Quotes
Marianne Meed Ward, Mayor, City of Burlington
“Burlington is half rural with family farms, agricultural economy, majestic parks and historic villages nestled in a world biosphere reserve. The ROMA Conference is an invaluable opportunity to learn from other rural leaders and advocate directly to provincial decision-makers on behalf of our rural residents and businesses alike – from infrastructure limitations to traffic mitigation and environmental protection. Our delegations had productive solutions-focused conversations, and I’m encouraged by the province’s willingness to listen collaborate and act. We committed to further action together on these matters ensuring meaningful progress for our rural community.”Angelo Bentivegna, Ward 6 Councillor
“Advocacy during the ROMA Conference aligns with the City’s commitment to conserving the character of the rural area and protecting and enhancing its natural environment while also enabling the rural economy to evolve and change. By seeking additional investment in this sector we will not only protect farmland but also foster a thriving rural economy strengthen food security and enhance climate resiliency. I would like to thank Burlington’s Agricultural And Rural Affairs Advisory Committee for their contributions in preparation for this year’s meetings with provincial officials.”Links And Resources
Media contact:City of Burlington Corporate Communications
2026 Annual ROMA Conference City Of Burlington Backgrounder
Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROM A)
ROM A is t he r ural voice o f t he Associat ion o f Munic ipal it ies o f Onta rio (AMO). The Associati on i s an integra l par t o f AMO an d several o f its Execut ive Members serve on t he AMO Board o f Directo rs. Policy , research an d advocacy act ivit ies are undertaken b y ROM A throug h AMO. ROM A is committ ed t o promoti ng , support ing an d enhanc ing strong an d effecti ve ru ral governments an d soci ally an d economically sustai nable ru ral communiti es , today an d into th e futur e. Each year , Burling ton leads a delegatio n t o th e conferenc e an d arranges meetin gs w ith key ministries an d Member s o f Cabinet , as well as opposit ion party leaders t o discuss an d advocate fo r th e City ’s top pr iorities. This year ’s conferenc e had nearly two thousand attendees who took part i n three days o f educat ion , delegatio n meetin gs , an d net working opportunit ies.Burling ton’s Rural Communi ty
Ap proximately fifty percent o f Bur ling ton ’s geographic area i s considered ru ral , wi th mo st ly protected wi thin th e Greenbelt an d des ignated as a Prime Agricultural Area. Bur ling ton ’s agriculture sector operates over seventy farms that generate approximately forty-six point four million dollars i n Gross Farm Receipts according t o th e twenty twenty-one Census O f Agriculture.
“Th e Bur ling ton Agricultural Action Plan set s out ten core actions that th e City can take t o advance opportunit ies fo r economic growth , innovat ion an d resilien cy i n th e Ru ral Area. Th ese actions are structured i n a way that aligns wi th thrity-two commit ments regarding conserv ing natural resources whil st enablin g progress fo r local communiti es.
Bur ling ton Delegation Ru ral Strategic Priorities
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Th E Ci Ty Of Bur Ling Ton Me T Wi TH Th E MINi STRY OF Mu NICIPAL Af FAIRS ANd Ho USIng TO Di Sc USS Po SSIBLE Ex PANsi ON OF Th E Mu Ni Ci PALITY’S Ad DITi ONAL RESIDENTIAL UNIt PROg RAM INt O EXIs Ti Ng PROPERTIEs IN ITS RURAL AREAs ANd THE NEc ESs ARY SUPPORTING POLICIES THAT WOULD ENABLE THIS CHANGE THis IS IN RESPONSE TO Si Gn If Ic ANT PROGRAM DEMAND ANd WILL Wo RK TOWARDS THE CITY’S HOUSING TARGETS AND CREATE NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR RURAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
Permitted Us Es In ONt ARIO’S Pr IME AGRICULTURAl AREAS
TH E Ci Ty OF BUR Li NGTON Al So MET Wi TH MMAH TO Al LOW MUNICIPALITIES SUCH AS BUR Li NGTON TO RELY ON THEIR CURRENTLY APPROVED MAPPING UNTIL THE PROVINCE HAS UNDER TAKEN ITS RE VIEW OF THE GREENBELT PLAN TO ENSURE HAR MONIZATION WITH THE PROVINCIAL PLANNING STATEMENT PPS TWO THOUSAND TWENTY FOUR AND HAS RELEASED UPDATED AGRICULTURAL SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION PROCEDURES UNDER THE PPS TO PROVIDE GREATER PRE DICTABILITY FOR PRO SPEC TIVE HOUSING AND COMMERCIAL DE VELOPM ENTS.
