More than 3,000 Municipal Leaders Gather in Ottawa for Sold-Out 2026 AMO Conference

OTTAWA, ON, Aug. 14, 2026 /CNW/ -- With Ontario's municipal elections just weeks away, more than 3,000 delegates from 444 municipalities will gather in Ottawa for the sold-out 2026 Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) Conference from August 16–19.

As communities across Ontario face growing pressures from housing affordability, homelessness, infrastructure demands, public safety concerns and rising service costs, the conference provides a critical opportunity for municipal leaders to come together and advocate for solutions from provincial and federal partners.

"Municipal governments are where policy becomes reality for residents," said AMO President Robin Jones. "Municipalities are investing in housing, infrastructure and essential services, but we cannot continue to shoulder growing responsibilities without sustainable support from other levels of government. This conference is an opportunity for local leaders to speak with one voice about what communities need to succeed."

At this year's conference, AMO is calling for action on priorities that impact communities across Ontario, including:

• Long-term infrastructure funding to support housing and economic growth;
• Full provincial funding for health and social services that are provincial responsibilities; and
• A coordinated provincial, municipal and federal response to address homelessness.

A cornerstone of the conference remains the delegation meetings between municipal leaders and Ontario Cabinet ministers, providing municipalities with a direct opportunity to advance local priorities and discuss province-wide challenges. This year, there are over 750 delegation meetings.

The conference will feature a trade show, educational programming and more than 60 speakers, sessions and workshops covering the most pressing issues facing municipalities today.

Highlights include:

• A keynote address by the popular Curse of Politics podcast panel;
• The annual Ministers' Forum; and
• Addresses from political leaders and distinguished guests from across Ontario.

Featured speakers include:

• Her Honour the Honourable Edith Dumont, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario
• The Honourable Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario
• Ontario Regional Chief Abram Benedict
• Marit Stiles, Leader of the Official Opposition and Leader of the Ontario NDP
• John Fraser, Interim Leader of the Ontario Liberal Party
• Mike Schreiner, Leader of the Green Party of Ontario

Media attending the conference are required to register onsite in the media room (Room 201) at the Rogers Centre Ottawa and wear their media credentials at all times. The media room will serve as a workspace for journalists and the location for media scrums throughout the conference.

The full conference program is available online.

SOURCE Association of Municipalities of Ontario

Media Contact (before and during the conference): Anne Marie Aikins, AMO Conference Media Room, [email protected], 416-728-4873, [email protected]