Left to Proper: Authorities Home Chief/Parliamentary Assistant to the Premier, Steve Clark; Warden of the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville, Corinna Smith-Gatcke; Warden of Northumberland County, Brian Ostrander; Minister of Labour, Immigration, Coaching and Abilities Growth, David Piccini; Mayor of the Metropolis of Kawartha Lakes, Doug Elmslie; Deputy Premier/Minister of Well being, Sylvia Jones; EOWC Chair and Warden of Peterborough County, Bonnie Clark; Minister of Schools and Universities, Nolan Quinn; EOWC Vice-Chair and Mayor of Prince Edward County, Steve Ferguson; MPP Laurie Scott; Warden of Haliburton County, Dave Burton; and Warden of Lanark County, Toby Randell. Picture by way of Frontenac County and the EOWC.
Earlier this week, the Jap Ontario Wardens’ Caucus (EOWC) attended the Rural Ontario Municipal Affiliation (ROMA) 2025 Convention, held within the Metropolis of Toronto. There, they made “significant strides towards advancing regional priorities,” the EOWC said.
The convention came about from Sunday, Jan. 19 to Tuesday, Jan 21, 2025. The EOWC joined over 2,000 municipal colleagues from throughout Ontario on the convention to take part in conferences with provincial ministers, members of provincial parliament, and the Ontario New Democratic Get together (NDP) and Liberal opposition events to proceed advocating for the area’s wants, in line with a launch from EOWC issued on Friday, Jan. 24, 2025.
“The EOWC coordinates strategically and we have the shared political commitment. We came prepared with data and clear recommendations at the ROMA Conference. Our small rural municipalities play a critical role in shaping Ontario’s future, and it is vital that our voices are heard when important decisions are made,” mentioned EOWC Vice-Chair Steve Ferguson in an announcement.
All through the convention, the EOWC met with the Deputy Premier and Minister of Well being, Sylvia Jones; Minister of Infrastructure, Kinga Surma; Minister of Rural Affairs, Lisa Thompson; Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Lengthy-Time period Care, Tyler Allsopp; and the Ontario NDP and Liberal events, in line with the discharge.
The EOWC shared that, alongside its 103 municipalities, it stays ‘Ready to Work and Ready to Grow’ for 2025. In accordance with the discharge, their area is “poised for growth.”
“The region has the land and is building its workforce. The EOWC remains dedicated to working alongside the Ontario Government to address key social, economic, and political challenges moving forward,” the caucus said, noting that the next priorities had been mentioned through the convention:
Enhancing jap Ontario’s rising economyStrengthening Canada–United States relationsSupporting municipal infrastructure and Municipal Asset Administration PlansExpanding all forms of housingContinuing funding for group paramedicine packages
To see the ‘Ready to Work, Ready to Grow’ plan for 2025, go to www.eowc.org.
Within the launch, the EOWC said that it stands with Premier Doug Ford’s efforts to strengthen the alliance between Canada and the USA. In right now’s interconnected world, our municipal leaders are dedicated to strengthening American and Canadian financial resilience and safety throughout Jap Ontario, the EOWC mentioned.
“The EOWC believes that strong partnerships between government are needed to tackle infrastructure, housing, health, and economic challenges across the region. The ROMA Conference was a success in building upon our relationships to better serve our 103 communities across Eastern Ontario. Additionally, we remain committed to strengthening the Canada-U.S. alliance, recognizing its vital role in ensuring our region’s economic resilience and future growth,” mentioned EOWC Chair Bonnie Clark.
In accordance with the discharge, in mild of the potential influence of the 25 per cent tariffs on jap Ontario exports, the EOWC is actively gathering information on how this is able to have an effect on native communities, companies, and jobs.
To strengthen partnerships throughout the border, the EOWC has despatched letters to the New York Affiliation of Counties and the Nice Lakes and the St Lawrence Cities Initiative to increase the allyship and reinforce the dedication to collaborate in direction of the betterment of individuals in each Canada and the USA, the group mentioned. Along with federal and provincial companions, the EOWC goals to make sure that the Canada-U.S. alliance stays a supply of stability, safety, and long-term prosperity, in line with the discharge.
For extra info on the EOWC, go to their web site: https://eowc.org/.









