Municipal officials will head to Ottawa for the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) annual conference next week.

The 2018 conference takes place in the nation’s capital Sunday, Aug. 19 to Wednesday, Aug. 22. The conference, held for more than a century, is Ontario’s largest and brings together federal, provincial, and municipal representatives in an effort to collectively address municipal challenges and outline future plans.

A news release from the municipality issued on Tuesday says Mayor Robert Quaiff will lead a delegation from Prince Edward County, joining about 1,900 other participants from across the province. The release indicates the County delegation will be specifically interested in sessions related to infrastructure, affordable housing, indigenous relations, education, and rural economic development.

The conference will also address other pressing topics such as cannabis legalization, trade, climate change and disaster preparedness, waste diversion, ambulance dispatch, emerging technologies and Smart Cities, and the 2018 municipal election.

Aside from the conference program, municipal staff and officials will be taking part in delegation meetings with provincial and federal ministries. Mayor Quaiff will be meeting with Minister of Education Lisa Thompson and Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Infrastructure and King-Vaughan MPP Stephen Lecce.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Steve Clark, and party leaders are featured speakers during the conference. Several other provincial ministers will also take part in the conference.

–Staff