| OMAA Chair Michael Di Lullo made the following recommendations to the Standing Committee on Heritage, Infrastructure and Cultural Policy on the proposed municipal accountability legislation (Bill 9) last week:
- A standard list of penalties should be developed (like under the Education Act in 2023)
- Integrity Commissioners and/or municipalities should be able to apply to a judge to remove a sitting member in the most egregious cases.
- Failing adoption of #2, the removal from office Council vote should be adjusted from unanimous to a supermajority (2/3 vote).
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Those removed from council should be barred from re-election during the current and subsequent terms.
- Include a mechanism that imposes strict timelines on discipline processes such as those around the pre-hearing conference in Regulation 404/23 under the
Community Safety and Policing Act, 2019.
Read our submission, Time, Thresholds, and Trust: Improving the Municipal Accountability Act , for our other five recommendations. |
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With over 6,500 megawatts of data centres requesting to be connected to the grid, demand for electricity from the data centre industry, which includes artificial intelligence and cloud computing, is growing and expected to represent 13 per cent of new electricity demand in Ontario by 2035. As a result, the province is introducing new measures to prioritize electricity connections for data centres. The new plan will streamline approvals for connecting data centres to the grid, protect domestic data from misuse and other foreign privacy regimes, and ending automatic approvals for large energy-intensive loads so that certain data centres can be prioritized.
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2026 CAO Leadership Program Now Open for Registration | |
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Are you an Aspiring CAO interested in taking the next step in your career? Or a new CAO looking to sharpen your skills?
The CAO Leadership Program is your next step. This immersive, made-in-Ontario program—designed by CAOs, for CAOs—delivers the practical tools and insights needed to thrive at the top. - Interactive sessions
- Peer learning with experienced mentors
- Tailored for real-world municipal challenges
Empower your leadership journey with OMAA. |
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Join us at the 2025 Fall Workshop from 19-21 October (Sunday to Tuesday) at Queen's Landing in Niagara-on-the-Lake. The Monday Night event features an offsite dinner at falls-adjacent Queen Victoria Place plus the Niagara Parks Power Station at Night experience. This is included in most tickets.
Pre-Workshop Events include Golf at the Royal Niagara Golf Course ($99) and a Niagara Glen Guided Hike & Butterfly Conservatory Trip ($49). Registration is now open. You can book hotel rooms via the Queens Landing page Have a great new municipal policy or project? Present it as one of our Rapid Fire and Inspire sessions. |
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OMAA is now accepting applications for the 2025 Maureen McCauley Bursary.
Thanks to our partner AMO, we can now offer two $5,000 bursaries annually to support the education of future municipal government leaders. The Bursary is available to any student in a post secondary program meeting the following criteria: - Is a student residing in Ontario
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Has completed at least one year of an Ontario university or an Ontario community college program that has the potential to lead to a municipal government career.
- Has submitted a completed Application Form before end of day 30 September 2025.
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Last chance to put your name forward for the Education Committee to address the following strategic plan objectives: Objective 1.3
Explore requirements and establish the terms for providing OMAA Members with education credits related to participation in OMAA professional development events. Objective 6.4
Begin exploratory discussions regarding the development of a CAO designation/ certification and the appropriate resources that would be required to support.
The Committee is composed of up to seven members and no less than three members. A majority of members of the Committee constitutes a quorum.
The Education Committee will determine its schedule but is expected to meet remotely 3-4 times a year. Click on the email button below to indicate your interest in joining this committee before 15 July 2025. |
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The Board has successfully achieved all of the relevant objectives outlined in our current Strategic Plan—a full year ahead of schedule. This accomplishment reflects our shared commitment to strengthening our Association and serving our members effectively.
Looking ahead, we’ll begin work this fall on a new Strategic Plan. As we prepare for this next phase, we want to hear from you. Your ideas, insights, and priorities are vital to shaping a plan that reflects the needs and aspirations of our membership. |
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General Manager of Corporate Services / Legal |
The General Manager of Corporate Services / Legal is a key senior leadership role within the Township of Ramara, reporting directly to the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO). This position provides strategic oversight and expert direction for four critical municipal functions: Legal Services, Clerk’s Services, Financial Services, and Human Resources. As the Township’s primary legal advisor, the General Manager ensures compliance with all applicable legislation, regulations, municipal by-laws, and corporate policies. The role involves attending Council and Committee meetings, offering legal counsel on corporate matters, and supporting the development and implementation of effective corporate-wide policies.
As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, the General Manager plays a pivotal role in shaping the Township’s long-term vision, championing the corporate mission and values, and advancing strategic initiatives that enhance operational efficiency and public service delivery. The position promotes an organizational culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement by mentoring and empowering staff, supporting succession planning, and fostering professional development across departments. With direct responsibility for the Directors of Finance, Human Resources, and Legislative Services, the General Manager leads corporate planning efforts, manages risk, guides collective bargaining and labour relations strategies, and ensures transparent, fiscally responsible budgeting and reporting processes. This multifaceted leadership role is critical in ensuring that the Township of Ramara operates in a forward-thinking, compliant, and service-oriented manner.
