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April Board Meeting Summary |
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The OMAA Board of Directors met at Kitchener's historic Walper Hotel on 16 April 2026. The Board was pleased to receive presentations from: -
Petra Wolfbeiss and Paul Kugelmass from AMO on a foundations program for newly elected municipal councillors currently in development.
- Christene Scrimgeour from Scrimgeour & Company presented the 2025 audited financial statements. OMAA experienced healthy revenue growtth.
The Board also discussed the following issues:
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Board Survey Results and Nomination Committee Report -- stay tuned for the AGM package for members.
- Advocacy Report featured a recap of the recent quarterly meeting between MMAH ADMs and OMAA's Executive plus the latest on OMERS Governance Changes.
- Committee Reports - Education (Sonya Skinner), MIT Support Group (Rob Adams), and Workshop Planning (Denise Corry) presented Committee updates.
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Strategic Plan and Rebranding: the Rebrand Working Group is working with the consultant Pilot PMR on the new name, brand narrative, and design for presentation to the members at the spring workshop.
- Communications and Membership reports indicated significant growth in both areas. A recent member survey on the OMAA website found the site is a utility and not a destination with The Observer functioning as most members primary touchpoint.
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Events -- upcoming webinars with AMO, CareerJoy, the sold-out CAO Leadership Program, and the Spring Workshop (almost sold out) round out Q2 events.
Finally, the Board bid a fond farewell to Laurie Kennard and Sonya Pritchard and thanked them both for their excellent service to the Association. |
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Upper-Tier Leadership Dynamics: Navigating the CAO–Warden Relationship 5 May 2026 – 1:00 to 2:00 pm This session dives into the unique governance dynamics of upper-tier municipalities—where political insight and administrative expertise intersect.
Two CAO–Warden pairs will share firsthand perspectives on building effective relationships, aligning regional priorities, and strengthening collaboration across tiers, including how these relationships evolve amid legislative changes and in an election year. Panelists:
Warden Marcus Ryan and CAO Ben Addley of Oxford County plus Warden Bonnie Clark and CAO Sheridan Graham of Peterborough County |
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Join Jacqueline Long, Head of Operational Effectiveness at the Town of Whitby, Shellee Fournier, CAO of the Township of Rideau Lakes, and Sonya Pritchard, CAO of the County of Dufferin as they discuss how to Build the Resilience Needed for Today’s Leadership Demands from 1-2 pm on Tuesday 12 May 2026.
Election years bring a unique set of pressures for municipal leaders. Priorities must continue moving forward while future direction may be uncertain. Teams look for signals about what comes next, and leaders often feel the added responsibility of closing out the year strong while preparing their organizations for potential change. For municipal leaders, managing stress, both their own and their team’s, while keeping people focused, engaged, and performing is a critical leadership skill. This panel will share how they maintain resilience, support their teams, and sustain performance both personally and across their organizations through an election year. |
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Book Launch for Inside Public-Sector Innovation 13 May 4:30-6:00 pm
Join IMFG for the launch of Inside Public-Sector Innovation, a new book that explores how municipal leaders across Canada are turning ideas into practical solutions. The authors draw on real-world examples from rural, suburban, and urban governments to highlight how local public administrators have successfully implemented organizational, process, and service innovations to address service delivery inefficiencies, environmental sustainability, and diversity and inclusion. Through firsthand insights from the practitioners who led these initiatives, the book offers valuable lessons for policymakers, administrators, and researchers interested in how innovation can take root within the public sector. This event will feature a discussion with contributors (including OMAA members and friends like Nicole Cooper, Zac Spicer, and Joe Lyons) about shaping public-sector innovation in Canadian municipalities today.
Register here: Book Launch for Inside Public-Sector Innovation Tickets, Wednesday, May 13 • 4:30 PM - 6 PM | Eventbrite |
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Applaud - People in Public Service is a free membership association exclusive to those who are currently working or retired from public service in Ontario, including municipalities. Register by 30 April 2026 to be eligible for the prize draw. Why Join Applaud? You can find out more about Applaud here: https://applaudpublicservice.ca/ |
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Strategic Plan Objective #6 |
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The 2026-30 Strategic Plan Rising Together, Leading Forward has six major objectives with several actions related to each. This week we cover the final objective in advance of the Spring Workshop roundtable session. |
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Objective #6: Build Internal Capacity
very bold strategy requires a strong backbone. Capacity-building is not simply operational; it is transformational. It ensures that the Association’s aspirations are matched by its ability to deliver. It safeguards the culture members cherish while creating the systems and supports needed for a broader mandate.
Invest in staffing, digital tools, event infrastructure, and administrative systems To support expanded programming, increased engagement, and a larger provincial presence, OMAA will strengthen its operational backbone. This includes modernizing systems, upgrading tools, and ensuring staff capacity aligns with the Association’s evolving responsibilities.
Build sustainable funding models to resource long-term growth
Explore new revenue streams such as sponsorships, grants, affinity programs, and partnership models in order to ensure financial resilience. Diversified funding will allow the Association to invest confidently in new initiatives without compromising its independence or accessibility.
