Mayor David Bailey, members of County of Brant Council and staff attended the 2025 Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA) conference in Toronto from January 19 to 21, 2025.
In attendance alongside Mayor Bailey were Councillor Jennifer Kyle, Councillor Lukas Oakley, Councillor Brian Coleman, Councillor John Bell, Councillor David Miller and Councillor Robert Chambers. Alison Newton, Chief Administrative Officer, and Melissa Connor, General Manager of Strategic Initiatives, were also present.
The conference was an opportunity to learn from other municipalities, listen to a variety of keynote speakers, network with neighbours across the province and meet with Cabinet Ministers to discuss topics important to the community.
“ROMA’s annual conference provides an opportunity to meet with other community leaders across the province and share in our similar experiences,” said Mayor Bailey. “The County of Brant is not unique in the concerns that we are facing and hearing of shared experiences allows us to collaborate and learn from each other.”
Delegation meetings play an important role at ROMA and allow Council and staff the opportunity to engage with provincial leaders on local matters that are important to the County of Brant.
2025 Delegation meetings included:
- Delegation with Minister Greg Rickford, Minister of Indigenous Affairs and First Nations Economic Reconciliation focused on Brant’s commitment to collaborating and providing meaningful engagement with our neighbours.
- Delegation with Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria, Ministry of Transportation focused on funding for the interchange at the intersection of Highway 403 at Bishopsgate Road, as well as Highway 24 crossing safety for agricultural equipment operators.
- Delegation with Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, Sylvia Jones, Ministry of Health focused on the Brant Community Healthcare System. Bonnie Camm, President and Chief Executive Officer for the Brant Community Healthcare System was also in attendance.
- Delegation with Parliamentary Assistant, Logan Kanapathi, Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services focused on bringing attention to the Ontario Works Funding models and the impact to municipal programming assisting our most vulnerable residents.
“Being able to advocate for our residents is one of the most important and rewarding aspects of attending the ROMA conference,” said Bailey. “It provides us with a valuable opportunity to bring forward the needs and priorities of our community directly to provincial leaders. Our Council is committed to ensuring that the voices of Brant residents are heard, and we are proud to represent our community and work toward meaningful solutions that enhance the quality of life for everyone in the County of Brant.”
