Municipal Finance Forum

Agenda

• 8:30am - Welcome/Morning Moderator Introduction

  Welcoming Remarks:
  Paul Shipway, CMO, AOMC, Dipl. M.A. 
  General Manager of Strategic Initiatives & Innovation, County of Middlesex  
  AMCTO President

  Morning Moderator:
  Tyler Cox, CMO, AOMC, Dipl. M.A.
  Manager, Legislative Services, City of Ottawa
  Zone 6 Board Director

• 8:45am - Keynote Presentation: Building Trust for High-Performance – Strengthening Council-Staff Relationships

  In the world of municipal governance, trust between council and staff is not just a nice to have—it is the foundation of a high-performing team. Without trust, decision-making becomes fragmented, collaboration suffers, and the community ultimately pays the price.

  Municipal leaders must foster an environment where staff feel safe to speak candidly, share ideas, and acknowledge mistakes without fear of blame. This trust is built through transparency, consistency, and a shared commitment to the municipality’s vision. Leaders, both elected and appointed, must encourage open dialogue, listen actively, and seek to understand different perspectives. Additionally, clear roles, expectations, and follow-through ensure that both council and staff are accountable to each other and to the community they serve.

  In this keynote session, we will explore how trust can transform the way municipal teams operate, ensuring better financial stewardship, more effective policy implementation, and a stronger foundation for long-term success.

  Presented by:

  Rob Adams, MPA
  Chief Administrative Officer, Town of Erin

• 9:55am - Service-based & Multi-year Budgeting

  Join us for an engaging session where we explore the successes and challenges of implementing multi-year service-based budgets, featuring insights from two municipalities recognized by the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) for their outstanding budget practices – the Township of King and the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville. Through a dynamic discussion, we’ll dive into the key strategies that led to their successful budget implementation, including aligning resources with community priorities and improving long-term financial sustainability. Hear the lessons they’ve learned, the pitfalls they’ve encountered, and the practical approaches they used to overcome challenges. This session will provide valuable takeaways for municipalities looking to improve their budgeting processes and achieve more effective, transparent financial planning.

  Presented by:
  
  Marina Fung
  Manager, Budgets & Financial Planning, Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville

  Clayton Pereira
  Deputy City Treasurer/Director, Revenue Services, City of Hamilton

  Peggy Tollett
  Director of Finance/Treasurer, Township of King

• 11:00am - Microsoft Dynamics GP ERP is End of Life in 2029: Everything Municipalities Need to Know

  Municipal finance teams across Canada will be impacted either directly or indirectly as a result of Microsoft's announcement of the end of life for Dynamics GP – a system used by over 200 small and mid-sized municipalities for enterprise resource planning (ERP). Even those who are not using the Dynamics GP and/or Diamond/Central Square softwares may be impacted in their efforts to modernize and enable their finance teams in the coming years.

  In this session, we’ll uncover the facts and review some key considerations for modernizing business processes moving forward. Together we’ll explore how you can plan ahead to leverage artificial intelligence (AI), integrate systems, and initiate a future ERP replacement.

  Presented by:

  Scott Jorgens
  Director, Marketing, Endeavour Solutions

  James McInnis
  Senior Account Executive, Endeavour Solutions

• 12:00pm - Lunch Break
• 12:50pm - Afternoon Moderator Introduction

  Annette C. Gilchrist, CMO, AOMC, Dipl.M.M.
  Chief Administrative Officer/Clerk/Treasurer, Township of Bonnechere Valley
  AMCTO Director at Large

• 12:55pm - Greetings from the Municipal Finance Officers' Association of Ontario (MFOA)

  Stephanie Nagel
  Vice President, Municipal Finance Officers' Association of Ontario (MFOA)

• 1:00pm - The Basics of Municipal Service Corporations (MSCs)

  This session will provide an overview of MSCs established under the Municipal Act, 2001. We will discuss the potential benefits and limitations associated with MSCs, and when a municipality may consider establishing one. We will outline the legal procedures that municipalities need to follow to establish and operate MSCs, along with a brief commentary on financial and tax considerations municipal staff need to be aware of.

  Presented by:

  Alex Cockburn
  Associate Lawyer, Barriston LLP

  Alison Firth
  Articling Student, Barriston LLP

• 2:00pm - Demystifying Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Municipal Finance: A Practical Introduction

  This session will explore how AI can enhance decision-making, optimize resource allocation, and improve citizen engagement. We will demystify complex AI concepts and provide actionable strategies for implementation. Learn how to leverage AI to create a more efficient, responsive, and data-driven municipality. Discover the future of municipal finance today by understanding the transformative potential of AI and how this can work to your strategic financial advantage.

  Presented by:

  Asher Jaffri
  Manager, Information Technology and Digital Transformation, Town of Erin

• 3:00pm - Upcoming Public Sector Accounting Standards (PSAS) Changes

  Join representatives from Baker Tilly to review the upcoming changes to Public Sector Accounting Standards (PSAS). This session will focus on standards that will come into effect in 2026 or later, including the new conceptual framework and the new financial statement presentation standard. We will walk through the changes in requirements, provide examples, and address practical application questions you may have.

  Presented by:

  Renée d'Eon
  National Manager, Professional Standards, Baker Tilly Canada Cooperative

  Joanna Park
  Partner, Baker Tilly KDN LLP

  Richard Steiginga
  Partner, Baker Tilly KDN LLP 

• 3:40pm - Closing Remarks & Adjournment

  David Arbuckle, MPA
  Executive Director, AMCTO