Body: EOWC Type: Agenda Meeting: Regular Date: April 25, 2025 Collection: Council Agendas Municipality: Frontenac County
[View Document (PDF)](/docs/frontenac-county/PDF Documents/EOWC CAOs' Planning Meeting/2025/EOWC CAOs' Planning Meeting - 25 Apr 2025 - Agenda.pdf)
Document Text
Agenda EOWC CAOs’ Planning Meeting 9:00 AM - Friday, April 25, 2025 Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85376752705?pwd=afGxYjb V99vLN058L4PcYNT4fB2beD
1
Call to Order/Welcome
2
Approval of Agenda 2.1
3
Recommended Motion: That the agenda for the April 25, 2025, meeting of the EOWC CAO’s Planning Meeting be approved.
Approval of Minutes 3.1
EOWC CAOs Planning Meeting - 21 Feb 2025 - Minutes Recommended Motion: That the minutes from the EOWC CAOs’ Planning Meeting held February 21, 2025, be approved.
4
Delegations 4.1
Eastern Ontario Physician Recruitment Alliance (EOPRA) Update Cindy Snider, Chair, EOPRA • EOPRA EOWC Presentation Recommended Motion That the CAOs’ group recommend the EOPRA presentation and request for $5,000 in funding (for the remainder of 2025) be brought forward to the EOWC Board of Directors for consideration and approval during the May 12, 2025, meeting.
5
New / Other Business 5.1
Expression of Interest for Municipal Lands Update –Jason St. Pierre, CEO, EORN, Sheridan Graham, Secretary-Treasurer, EOWC / All
5.2
Queen’s Park Advocacy Day Update – Meredith Staveley-Watson, Director of Government Relations and Policy, EOWC / All • EOWC Queen’s Park Advocacy Day 2025 Invitation
5.3
Strong Mayor Powers Legislation - Sheridan Graham, SecretaryTreasurer, EOWC / All • Ontario Proposing to Expand Strong Mayor Powers to 169 Additional Municipalities | Ontario Newsroom • Expanding Strong Mayor Powers | AMO • Advocacy Update: Expansion of Strong Mayor Powers | AMCTO
5.4
Standard Specifications in Municipal Tenders for Public Works – Meredith Staveley-Watson, Director of Government Relations and Policy, EOWC / All • ORBA Letter Regional Chair Henry PGAC Grade Span, November 4, 2024 • Ontario Road Builders’ Association (ORBA) Briefing Notes to the EOWC: Standard Specifications in Municipal Tender for Public Works • ORBA Letter Re: City of Toronto New Liquid Asphalt Specification, November 19, 2024 Recommended Motion: That the EOWC CAOs’ direct staff to bring the Standard Specification in Municipal Tenders for Public Works item forward including a draft letter of support to the EOWC Board of Directors during the May 12, 2025, meeting for consideration and approval.
5.5
Blue Branch Workforce, Healthcare and Housing Initiatives, and Overview of Potential Eastern Ontario Healthcare Pilot Project - All • Looking for an update from EOWC members around their engagement to-date since the last CAO meeting with Blue Branch before it is brought to the EOWC Board of Directors in May 2025. Note that four members (that staff are aware of) are interested in participating in the pilot project. • Program Overview for the EOWC Healthcare Pilot Memo to Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus
Page 2 of 22
5.6
Vice-Chair and Infrastructure CAO Lead - Sheridan Graham, Secretary-Treasurer, EOWC / All
5.7
Staff Expert Group Updates - All • Treasurers / Finance – Jennifer Moore • Purchasing – Sheridan Graham • Housing / Community Services – Connor Dorey • Human Resources – Maureen Adams • IT – Stephane Parisien • GIS – Kevin Farrell • Planning – Craig Kelley • Public Works – Ron Taylor • Long-Term Care – Kurt Greaves • Paramedics – Kurt Greaves • Clerks – Brenda Orchard
5.8
EORN Update – Jason St. Pierre, CEO, EORN • EORN Cell Gap Project Dashboard 2025-03-27
5.9
EOLC Update – Maureen Adams, CAO, United Counties of Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry / Sheridan Graham, Secretary-Treasurer, EOWC
6
Correspondence - Deferred to May 2025 EOWC Meeting
7
Next Meeting May 12-13, 2025, the City of Toronto.
