Espanola mayor to attend 2025 AMO Conference in Ottawa

Published by: ElliotLakeToday.com
Author: Elliot Lake Today Staff
Aug. 15, 2025

Espanola Mayor Douglas Gervais and Manitoulin-Sudbury District Services Board CAO Donna Stewart will represent their region at the upcoming Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) Conference in Ottawa this summer.

ESPANOLA – Board member and Mayor of the Town of Espanola, Douglas Gervais and Chief Administrative Officer, Donna Stewart, will join more than 2,500 participants at the Association of Municipalities of Ontario's 2025 AMO Conference in Ottawa from Aug. 17 to 20.

The 2025 AMO Conference brings municipal and provincial officials together as Ontario’s communities continue to face economic uncertainty fueled by the trade and tariff dispute with the United States.

The Ontario Government and municipalities must work together to protect and strengthen our social and economic prosperity. Municipal services and infrastructure underpin Ontario’s competitiveness and must be on strong financial footing.

This year’s event features more than 60 speakers, sessions and workshops, reflecting the broad scope of municipal responsibilities. The Premier, members of cabinet and opposition leaders will all speak, as well as AMO President, Robin Jones.

Key session topics will include affordable housing and growth, homelessness, infrastructure, property reassessment, artificial intelligence, and more. Experts will share insights on the impacts of the trade war and tariffs on municipalities and future opportunities. AMO will also launch its first Indigenous Reconciliation Action Plan.

Mayor Gervais is particularly interested in sessions related to homelessness. “Rising homelessness rates in Northern Ontario is a significant issue that many municipalities face. It is our hope that the ministry will commit to a multi-year allocation of Homelessness Prevention Program (HPP) funding designed to provide flexibility for service managers to plan and respond to local needs,” said Gervais.

The annual conference is an opportunity for municipal officials to work together on solutions to today’s big challenges, to learn, and to create new opportunities that benefit our communities.

In addition to the conference program, municipal staff and officials will take part in hundreds of municipal delegation meetings with provincial ministries. Mayor Gervais will be meeting with several ministries during the conference to advocate for the needs of the Manitoulin-Sudbury district residents. Delegations are planned with the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health, The Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services and the Ministry of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security.