This week, municipal leaders from across Ontario are coming together for the Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA) Conference. Chatham-Kent (CK) Councillor Alysson Storey plans to take this chance to advocate for increased support from provincial and federal levels concerning infrastructure, housing, health care, and local governance matters.
One of the main topics Storey intends to address is the municipality’s outdated water and wastewater systems.
Municipal administration indicates that CK is looking at nearly $2 billion in necessary infrastructure projects over the next ten years, a large part of which involves water and wastewater systems.
Unlike many other municipalities with just one treatment facility, CK manages several water and wastewater plants. Storey mentions that this adds extra financial strain and highlights the need for provincial and federal assistance.
She also points out that funding for infrastructure is closely linked to the province’s housing objectives.
While CK aims to help tackle Ontario’s housing deficit, she emphasized that new homes can’t be constructed without adequate water and wastewater capacity in place.
During the conference, Storey will participate in a delegation with Minister Rob Flack focused on the Municipal Act and integrity complaint process by herself.
Storey intends to express her concerns regarding Ontario’s existing integrity commissioner system. Alongside councillors from across the province, they are scheduled to meet with Minister Rob Flack to discuss what she calls shortcomings in how effectively, fairly, and transparently integrity complaints are enforced under the current model.
The councillor is pushing for specific amendments to the Municipal Act that would eliminate an integrity commissioner’s power to suspend an elected official’s pay. They believe that relying too much on punitive actions isn’t effective; instead, there should be a focus on corrective measures, restoration efforts, and education-based solutions.
According to her, being able to suspend pay could discourage open discussions at council meetings-especially for new councillors or those from underrepresented groups who might hold minority views. This concern has been publicly raised in recent years by various municipal organizations such as the Association of Municipalities of Ontario and the Association of Municipal Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario.
Having personally gone through the integrity complaint process herself, Storey believes accountability can be improved without risking elected officials’ financial stability. She argues that a healthy municipal democracy relies on diverse voices being able to participate freely.
Together with her colleagues from Chatham-Kent-councillors Amy Finn, Jamie Mc Grail, Carmen Mc Gregor-and municipal staff members Dave Taylor, Audrey Ansell, Scott Sparling-they will also engage with representatives from various ministries including Municipal Affairs and Housing as well as Environment Conservation and Parks. They plan discussions focusing on brownfield redevelopment issues along with housing availability and health care access.
Chatham-Kent used to be known as a manufacturing center; now it has many well-located former industrial sites ready for redevelopment into housing. According to Storey, these locations require environmental clean-up which can be expensive. She believes provincial aid in this area would speed up housing development while utilizing existing infrastructures more effectively.
The issue of health care access will likely feature prominently too. Councillors intend to bring attention to concerns about insufficient primary care providers in Chatham-Kent while discussing how they align their initiatives like community paramedicine programs with provincial preventive care priorities along with public health engagement strategies.
The ROMA Conference takes place from Sunday through Tuesday afternoon.
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