8
Adjournment Recommended Motion: Motion to adjourn at ______.
Page 3 of 22
PageRecruitment 4 of 22 Alliance (EOPRA) Update - Cindy Sn… Eastern Ontario Physician
A Collaborative Model for International Physician Recruitment
PageRecruitment 5 of 22 Alliance (EOPRA) Update - Cindy Sn… Eastern Ontario Physician
OVERVIEW
ONTARIO IS FACING A SEVERE FAMILY PHYSICIAN SHORTAGE, WITH MANY COMMUNITIES LACKING PHYSICIANS AND INSUFFICIENT NEW GRADUATES WILLING TO PRACTICE COMPREHENSIVE CARE WITHIN THE PROVINCE.
HOSPITALIST MEDICINE, EMERGENCY MEDICINE, OR LOCUMING OFFER BETTER FINANCIAL AND LIFESTYLE BENEFITS FOR NEW GRADUATES.
THE ONTARIO COLLEGE OF FAMILY PHYSICIANS ESTIMATES 2.6 MILLION RESIDENTS LACK A PRIMARY CARE PROVIDER, REQUIRING 1,594 PHYSICIANS BASED ON AN AVERAGE PRACTICE SIZE OF 1,380. MOST FAMILY PHYSICIANS PREFER A PRACTICE SIZE OF 1,0001,200
STRONG PRIMARY CARE MEANS IMPROVED OVERALL HEALTH OUTCOMES FOR RESIDENTS AND REDUCED SYSTEM COST BY REDUCED ED VISITS
ONTARIO HEALTH HAS LIMITED CAPACITY TO RECRUIT PHYSICIANS OR EXTEND OUTREACH BEYOND THE PROVINCE.
PageRecruitment 6 of 22 Alliance (EOPRA) Update - Cindy Sn… Eastern Ontario Physician
Eastern Ontario Physician Recruitment Alliance (EOPRA) EOPRA unites 16 Eastern Ontario communities, each with unique recruitment plans to the common goal of better primary care access Alliance allows communities to leverage focus on attracting physicians abroad (UK, US, Ireland) through shared tools and event coordination. We are one of 5 regional alliances under OPRA.
PageRecruitment 7 of 22 Alliance (EOPRA) Update - Cindy Sn… Eastern Ontario Physician
EOPRA Goals/Objectives EOPRA is a membership-based physician recruitment alliance
Increase awareness of practice opportunities in Eastern Ontario by targeting physicians outside the province through collaborative marketing and shared booth costs.
Standardize KPIs and create consistent information and checklists to support international physician recruitment.
The Alliance shares costs and rotates recruiters to attend more events outside Ontario and Canada, providing participating communities with access to new leads without replacing existing recruitment programs.
Develop and maintain a CRM platform to share resources, improving the physician candidate experience and speeding up job placements across Ontario Health East.
PageRecruitment 8 of 22 Alliance (EOPRA) Update - Cindy Sn… Eastern Ontario Physician
Physician Recruitment in Ontario Vital Role in Addressing Shortages: Physician recruiters are essential to tackling Ontario’s family physician gap.
Community Ambassadors: Represent their regions and engage with diverse populations. Practice & System Expertise: Knowledgeable about clinic capacity, practice models, ministry policies, licensing, and immigration.
Provincial Representation: Attend recruitment events across Ontario; some also recruit internationally. Budget Variability: Travel funding differs by program—some support international outreach, others are limited.
Long-Term Strategy Needed: Ontario’s medical schools won’t meet demand for over a decade. Strategic collaboration with international schools is critical to bring Ontario-trained students and Residents home.
PageRecruitment 9 of 22 Alliance (EOPRA) Update - Cindy Sn… Eastern Ontario Physician
EOPRA members are actively planning attendance at 21 recruitment events in 2025—up from just 2 in 2024. These include key in-person and virtual events across the UK, US, Canada, and Ireland, expanding our global reach to attract top physician talent.