Develop internal performance measures to assess progress and impact
Implement metrics and evaluation processes that track progress against strategic objectives. These measures will create clarity, support decision-making, and reinforce a culture of responsible stewardship. |
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I was having a bad day on Monday. It was cold, rainy, and I lost my new favourite stick I had brought back from the forest the day before. Thankfully, I still had my friend.
Aristotle, who thought more systematically about friendship than perhaps anyone else, wrote, “Without friends, no one would choose to live, though he had all other goods.” We are all trying to make sense of a complicated world together. And yet, appreciation of friendship often lives in the margins.
Appreciation is not automatic. It requires our attention and requires us to notice who shows up, who listens, who remembers. As Ralph Waldo Emerson observed, “The only way to have a friend is to be one.” Appreciation is a discipline practiced inward, but it shapes how we show up in return.
To appreciate our friends is not sentimental. It is, in a very real sense, an act of clarity. It is recognizing what sustains us, what steadies us, and what ultimately makes the long arc of our days meaningful.
And if we’re paying close enough attention, we might realize that the richest parts of our lives have been quietly shaped not by what we achieved, but by who walked alongside us while we did. |
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Bruce County (Walkerton, ON) |
Welcome to Bruce County! We are located within the traditional territory of the Saugeen Ojibway Nation, which includes the Chippewas of Saugeen First Nation and the Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation. We are a community where excellence, opportunity, and exploration come together amidst the natural beauty of Southwestern Ontario. Nestled between Lake Huron and Georgian Bay, our community thrives in stunning landscapes, from tranquil rivers and iconic lighthouses to bright starry skies. Home to nearly 75,000 residents in predominantly rural communities, Bruce County offers a unique blend of small-town charm and big opportunities, Bruce County is a place where you can work, live, and explore to no end.
Guided by our vision of being a welcoming, thriving community committed to the well-being of current and future generations, Bruce County fosters innovation, sustainable growth, and collaboration. As an upper-tier municipality, Bruce County provides essential services that shape the daily lives of our residents across 12 towns and communities. Our responsibilities include housing, childcare, Ontario Works, infrastructure, paramedic services, and long-term care homes, as well as cultural and recreational programs through our libraries and museum. In everything we do, we uphold our core values: excellence, welcoming community, good governance, environmental stewardship, and financial sustainability.
As one of Southwestern Ontario’s Top Employers, joining our team means becoming part of a dedicated group of public servants committed to making a meaningful difference. At Bruce County, you’ll find opportunities to grow your career, contribute to impactful solutions, and help shape a sustainable future—all while enjoying the exceptional lifestyle this remarkable region offers. Explore with us—your journey starts here.
What You’ll Do
Reporting to the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), the Executive Assistant is responsible for ensuring the smooth functioning of the Offices of the Warden and CAO. The incumbent provides self-directed and complex executive support to the Office of the CAO, the Warden and Council, including handling sensitive political and human resource issues, the creation of plans, and coordinating administrative and support functions for the Executive Offices.
This role acts as the primary point of contact for the Office of the CAO.
What We Offer Competitive Salary: $79,771-$93,839 per annum Health and Dental Benefits, OMERS pension, Employee & Family Assistance Program (EFAP), and more. Closes: 29 April 2026 |
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The Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators (CAMA) has released a new national resource to support Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs) and municipal leaders in strengthening the effectiveness of Council meetings.
Developed in response to the increasing complexity and public scrutiny facing local governments, Leading Effective Council Meetings: A Practical Guide for Mayors & Chairs in Canadian Municipalities provides practical guidance to support well-run, respectful, and productive Council meetings. |
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By building a solid foundation that allows for greater adoption of innovative building solutions, we can tackle several critical issues facing this country. Through tailored incentives from government, forward-thinking projects from the building industry and smart innovations from startups, Canada can start to address our housing shortage, increase productivity, reduce carbon emissions and build a stronger future according to MaRS' A New Blueprint report.
An effective building agenda touches on three critical public policy outcomes: more affordable housing, reduced emissions and increased domestic economic activity, which includes opportunities for ventures developing new technologies linked to efficiency and resilience. The challenge is to develop an approach that satisfies all key stakeholders. Each level of government can spur the market with a mix of regulations and incentives, such as building
code upgrades, reliable subsidies for retrofits, ambitious decarbonization mandates for gas and electric utilities, and the use of green building standards in the municipal development approvals process. In addition, building managers, REITS, non-profits and government agencies should leverage analytical tools at their disposal to better understand the full scope of the return on such investments in their assets. This will help increase the pace of change. |
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Through its Healthy Democracy and Workforce Development Projects, AMO has developed practical tools to help councils and staff manage conflict and foster a culture of civility. The Leading with Respect Handguides offer resources over a series of seven key municipal areas of leadership |
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OMAA: Connecting CAOs, Strengthening Municipalities You’re receiving this e-mail because you signed up for the OMAA newsletter.
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