Representatives from the Western Ontario Wardens' Caucus (WOWC) recently went to Queen's Park to advocate for regional and rural concerns.
The Wardens' Caucus says that Chair Marcus Ryan and a delegation of other representatives held meetings with Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Rob Flack, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Rural Affairs Minister Lisa Thompson, Acting Minister of Infrastructure Todd McCarthy, and Associate Minister of Energy-Intensive Industries.Sam Oosterhoff.
The WOWC says the meetings with the respective ministers focused on three key advocacy priorities for 2026 in the region that the WOWC represents.
That included the Canada-Ontario Partnership to Build to ensure infrastructure funding supports growth in rural and small urban communities, as well as the Homelessness Prevention Program to better align funding with rural service delivery realities and support sustainable community based services
Additionally, regional transit needs were discussed, including the exploration of a Regional Rural Transit Authority, to enable coordinated, equitable transit and improve access to jobs, healthcare, and education across Western Ontario.
Discussions were also held on energy needs and broadband internet expansion.
The WOWC represents 15 upper and single-tier municipalities in Southwestern Ontario, serving more than 1.6 million residents.