EOPRA 2025
PageRecruitment 10 of 22 Alliance (EOPRA) Update - Cindy Sn… Eastern Ontario Physician
EOPRA fit with New Provincial Funding Announcements: •Dr. Jane Philpott leads Interprofessional Primary Care Team initiative. Geographic focus. •Key Dates: •Phase 1: Proposals due May 2, 2025; Implementation Summer 2025 (OHT submissions). •Phase 2: Launch expected Fall 2025. •Medical Training Lag: New residency spots won’t impact supply for 4–6 years. •Short-Term Need: Internationally trained physicians are critical to meet demand over the next 4 years.
PageRecruitment 11 of 22 Alliance (EOPRA) Update - Cindy Sn… Eastern Ontario Physician
Success Indicators More leads from outside Ontario and Canada who were previously unaware of opportunities in Eastern Ontario.
Improved tracking of candidate placements by training university, with insights from UK, US, and Ireland.
Growth in social media engagement (likes, shares, follows).
A shared platform connecting recruiters to leads and key resources.
PageRecruitment 12 of 22 Alliance (EOPRA) Update - Cindy Sn… Eastern Ontario Physician
The Ask: By collaborating, Eastern Ontario’s rural communities gain visibility with international prospects while keeping recruitment efforts cost-effective. With 20+ potential EOPRA members, sharing best practices in international recruitment will strengthen outcomes for all.
As EOPRA enters its second year, members are collaborating on marketing and attending more recruitment events. Despite $5,000 membership fees, the budget remains tight. We respectfully request a $5,000 donation to help cover event registration costs. Commitment to report back on KPI in 6 months.
PageRecruitment 13 of 22 Alliance (EOPRA) Update - Cindy Sn… Eastern Ontario Physician
QUESTIONS? Contact: Cindy Snider, EOPRA Acting Chair csnider@rmh.org or 705-731-7645 (cell)
Breakfast Reception Join us at Queen’s Park to discuss building partnerships, moving projects forward, and executing regional priorities
May 13, 2025
Queen’s Park Dining Room
7:30 - 9 a.m.
RSVP By May 6 at info@eowc.org
Questions Meredith Staveley-Watson, Director of Government Relations and Policy info@eowc.org | 647-545-8324
Queen’s Park Advocacy Day Update – Meredith Staveley-Watson, Page 14 of 22 Director of…
Briefing note – ORBA’s presentation at the March 2025 EOWC Board of Directors meeting in Kingston Background The Ontario Road Builders’ Association (ORBA) is the voice of the transportation infrastructure sector in Ontario. Our members build provincial and municipal roads, bridges and transportation infrastructure across the province. The road building sector directly and indirectly supports 56,000 workers, and over $5.5Bn in annual GDP impact. Over the coming year, ORBA’s advocacy efforts will centre on the following strategic priorities:
- Growing investment – on all levels of government - in transportation infrastructure across all regions of Ontario, specifically highways, roads and bridges. This includes greenfield and rehab projects
- Reducing risk in the infrastructure marketplace, specifically by eliminating red tape and harmonizing technical standards and procurement practices across the province
- Addressing the acute labour shortage facing the industry through several workforce development strategies promoting recruitment and talent retention
- Promoting sustainable practices and innovations in the industry in response to a growing appetite by decision makers and regulators to drive a net-zero agenda over the coming two decades Primer on the lack of standard specifications in municipal tenders for public works The Ontario Provincial Standards for Roads and Public Works and included specifications, colloquially referred to as the OPSS, set technical requirements and best practices for infrastructure asset owners to adopt in their tender documents, which then inform contractors about their duty to comply when it comes to all aspects of project delivery e.g. asphalt pavement materials and mix designs, trenching, backfilling and compacting, electrical work and water management systems. These standards and specifications are produced by the OPS organization which is presided over by the MTO and the Municipal Engineers Association (MEA). While municipal engineers are significantly involved in the development of these standards and specifications, most of Ontario’s municipalities now adopt technical requirements in their tender documents which significantly deviate from the OPSS, particularly on asphalt mix design requirements, testing and compliance. To give a practical example, an ORBA member operating in Eastern Ontario has to produce 80-90 different asphalt mixes to comply with public owners’ requirements (both provincial and municipal). This leads to inefficiencies in production and increased quality assurance pressures and material waste, ultimately resulting in increased costs for all owners. Similarly, municipalities in the Greater Toronto Area (primarily, City of Toronto, Durham Region and York Region) have recently introduced certain requirements which practically impossible to successfully meet on consistent basis. Inevitably, this will lead the marketplace to respond by placing significant premiums on this unprecedented level of risk, meaning projects will cost public owners (and taxpayers by extension) significantly more. This is also notwithstanding increased costs and project delays related to