeting with Minister Thompson to gain insight into the newly announced Rural Economic Development Strategy.
The theme of the 2024 ROMA Conference was Closer to Home, reflecting ROMA’s recent focus on improving rural access to primary health care. ROMA’s research and findings were presented during the conference in the report, Fill the Gaps Closer to Home.
“This report provides 22 recommendations to improve primary and mental health services to rural communities,” said Mayor Lowry. “As Vice Chair of the ROMA Board, I was very pleased to be involved in the creation of this report and with the reception it received at the conference. Some of these shifts can happen immediately and we are seeing collaborative projects already underway in some rural communities.”
To view the report: https://www.roma.on.ca/learning/blog/roma-report-urges-provincial-action-bring-rural-health-care-services-closer-home.
Another conference highlight was a session on Community Led Economic Development and Asset Based Community Development. Council members and staff gained insight into how to engage community stakeholders who share a passion and vision for positive change.
“There was some great information received which could be put to good use in all areas of our Municipality – from villages to rural to town,” stated Councillor Holmes.
During the Ministers’ Forum, Mayor Lowry posed a question regarding food security to the Honourable Michael Parsa, Minister of Children, Community and Social Services. Seeking input on what the Ministry will do to ensure vulnerable rural Ontarians can afford to feed themselves and their families, Mayor Lowry has secured a follow-up meeting with the Minister to address these important concerns.
“The overall program and sessions offered provided different perspectives and excellent information that is relevant and invaluable to rural communities like ours. I look forward to working with Council to put some of these ideas into action,” added Mayor Lowry.
The annual conference offers the chance for municipal officials to participate in meaningful workshops, engage with provincial stakeholders and advocate for funding and policies to support stronger rural communities. Please watch for more details from the conference and delegations in the coming weeks.
For more information on the ROMA Conference, visit https://www.roma.on.ca.