The ideal candidate will hold a university degree in Law (LL.B) and be licensed to practice as a lawyer by the Law Society of Upper Canada (now the Law Society of Ontario). They will bring 3–5 years of senior leadership experience, along with 3–5 years of legal practice with demonstrated expertise in municipal law. The Township offers a comprehensive benefits package, enrollment in the OMERS pension plan, flexible work arrangements as appropriate and a salary ranging from $145,254 -
$169,927. Closes: 7 August 2025 |
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Town of The Blue Mountains |
Located along the breathtaking landscape of the Niagara Escarpment and the sparkling shores of Georgian Bay, the Town of The Blue Mountains is renowned worldwide as the ultimate four-season playground delivering a lifestyle that's as diverse as its landscapes. Whether you're interested in laying down new roots, seeking adventure or are interested in relaxation and wellness, The Blue Mountains has it all.
With over 9,300 full-time residents, 2.5 million annual visitors, and an extensive part-time and seasonal population, The Blue Mountains provides a quintessential small town charm and experience, with all of the services and amenities needed for a sought-after lifestyle. The local economy is a vibrant blend of small towns thriving on agriculture, manufacturing, tourism, recreation, and a strong, unmatched entrepreneurial spirit with a vibrant local business community.
The CAO is accountable to Council, delivering strategic leadership and guidance for efficiently managing the Town's portfolios, departments, programs, and services in line with Council's policies and plans. As the sole employee of Council, the CAO is responsible for aligning Council's values and priorities with the administrative resources needed to achieve operational objectives.
The CAO operationalizes Council’s vision and corporate strategies to deliver results, while inspiring and motivating staff to effectively address challenges and implement necessary changes. As a prominent community leader and partner, the CAO champions community engagement and develops and maintains positive relationships with Council, staff, and stakeholders, thereby promoting a constructive and positive workplace culture.
The salary range for this position is $203,787 to $238,392 annually. The Town offers a comprehensive benefits package, including extended health benefits, pension, flexibility, and generous time off.
Closes: 1 August 2025 |
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The Township of Springwater is a progressive, mixed urban-rural municipality located in the heart of Simcoe County, approximately 100 kilometres north of Toronto and neighbouring the City of Barrie. Home to a population of 22,700 and growing. Springwater features a blend of thriving urban settlements and a prosperous agricultural sector. The Township includes eight settlement areas: Midhurst, Elmvale, Snow Valley, Centre Vespra, Minesing, Anten Mills, Phelpston, and Hillsdale. Amalgamated in 1994, it is one of sixteen lower-tier municipalities within the greater County of Simcoe. Known for its scenic hiking trails, rich agricultural amenities, vibrant urban centres and the purest groundwater in Canada, Springwater offers residents a healthy lifestyle, a strong sense of community and one of Ontario's largest municipally owned forest networks, with a wealth of outdoor recreation opportunities. The Township is committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive, authentic workplace where employee wellness, learning, and collaboration are prioritized. With flexible work options and a supportive environment, Springwater is a place where you can find balance and grow your career.
Reporting to the Mayor, the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) is responsible for the strategic leadership and administration of the affairs of the Township in accordance with the objectives approved by the Mayor. Acts as the key advisor and liaison to the Mayor and Council. As the most senior appointed official, the CAO delivers on the Strategic Plan and is responsible for all human, physical and financial resources of the Township, attending Council/Committee meetings, and formulating and implementing policy, service level. The CAO leads and directs the Township’s Executive Team, to ensure effective and efficient service delivery that is aligned with Springwater Council’s strategic priorities and assumes full responsibility for implementing Township policies, decisions, and programs.
The ideal candidate is a motivational, values-driven, and team-oriented leader with a strong history of success in municipal government or a comparable business setting. Bringing outstanding communication skills, political insight, and a talent for building partnerships with a wide range of stakeholders – all while motivating staff and upholding the highest standards of customer service. The ideal candidate will lead a skilled team, within a unionized and non-unionized environment, inspiring a committed workforce and cultivating a workplace culture centered on service excellence, innovation, collaboration, inclusion and diversity.
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There’s a story folks like to tell when times get tight. They say we’ve got to fix the economy first before we can afford to worry about the land, the water, the sky. It's a clean little tale that's easy to understand. But it’s a false and dangerous one.
The truth is the land and the economy are not two things. They’re the same thing. You can’t breathe without air. You can’t grow crops without soil and water. And a paycheck won’t mean much if the sun scorches the earth or floods wipe out the roads. Trust me that you can't eat money....I've tried.
Rachel Carson, who watched the birds fall silent and knew what that meant, said it straight: “Man is a part of nature, and his war against nature is inevitably a war against himself.” And that’s the awful truth. We keep acting like we can outsmart nature, outrun it, build higher and pave wider. But nature keeps a perfect ledger.
Former World Bank Economist Herman Daly understood this well: "There is something fundamentally wrong in treating the Earth as if it were a business in liquidation. The economy is a wholly owned subsidiary of the environment, not the reverse." Daly reminds us that economic activity is dependent on environmental health, not separate from it
We don’t have the luxury of pretending the environment is a side dish we can order after we’ve filled our plate with profit. We need both—right now, together. We need to build a world where a good job doesn’t come at the cost of a ruined river. Where a strong economy walks hand in hand with clean land and steady seasons.
It’s time we stop running two sets of books—one for the markets and one for the earth. Time we admit that you can’t balance one ledger by bleeding the other dry. Because there is only one system, and we’re in it—body, breath, and soul. |
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