disputes and litigation, both highly likely given this scenario. ORBA has recently sent a letter (see attached) to the Durham Region and the City of Toronto to highlight this particular issue and explore ways to mitigate the worst-case scenarios. Furthermore, lack of standards and specifications harmonization in Ontario inhibits innovation, especially in industry and government priority areas such as sustainability. While the OPSS currently permits the use of Reclaimed Asphalt Products (RAP) – asphalt removed from existing roads and rejuvenated for use with virgin products – most Ontario municipalities prohibit the use of RAP in on their roads. This has led to a pervasive issue with RAP and removed concrete stockpiling, specifically in the Greater Toronto Area (some of these stockpiles are visible when driving on the 401 near Pearson International Airport – not the most welcoming scenery for arrivals). 1
Page 15 of 22Tenders for Public Works – Meredith… Standard Specifications in Municipal
Commented [WA1]: Is this a fairly accurate summary? I am trying to keep language easily digestible for Nick as he will likely lean on this background to help him and his team understand the issues to move them along.
Finally, Ontario’s infrastructure industry faces stiff penalties when standards and specifications are not met regardless of the practicality of these standards or severity of violations as outlined in examples above, but no incentive is given for contractors who exceed technical and quality requirements. Data shows incentives promote industry best practices which is why the Federal Highway Administration, an agency of the U.S. Department of Transportation, continues to offer bonuses for exceptional quality asphalt pavement (Source: FHWA). As such, including incentives as part of a harmonized specifications framework will ultimately reward industry innovation, yielding state-of-the-art infrastructure assets.
Commented [WA2]: Similarly, does this summarize the ERS challenge fairly adequately considering the technical nature of the issue?
In summary, harmonizing standards and specifications for public works across Ontario and adhering to an already established standard (OPSS Prov or Muni) where municipal engineers have direct presiding authority will inevitably result in better quality assets and economy-of-scale cost savings which allow owners to maximize their infrastructure budgets. ORBA looks forward to the opportunity to present the challenge lack of specifications harmonization presents along with practical solutions at the March EOWC in Kingston. Contact us Walid Abou-Hamde Chief Executive Officer walid@orba.org Steven Crombie Senior Director, Public Affairs steven@orba.org
2
Page 16 of 22Tenders for Public Works – Meredith… Standard Specifications in Municipal
November 19th, 2024 Jennifer Graham Harkness Chief Engineer & Executive Director Engineering and Construction Services City of Toronto Toronto City Hall 24th fl. E., 100 Queen St. W Toronto ON M5H 2N2 Sent electronically Re: City of Toronto New Liquid Asphalt Specification Dear Ms. Graham Harkness, On behalf of the Ontario Road Builders’ Association (ORBA), we are reaching out to bring an urgent matter to your attention regarding recent changes to asphalt specifications imposed by city officials which have raised serious concerns across the road-building industry and will have serious implications for the quality, cost and timelines of building and maintaining roads in the City of Toronto. ORBA is the voice of infrastructure development in Ontario, representing over 300 contractors, asphalt producers and service providers. Our members build, rehabilitate, and maintain Ontario’s vast network of provincial and municipal roads and highways. Our mandate includes fostering high standards of business practice among our members and collaborating closely with all levels of government, technical authorities and industry partners to advance priorities of common interest, ultimately yielding positive outcomes for all parties. Recently, the City of Toronto introduced a new liquid asphalt specification deemed too restrictive, and effectively unattainable nor practical by ORBA and its members. Such standards introduce significant uncertainty, as contractors struggle to interpret or comply, which leads to project delays, cost overruns, and increased likelihood of litigation and strained contractor-client relations. Unreasonable specifications are especially concerning in times of constrained municipal budgets when maximizing value for each dollar is paramount. We believe this new specification will result in higher costs for the City of Toronto due to increased custom production requirements and risk premiums, and create a greater likelihood of rejection, escalating disputes and impacting project timelines. Furthermore, local contractors and liquid asphalt suppliers facing this riskier environment may be forced to reduce plant production levels which will inevitably lead to job losses and negative impacts to community well-being. We strongly believe left unaddressed; this pressing matter will directly affect The City of Toronto’s capacity to meet increased demand for building and maintaining a state of good repair of its roads and will certainly increase project costs. To our knowledge, Toronto is one of the only jurisdictions in Ontario that has adopted such a restrictive specification.
