Spring Workshop
Spring Workshop
Momentum: Leading Change with Confidence
With thanks to our Program Sponsor
Partner With OMAA to Connect With Ontario’s Municipal Leaders
Becoming an OMAA corporate partner or event sponsor opens the door to meaningful engagement with senior municipal executives from across Ontario. Our partners gain direct visibility with CAOs and senior leaders, opportunities to share thought leadership, and access to a trusted network committed to strengthening municipal management. Check out our Partnership Proposal to see how your organization can build relationships, showcase expertise, and support the professional community that drives municipal innovation and service excellence.
Our Sponsors
Thank you to all of our sponsors for helping bring the OMAA Spring Workshop to life this year. Your partnership directly supports a high-quality learning experience for CAOs and senior municipal leaders from across Ontario, and your commitment to strengthening professional, non-partisan municipal leadership is truly appreciated.
Registration
Registration is now open for the Spring Workshop. Join your peers for focused learning, practical insights, and high-value networking designed to support effective, professional municipal leadership. Spaces are limited, so early registration is encouraged. Please visit our Spring Workshop registration page to review full details and complete your registration online. You can book rooms at the JW via: Ontario Municipal Administrators' Association Spring Workshop May 2026 - Start your reservation
Program
Explore the conference program by day. Click on any day below to view the full schedule of sessions, speakers, and events.
Bog to Bottle Discovery Tour at Muskoka Lakes Farm and Winery. Shuttle bus from the JW to the farm where you will enjoy a guided tour of Ontario's oldest cranberry farm followed by a wine tasting. Starts at 1:30 pm
Golf tournament at Lake Joseph Golf Course. Scramble format and thoughtful foursome selection ensures everyone has fun and meets some new people. Starts at 11 am. Thanks to First Ontario Credit Union for sponsoring this event.
330-700 pm Registration
Thanks to KPMG for sponsoring our name badges.
430-800 pm Exhibit Hall
Take time to connect with our valued sponsors and partners showcasing innovative solutions for municipal leaders. Don’t forget to visit each booth to collect clues needed to complete your prize ballot — every stop brings you closer to winning!
500-600 pm Rising Together. Leading Forward. — Strategic Plan 2026–2030
Be part of shaping our association’s next chapter. JP Gedeon will introduce the 2026–2030 Strategic Plan, Rising Together. Leading Forward., outlining the priorities and vision that will guide our work over the next five years. Following the presentation, members will engage in interactive roundtable discussions with Board Members to share insights, perspectives, and ideas that will help bring the plan to life.
600-700 pm Mix & Mingle Cocktail/Mocktail Hour
Time to connect with colleagues and new friends in a relaxed, social setting. Enjoy a selection of cocktails, mocktails, and light refreshments as you share ideas, celebrate the day’s discussions, and build relationships across the municipal leadership community.
700-900 pm Awards Dinner
Enjoy an evening recognizing long service milestones and golf tournament champions, followed by an entertaining and insightful keynote from Steve Patterson renowned comedian, host of CBC’s The Debaters, and master storyteller. It’s a night to laugh, connect, and honour the accomplishments that move our profession forward.
900 pm Hospitality Suite
Unwind and connect with fellow delegates in a friendly setting at the Hospitality Suite, generously sponsored by to Intact Public Entities. Enjoy drinks, light snacks, and great conversation — or grab a partner and practise your cornhole skills ahead of tomorrow night’s mixed tournament. It’s the perfect spot to relax, laugh, and make lasting connections after a full day.
645-715 am Morning Hike. Meet Sherri in the Lobby.
730-830 am Breakfast
730-315 Exhibit Hall
Take another opportunity to connect with our valued sponsors and partners as they showcase fresh ideas and innovative solutions for municipal leaders. Visit each booth to gather the remaining clues you’ll need to complete your prize ballot — every stop today gets you one step closer to winning!
800-1030 Registration
Thanks to KPMG for sponsoring our name badges.
830-915 Rapid Fire & Inspire.
Snappy presentations on
(1) Election Preparedness: Practical Steps to Strengthen Records and Reduce Risk, Pamela Nicholson, Government Frameworks
(2) HeyJAX, web-based resident feedback and reporting tool, Nicole Cooper, DCAO, Town of Ajax
(3) Stack Incentives to Future Proof Your Buildings, Philip Bradley, WalterFedy
900-915 OMAA the First 50 years: Facts, Myths, and Things We’re Pretty Sure Happened
Take a fast-paced spin through the evolution of municipal leadership in Ontario as former CAO and strong OMAA supporter Bill Winegard traces OMAA’s story from its 1958 roots into the new millennium.
915-1000 Municipal Service Corporations and alternatives for innovation under the Public Utilities Corporations Act, Mark Rodger, BLG
Municipal service corporations can offer municipalities a flexible way to deliver services with greater structure, accountability, and strategic focus. This session will unpack what an MSC is—and what it is not—while walking through the legislative framework under the Municipal Act, 2001 and O. Reg. 599/06. We’ll also explore the core legal steps and approvals needed to establish an MSC, why municipalities may choose the corporate model, and the key governance, accountability, financial, and risk considerations that come with it.
