Provincial cabinet ministers, MPs and MPPs, municipal leaders, and representatives from provincial associations and agencies attended the annual general meeting of the Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus (EOWC) on January 9, 2026 in Kingston, where Peterborough County warden Bonnie Clark (front row, fourth from left) was acclaimed as EOWC chair for the second year in a row. (Photo: EOWC) Peterborough County warden Bonnie Clark will once again serve as chair of the Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus (EOWC) in 2026. Clark was acclaimed as chair at EOWC’s annual general meeting in Kingston on Friday (January 9), with Lennox and Addington County warden Nathan Townend named vice-chair. This is Clark’s second year as chair of EOWC, which represents 103 municipalities across eastern Ontario, having previously served as vice-chair in 2023 and 2024. – content continues below In a statement, Clark said she was honoured to continue to serve as chair for another year. “Over the past year, we made meaningful progress, and I look forward to building on that momentum in 2026,” she said. “By working together with our municipal, provincial, and federal partners, we will keep advocating for priorities that matter most to eastern Ontario’s rural and small-urban communities.” The January 9 meeting saw EOWC bring together a range of federal, provincial, and municipal representatives to review progress on its strategic priorities – economic resilience, municipal infrastructure, housing, rural healthcare, and overall quality of life for businesses and people in eastern Ontario – over the past year and to look ahead to 2026. – content continues below Attendees at the meeting included provincial cabinet ministers, MPs and MPPs, municipal leaders, and representatives from provincial associations and agencies. Speakers included Lisa Thompson (Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs), Nolan Quinn (Minister of Children, Community and Social Services), Rob Flack (Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities), Earl Provost (Ontario’s Agent-General in Chicago), and Jennifer Murphy (chair of the Eastern Ontario Regional Network). On January 2, EOWC submitted seven recommendations to the Ontario government as part of 2026 budget consultations. The recommendations include that the provincial government work with all other levels of government for a strong fiscal framework supporting municipal governments; support rural and small-urban municipalities on housing and infrastructure issues; continue to invest in trade-transport enabling ports in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway system across eastern Ontario; establish a regulated paramedic college; ensure OPP police services remain affordable; include more rural-small urban municipalities in the Building Faster Fund; and work with municipalities to help solve homelessness caused by addictions or mental health issues.
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