County represents local interests at ROMA

Image courtesy of Northumberland County.

By Cecilia Nasmith

Northumberland County

The 2025 Rural Ontario Municipal Association conference in Toronto includes several local delegations hoping to see improvement on several local issues.

Mental health, homelessness, and better supports for Northumberland Paramedics and Ontario Works recipients are the focus of presentations Northumberland County's staff and warden will make at this year's ROMA conference, which runs Jan. 19 to 21 in Toronto.

This annual Rural Ontario Municipal Association event features a list of presenters that includes Premier Doug Ford, opposition leaders and provincial ministers, as well as such keynote speakers as journalist Chantal Hebert and Nominee co-founder and CEO Jordan Simmons. There will also be sessions focusing on issues that are top-of-mind in rural communities.

It will be an opportunity for Warden Brian Ostrander and Northumberland County staff to deliver delegations to the province to advocate on three issues.

Northumberland Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment Hub pilot program – Community and Social Services staff will join Northumberland paramedics in encouraging the province to support a Northumberland HART Hub pilot program, which would work closely with the Pathways to Recovery and Resilience program to address the critical needs of the county's most vulnerable residents in enhancing mental health, addiction recovery and homelessness supports.

Workplace Safety Insurance Board delivery changes for paramedics – In support of a resolution from the Eastern Ontario Paramedic Chiefs, Northumberland paramedics will advocate for changes to the WSIB that will better support paramedics in recovery from mental-health injuries.

Ontario Works rate and structure adjustments – Community and Social Services staff will advocate for adjustments to support residents better. With no legislated formula for determining rate increases, this delegation will advocate for adjusting rates to reflect the inflation of the past five years and implement an annual increase for inflation moving forward. They also hope to see requirements streamlined for more clarity surrounding eligibility requirements.