Perth County Advocates for Rural Priorities at AMO 2026
OTTAWA, ON – Members of County Council and Staff joined more than 3,000 participants representing 444 municipalities from across Ontario at the 2026 Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) Conference this week. In addition to participating in conference sessions, representatives from Perth County led two delegation meetings with the Province during the conference:
- Farm Property Tax Reduction and the Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund (OMPF) with Dave Smith, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Finance
- Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) Claims Administration for Schedule 2 Employers with Hon. David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development
The conference hosts hundreds of delegation meetings between municipal governments and provincial ministers. Delegations provide an important opportunity to discuss key issues that are top-of-mind for municipal governments directly with provincial ministries. Perth County’s delegations were focused on the increased financial burden on rural municipalities due to reduction in OMPF transfers as well as advocating for increased efficiencies and cost fairness for Schedule 2 employers.
The 2026 Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) Conference runs from August 16 to August 19 in Ottawa. The core focus of the conference centers on local democracy, economic uncertainty, sustainable infrastructure, and municipal finances ahead of local elections. At this year’s conference, AMO is calling for provincial action on municipal priorities that impact communities in every corner of Ontario including:
- Long-term infrastructure funding for housing and the economy
- Fully funded health and social services that are provincial responsibilities, and
- Collaboration with municipal and federal partners to address the homelessness crisis.
More details about the AMO Conference including the full program can be found online: www.amo.on.ca
-30-
About Perth County: Perth County is a vibrant upper-tier municipality located in Southwestern, Ontario. This rural region is comprised of 4 lower-tier member municipalities. To learn more information about our programs and services, visit: www.perthcounty.ca
About AMO: Through AMO, Ontario’s 444 municipalities work together to achieve shared goals and meet common challenges. Through policy development, cost-saving programs, conferences and training opportunities, AMO provides municipal officials with tools to succeed, and programs to help maximize taxpayer dollars. More information available at www.amo.on.ca
Media Contact
Sarah Franklin, Communications Officer
sfranklin@perthcounty.ca
519-271-0531 ext 151
News Release: Perth County Advocates for Rural Priorities at AMO 2026 (PDF)
Photos:
