Members of Council Attending 2026 ROMA Conference

Mayor Andrew Poirier, Councillor Robert Bernie, Councillor Barbara Manson, and Co-CAO’s Heather Pihulak and Stace Gander will join more than 1,900 participants from across the province at the 2026 Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA) Conference. The conference is being held in downtown Toronto, from January 18 to 20, 2026.     

Key presenters include Ontario Premier Doug Ford, opposition leaders, and provincial ministers. ROMA Chair Christa Lowry and Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) President Robin Jones will also speak. 

Sessions will focus on topics covering the breadth of rural municipal matters, including rural access to health care, Indigenous relations, codes of conduct, Community Safety and Wellbeing plans, infrastructure, waste management, housing, and road safety in rural communities. 

Kenora Council delegates will engage in important discussions with Provincial Ministers and Ministry staff on policing costs, funding cost-sharing for the Kenora District Home for the Aged, support for the new hospital infrastructure construction, and funding to address the Portage Bay Bridge. These topics are essential to our community and enhance the quality of life for all residents.

During the Conference, interviews with Mayor Poirier can be accommodated by contacting him directly at 807-466-2495.

About ROMA

ROMA takes pride in promoting, supporting and enhancing strong and effective rural governments. About 270 of Ontario’s 444 municipalities have populations of less than 10,000, while scores more are rural in character. The rural arm of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, ROMA advocates for policies and programs that will help build thriving rural Ontario communities.

For more information about ROMA or the 2026 Conference, contact: Brian Lambie, ROMA Media Contact, 416-729-5425, lambie@redbrick.ca. Follow the conference on LinkedIn and Facebook using the Conference hashtag #ROMA2026.