Page 17 of 22Tenders for Public Works – Meredith… Standard Specifications in Municipal
We respectfully request the opportunity to meet with you to discuss this matter in greater detail and explore a collaborative approach to ensure the reliable, high-quality asphalt supply necessary for regional projects. We appreciate your attention to this issue and look forward to working together towards a solution which will allow our members to successfully deliver critical infrastructure projects and prioritize the needs and well-being of the City of Toronto and its residents. Sincerely,
Walid Abou-Hamde Chief Executive Officer Ontario Road Builders’ Association
Page 18 of 22Tenders for Public Works – Meredith… Standard Specifications in Municipal
Program Overview for the Eastern Ontario Healthcare Pilot The Eastern Ontario Healthcare Pilot seeks to address the critical shortage of healthcare professionals in Ontario’s rural communities by integrating internationally educated nurses (IENs) and internationally educated healthcare professionals (IEHPs) into the community. This program aims to reduce reliance on agencies, reduce some costs from the existing taxbase and build resilience in the local workforce by focusing on relocating casually employed individuals from the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) to rural communities, with a focus on supporting the Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus’s priorities in long-term care and paramedics. Currently, nearly 50% of newcomers to Canada settle in the GTA. Unfortunately, many individuals are unable to find full-time work in their professions of choice and are forced to take precarious work opportunities in the GTA. Studies on labour mobility conducted in collaboration with the University of Toronto and the University of Windsor indicate that a percentage of newcomers are seeking better opportunities outside the GTA and are willing to relocate if barriers can be reduced or removed. Blue Branch is proposing a regionally focused healthcare workforce solution for Eastern Ontario. The program will recruit select communities to develop a labou mobility model for relocating internationally educated healthcare professionals and skilled trades workers from urban areas to rural communities. Blue Branch will support the transition for IENs and IEHPs from underemployment to meaningful roles in rural and remote communities where workforce shortages are most acute. The program addresses critical barriers to accreditation, employment, housing and relocation while fostering a sustainable, long-term healthcare workforce for municipalities. Program Highlights: •
Participant Support: Provide financial reimbursements for housing, airport transportation, flights, and daily transportation for 4 months, enabling participants to overcome mobility barriers.
•
Accreditation Navigation: Deliver tailored assistance to IEHPs in navigating regulatory requirements, fostering partnerships with relevant accreditation bodies.
Page 19 of 22and Housing Initiatives, and Overview … Blue Branch Workforce, Healthcare
•
Healthcare Partnerships: Work with local employers to identify key positions and shortages in the area.
•
Housing and Relocation: Provide ongoing offsite support to assist individuals in relocation, finding housing, booking logistics and integration into the community. Provide 4 months of support including access to an account manager to assist in any needs the individual talent requires in the communities.
Identified Gaps and Opportunities:
- Healthcare shortages: Work to find regional nuances to healthcare shortages, including but not limited to Nursing, PSWs, Allied Health, Pharmacists Paramedics and Skilled Trades.
- Support for Recent Graduates: Post-secondary institutions seek pathways for Internationally Educated Nursing (IEN) and IEHP graduates to gain a foothold in the job market and not take on precarious positions in large urban centres.
- Targeting Additional Professions: Expanding support to internationally trained allied health professionals will provide future opportunities to address further workforce shortages.
- Building resiliency in Long-Term Care – Assist in the human resources strategy to deliver much needed talent to support long-term care homes in Eastern Ontario. Proposed Funding Allocation: We propose a pilot project with a funding allocation of $1 million, focused on relocating 50 individuals to Eastern Ontario, with the following budget breakdown: •
Staffing: $393,000
•
Project Costs: $566,000
•
Admin Costs: $41,000
Anticipated Outcomes: •
Accelerated integration of 50 IEHPs into the local healthcare workforce.
