Mayor Neil Ellis and a contingent from the City of Belleville are ready to attend the 2025 Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA) Conference.
Councillors Lisa Anne Chatten, Barbara Enright-Miller, Sean Kelly, Chris Malette and Margaret Seu will join Mayor Ellis at the event being held in downtown Toronto, from Jan. 19 to 21.
During the conference, the Belleville delegation will meet with Deputy Premier and Minister of Health the Hon. Sylvia Jones.
Among the key presenters at the conference are Ontario Premier Doug Ford, opposition leaders, and provincial ministers.
Keynote speakers at this year’s event include political columnist Chantal Hébert and Jordan Simmons, Co-founder and CEO of Nominee, discussing democracy and Canada’s path forward after the 2024 US election.
ROMA Chair Christa Lowry and Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) President Robin Jones will also speak.
Sessions will focus on topics that are top-of-mind in rural communities, such as fostering healthy local democracy, cyber security, community benefit agreements for energy and broadband projects, and managing municipal waste.
More than 1,600 delegates from hundreds of municipalities will attend ROMA.
