August 20, 2015 - Mayor Keith Hobbs, Chair of the Intergovernmental Affairs Committee Councillor Joe Virdiramo and Councillor Trevor Giertuga, along with City Manager Tim Commisso, were four of more than 1,600 delegates at the Association of Municipalities of Ontario's (AMO) 2015 AGM Conference that took place in Niagara Aug. 16-19.

"AMO is an important opportunity for Thunder Bay to meet with Ministries and advocate for our community's needs," said Councillor Joe Virdiramo, Chair - Intergovernmental Affairs Committee. "We were fortunate to have secured 14 different meetings to discuss critical community issues. These meetings were very positive and our input was received well. We look forward to the Government's response in the near future."

For more than 100 years, Ontario's largest municipal conference has united municipal, provincial and federal officials to work collectively to overcome municipal challenges and plan for the future. The Premier and many as 18 Federal and Provincial Ministers participated in the conference.

Thunder Bay's agenda included private meetings with the following Ministries:

  • Citizenship, Immigration & International Trade
  • Community Safety and Correctional Services
  • Economic Development, Employment & Infrastructure
  • Energy
  • Finance
  • Health and Long-Term Care
  • Municipal Affairs and Housing
  • Natural Resources and Forestry
  • Northern Development and Mines
  • Seniors Affairs
  • Members of the Opposition Parties

Among Thunder Bay's top priorities were infrastructure needs, the proposed Thunder Bay Event & Convention Centre, homelessness and housing, poverty, the City's D-Listed Homes for the Aged, industrial/commercial tax assessments, mining readiness and immigration challenges, to name a few.

In addition to the face-to-face meetings, more than 60 plenary sessions and workshops took place. Sessions covered pressing issues affecting municipalities, ranging from the economic and infrastructure priorities to emergency preparedness and creative living for seniors.

AMO is a non-profit organization representing almost all of Ontario's 444 municipal governments. Conference program details are available on-line at www.amo.on.ca

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Contact:  Councillor Joe Virdiramo, Chair - Intergovernmental Affairs Committee, 625-5547 or through Valerie Marasco, Supervisor - Corporate Communications, 625-2438