From August 18 to 21, City of London Council members and staff will take a proactive stance at the 2024 Association of Municipalities Ontario (AMO) Conference in Ottawa to advocate for crucial community priorities that affect Londoners’ daily lives.
This annual conference brings together municipal leaders from across Ontario to address local issues, engage with provincial ministers and collaborate on shared challenges and solutions.
Key priorities that City of London delegates will address with provincial ministers include:
- Health and homelessness: Advocating for sustainable funding to support London’s Whole of Community System Response, ensuring the continuation of new supportive housing units and hubs.
- Public safety: Aligning London’s significant investment in policing with provincial public safety initiatives amid rising demands.
- Housing and infrastructure: Ensuring London’s unprecedented rate of housing-related approvals is recognized, while also advocating for appropriate infrastructure funding to unlock additional development opportunities.
- Regional transportation: Securing sustainable funding for intercity transit in collaboration with St. Thomas and Middlesex County.
The City’s delegation will also be a part of discussions about physician recruitment and climate change mitigation.
“Funding from the provincial and federal governments accounts for almost a quarter of the City of London’s annual budget, making this an important opportunity to secure the necessary support for our city’s most pressing needs” says Mayor Josh Morgan. “By concentrating our advocacy on homelessness, supportive housing and essential mental health and addiction services, we can drive valuable progress in areas that have the greatest impact on the well-being of our community.”
During the conference, City staff will also present London’s Housing Pledge to other municipal leaders, showcasing advancements made over the past year to support the City’s goal of creating 47,000 new homes by 2031.
AMO is a non-profit, non-partisan association that represents more than 400 municipal governments from across Ontario. The annual AMO Conference is Ontario’s biggest event for municipal leaders and brings together more than 2,500 participants. The conference was last hosted by London in 2023 and will be returning to London again in the summer of 2027.