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Bruce County Advocating For Local Needs at ROMA Conference

Bruce County is sending a delegation of local politicians and staff to advocate for local needs at the Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA) Conference starting on Sunday, January 19, 2025.

Bruce County is sending a delegation of local politicians and staff to advocate for local needs at the Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA) Conference starting on Sunday, January 19, 2025. Bruce County Warden Luke Charbonneau and Deputy Warden Don Murray will make delegations to the following provincial leaders:

  • Solicitor General Michael Kerzner, and Attorney General Doug Downey on the cost of court security, and an equitable distribution of costs between municipalities.


“ROMA’s annual conference is an important venue to continue dialogue with the province on municipal issues.” said Warden Charbonneau. “I am looking forward to advocating for the needs of Bruce County.”

In addition, made in Bruce County solutions are being profiled in four panel discussions:

  • Negotiating Approvals for Energy Procurement featuring Commissioner Claire Dodds;
  • Growing the Long-Term Care Workforce featuring Director of Long-Term Care & Senior Services Megan Garland in her role as Chair of the Advantage Board;
  • Leadership to Protect Employees from Unreasonable Behaviour featuring BCPL Director Brooke McLean in her role as ARUPLO Chair; and
  • Recent Changes in Land-Use Planning: A Rural Perspective featuring Director of Planning Jack Van Dorp


About Bruce County 
Situated within the traditional territory of the Saugeen Ojibway Nation, Bruce County is home to nearly 75,000 residents in predominantly rural communities. Nestled between Lake Huron and Georgian Bay, we are celebrated for our natural heritage and as a destination for Ontarians. 

  • Agricultural Impact: Agriculture is central to Bruce County’s economy and identity, with nearly 2,000 farms generating over $255 million annually in gross sales. Notably, Bruce County produces 22% of Ontario’s beef.
  • Energy Leadership: Bruce County supplies 30% of Ontario’s electricity and is vital to the electrification of Canadian society. Key initiatives include Bruce Power’s Major Component Replacement, pre-development work for 4,800 megawatts of new nuclear generation, a pumped storage facility, and a large-scale battery storage facility.
  • Global Healthcare: Our region provides a significant share of the world’s medical isotopes, essential for sterilizing equipment and treating cancer.
  • Future Growth: Bruce County is projected to grow by over 20,000 residents by 2045.


Since 2021, inflation has consistently exceeded historical norms, placing unprecedented strain on municipal finances across Ontario. Municipal funding models remain unresponsive to inflationary pressures, exacerbating the challenge. According to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, municipalities receive only 8 cents of every tax dollar, while shouldering responsibility for much of the infrastructure and services essential to daily life.

The Association of Municipalities of Ontario has called for a renewed municipal funding model through a Social and Economic Prosperity Review. Their initial findings reveal that municipalities are using property taxes to maintain services in areas of provincial responsibility. Bruce County has contributed over $126 million through the tax levy to areas identified by the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) as provincial responsibilities. These areas include long-term care, paramedics, public health, Ontario Works, and housing. 

In addition to this financial burden, Bruce County faces several other challenges that put significant pressure on its resources and residents: 

  • Housing Affordability: 45% of renters in Bruce County spend more than 30% of their income on housing. Dwelling values have increased by 76% between 2016 and 2021, a rate 17% higher than the provincial average, making housing affordability a growing challenge.
  • Labour Market: The Stratford-Bruce Economic Region reported an unemployment rate of 3.6% in December 2024, continuing a decade-long trend of having one of the lowest unemployment rates in Canada. Bruce County's living wage is $22.75 per hour - one of the highest in Ontario, second only to the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). These factors make it increasingly difficult for local employers to attract and retain skilled workers.
  • Funding Disparities: Bruce County receives the lowest provincial and federal funding compared to six similar upper-tier county governments. This shortfall limits the County's ability to effectively address critical needs in housing, transit, infrastructure, social assistance, childcare, long-term care, energy, health care, and other essential municipal services.


These unique facts about Bruce County underscore the importance of having a voice at the ROMA conference and ensuring our provincial partners understand our unique needs. Please reach out to Aaron Stauch (Director, Government Relations) at astauch@brucecounty.on.ca if you want to arrange an interview with the Warden during the ROMA conference.

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.