•
Mitigation of workforce shortages.
•
Sustainable pathways for internationally educated professionals to settle in communities.
Page 20 of 22and Housing Initiatives, and Overview … Blue Branch Workforce, Healthcare
•
Actionable insights to inform long-term policy and program development.
•
Enhanced support tools for community integration, including housing, schools, and family information.
•
A final report on project outcomes, including lessons learned, retention rates, and reduction in job vacancies. Remove some financial constraints from the municipal tax base and push back to other orders of government.
•
Conclusion: The Eastern Ontario Healthcare Pilot program has the potential to significantly address critical workforce shortages while empowering internationally educated professionals. By implementing sustainable healthcare workforce solutions tailored to individual communities, this initiative can strengthen Eastern Ontario’s healthcare systems and create lasting economic and social benefits. Moreover, the program will alleviate financial pressures on the local tax base by leveraging joint advocacy with the Ontario Government to secure additional funding. Together, we can create a model of innovation and resilience that will serve as a blueprint for other regions facing similar challenges. We look forward to your feedback and continued collaboration on these impactful initiatives.
Page 21 of 22and Housing Initiatives, and Overview … Blue Branch Workforce, Healthcare
Budgeted vs. actual funding by source Sum of Actual funding (project to date) includes Q1 submis…
gnidnuf lautcA
400M
Sum of Budgeted funding
Existing sites
221.66M 112.95M
207.33M
200M
44.23M
44.23M
5.91M
Total
Private sect…
Provincial
Federal
Funding sources
Municipal
Budgeted expenses vs. actual Sum of Expenses actual PTD
Sum of Budget total 207.8M
stnenopmoc tcejorP
374.8M
196.8M
Construction (+NR …
Colocations
Actual 202…
Planned 2…
0M
200M
300M
400M
Sum of Actual expenses (project to date)
154 143 11 2
0
Uplifts
Sum of Budgeted total
stnenopmoc tcejorP
0.0M 0M
Colos
Build type
77
74 0 13
New Site Builds
• EORN continues to aim for a press release this spring
16.3M
Indigenous relations • Sites visits tentatively booked with AOPFN and CLFN for spring
part of a mitigation request 10M
deliverables by 2026 heritage/environmental assessments • ID 82 - RCI’s ability to provide timely,
accurate and detailed construction schedules and forecasts • ID 93 - Expansion of RCI partnership to include towers built by Redwood and possible impacts for LUAs, DTC and finances
• EORN monthly releasing staff bios on LinkedIn and website
• EORN received guidance from CLFN on installation of bat boxes as
5M
• ID 20 - failure to meet project
Staff priorities • Monitor RCI’s progress on
construction and planning for all sites 18.0M
10.0M
First Nations archae…
31
5 22
• Annual EOWC member update presentations will begin in April
11.0M
EORN admin
High-High risks • ID 73 - impact of requests for natural
remaining sites
Total
0.3M
258
RED
due to the failure to deliver the Y4 plan of record and the risk of the number of sites being moved into Y6, as well as the continued volatility of financial forecast
• EORN continues to work with municipalities on LUA for the
Budgeted vs. actual admin expenses
First Nations consul…
Actual 20…
• EORN has removed itself from the social media platform X
Expenses actual PTD and budget total
Archaeological con…
Planned 2…
Communications highlights 100M
0.7M
Completed new sites
311
356.8M
4.1M
EORN admin ineligi…
116
Released to RCI
Actual 202…
6.9M
EORN admin eligible
249
Actual vs. planned by build type
200
Total
The project status is
60
Uplifts (100% complete)
0M
Date: 2025-03-27
New sites
311
375.04M
…iuB dennalP sv lautcA
Page 22 of 22 EORN Update – Jason St. Pierre, CEO, EORN
BI Desktop Cell Gap Project Management Dashboard (Project Power to Date)
15M
Actual expenses (project to date) and budgeted total
20M
• EORN uploaded new mitigation checklists and photo files to the
shared Teams site for CLFN and AOPFN
• Continue to work with RCI and FN
communities on the identification, implementation and documentation of mitigation measures on new tower sites • EORN budget update