1000-1030 Coffee Break.
Visit the Exhibitors and complete your prize ballot.
1030-1100 The Role of Service Managers and a Homelessness Update, Aaron Stauch, OMSSA Executive Director
Aaron will provide an overview of OMSSA, its main policy priorities, as well as the key roles that its service manager members play on our communities including taking action on housing, homelessness, and social assistance..
1100-1120 The Honourable Graydon Smith, Assistant Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing
OMAA is very pleased to welcome back the Honourable Graydon Smith who will provide an update on key policy files impacting the municipal sector.
1120-1200 Strong Mayor Powers in Practise: Lessons from the Front Line, Sabine Matheson and Stacy Hushion, StrategyCorp
Our friends from StrategyCorp are back to share their keen insights and latest observations on what is happening with and around strong mayor powers. Pay keen attention to learn how politics is like water in the basement and what CAOs should do about it.
1200-115 Lunch.
Thanks to Municipal Retirees Organization Ontario (MROO) for sponsoring this event.
115-135 Transforming our Identity, David Doze, CEO, Pilot.
This session will explore the vision, research, and strategy behind our upcoming rebrand — reflecting how our organization and members have grown, and where we’re heading next. Discover how the new name, look, and focus will strengthen our impact and better represent the modern municipal leadership community.
135-155 Annual General Meeting
155-245 Managing Cyber Attacks: A Step by Step Incidence Response Process, Daniel J. Michaluk, National Co_Leaer Privacy & Cybersecurity, BLG
Cyber attacks are no longer a matter of if, but when. Organizations of all sizes must be prepared to respond quickly, effectively, and confidently when incidents occur. This session provides a practical, step-by-step guide to managing cyber incidents from initial detection through full recovery.
245-310 Coffee Break
Last chance to visit the Exhibitors and complete your prize ballot.
310-350 AMO Policy Agenda and Corporate Update, Executive Director Lindsay Jones and Director of Policy Karen Nesbitt
An update on the people, priorities, and initiatives shaping its work for municipalities across Ontario. This session will highlight AMO’s leadership team, outline its strategic priorities, and provide insight into key policy areas and signature initiatives that are advancing municipal interests.
350-430 Municipal Law Update with John Mascarin, Aird & Berlis
John will discuss a number of prominent judicial decisions from the Ontario Courts that should be of interest to municipalities.
545 Board the Steamship
600-900 pm Sunset Dinner Muskoka Steamship Cruise.
The historic charm and warm, intimate ambiance are unparalleled as these historic ships cruise past palatial summer homes on the scenic Muskoka Lakes.
900 Hospitality Suite and Cornhole Tournament
Thanks to The Geoffrey Pennal Advisory Group for sponsoring this event. Be sure to participate in the annual mixed cornhole tournament.
Friday 22 May 2026
800-900 Breakfast
900-945 Using AI to Build Municipal Organizational Capacity, Pauline Martin, Microsoft
There is great pressure for public sector organizations to digitally transform in order to stay connected to citizens, provide better services and work more efficiently. At a critical time for countries and communities to strengthen their economies and build resiliency, new opportunities are best addressed in creative and collaborative ways - working differently. Pauline will provide us some case studies, tools, and considerations on how municipalities can effectively deploy AI.
945-1015 Principles for the responsible use of artificial intelligence, Chris Parsons, Director, Research and Technology Policy, Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario (IPC).
The IPC and the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) have developed joint principles to guide the responsible adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) systems. These principles are designed to help organizations develop, deploy, and use AI in ways that maintain public trust by respecting privacy and human rights.
1015-1030 Coffee Break
1030-1125 Succession & Transition Planning with Joe Milicia, CAO, Town of Lasalle, Geoff McKnight, Outgoing CAO, Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury, and Laurie Kennard, CAO, Township of Severn and OMAA Past President.
Effective leadership extends beyond your time in the role. This session explores practical steps CAOs can take in their final five, two, and one years to ensure organizational stability, preserve institutional knowledge, and position staff for continued success. Learn proven strategies to leave a lasting legacy through thoughtful transition and succession planning.
1125-1130 Wrap-Up with Denise Corry, OMAA Chair and CAO Town of Huntsville
A brief wrap-up and a look ahead to what’s next for our association and members. Stay with us for some fun prize draws — you must be present to win!
Our Exhibitors
Thank you to our exhibitors for being such an important part of the OMAA Spring Workshop. Your presence showcases the specialized services, tools, and expertise that help CAOs and senior municipal leaders tackle real-world municipal challenges.
Delegates are encouraged to take time during breaks and networking sessions to visit the exhibitor booths, ask questions, and explore how these organizations can support their municipal priorities. After the workshop, please follow up with the exhibitors whose offerings resonate with your needs—these partners play a key role in advancing effective, professional municipal management across Ontario.
Logistical details available in our Spring Workshop Exhibit Hall Info package.