Queen ELIZABETH Way QEW Improvements ANd DELEGATED OVERSight OF OFF-RAMP SIGNAL OPERATIONS
The Ci TY OF BUR Li NGTON MET Wi TH The Mi NISTRY Of TRANSPORTATION MTO To RE QUEST APPROVAL Fo R A LIMIT ED Ti MEBound Pi LOT THAT WOULD AL LOW MUNICIPAL TRAFFIC OPERATIONS TEAMS To TEMPORARILY ADJUST TRAFFIC SIGNAL TIMINGS AT QEW OFF-RAMP INTER SECTIONS WHEN THE QEW MAIN LINE IS OPERATING AT OR NEAR A STAND STILL FROM BURLOAK DRIVE TO NORTH SHORE BOULEVARD AND ALSO DISCUSSED OPPORTUNITIES To FURTHER COORDINATE ROAD WORKS AND PUB LIC NOTIFICATIONS ON FORTHCOMING IMPROVEMENTS To The QEW & FOUR OH THREE JUNCTURE.
EXPANDING ELIGIBILITY UNDER THE ROAD SAFETY INITIATIVES FUND RSIF
The Ci TY Of BUR Li NGTON Al So Re COM MENDS THAT MTO AMEND THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR THE FORTHCOMING APPLICATION BASED ROAD SAFETY INITIATIVES FUND RSIF TO INCLUDE MUNICIPALITIES THAT HAD DEMON STRATED SIGNIFICANT PRO GRESS TOWARDS MUNICIPAL AUTOMATED SPEED ENFORCEMENT IMPLEMENTATION. THE CITY OF BUR LI NG TON REMAINS INELIGIBLE FOR MONEY FROM TH E PROGRAM BECAUSE THE MU NICIPAL PHOTO RADAR PROGRAM WAS NOT OPERATING WHEN ONTARIO PASSED LEGISLATION BAN NING SPEED CAMERAS DESPITE SIGNIFICANT PRO GRESS TOWARDS IMPLEMENTATION.
< EXPANDING RURAL ONTARIO DEVELOPMENT ROD PROGRAM ELIGIBILITYP>The Ci TY Of BURLi NGTON MET Wi TH REPRESENTATIVES On BE HALF Off Th E Mi NISTRY OF RURAL AFFAIrs MRA MAKE Amend MENTS TO Th E ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR Th E RURAL ONTARIO DEVELOPMENT ROD PROGRAM THAT WOULD Ex PA ND PRo GRAM OFFERINGS TO MORE MUNICIPALI TI ES WITH UNIQUELY MIXED URBAN AND RURAL AREAS TO BOOST RU RALE CONOMICS DEVELOP ME NT OPPORTUNITIES. BURL ING TON MATCHES Th E CHARACTER Of OTHER MU NICIPALI TI ES WITH URBAN -RU RAL SPLITS THa T HAVE RECENTLY BEEN DEEMED El Ig IBLE UNDER Th E PROGRAM’S EL IGIBILI TY PARAMETERS An D REQUESTED SIMILAR PERMISSIONS.<
< IMPROVING RUral BROADBAND & FIVE G CONNECTIVITY P>The CIty Of Bu RLIn GTOn MET Wi Th REPr ESENTATIVES On BEHALF Ministry Of INFRA STRUCTURE MOI To INST Itute A TIMEF RAMe WITHIN WHICH INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS MUST DEMON STRATE MEAN ING FULL PRogress Towards Provincial FUNdi Ng obligations Under Accelerated HIGH-SPEED INTERNET Prog RAM COMMITMENTS. These INVESTMENTS Are CRITICAL To UNLOCK Fur Ther ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OP PORTUN ITIES WI Thin Bu RLIn GTon’S RUral Bo Undaries An D To FULLY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ITS STRATEGIC LOCA TION.
The CITy Of BUrl Ington Re MAINS COMMIT TED To ADVOCATING With ALL LE VELS Of GOVERNMENT To ADv ANCE COUNCIL’S STRATEGIC PRIORITIES And LOOKS For WARD TO CONTINUED COLLABORATION With BOTH FEDERAL And Pro VINci AL PARTNERS. </div>Source link
