Strategic Priorities

Strategic Pillars

• Professional Growth

  Professional growth remains at the core of AMCTO, anchored in a commitment to excellence and expertise in municipal governance and administration. By continually advancing our approach to education, professional development, and training, AMCTO will continue to lead in delivering responsive, accessible learning that empowers municipal professionals to succeed in their roles and effectively navigate emerging challenges at every stage of their careers.

  • Position AMCTO as the leading authority on professional excellence in municipal administration.
    1. Build capacity and partnerships to enhance programming in our core areas of expertise, including municipal management, leadership, governance, and finance.
    2. Review accreditation programs to ensure strong marketplace positioning and alignment with the evolving expectations and competencies for municipal roles.
    3. Consider opportunities to strengthen AMCTO corporate training offerings, including among broader public sector organizations.
  • Invest in programming that meets the evolving needs of municipal leaders.
    1. Deliver timely learning opportunities on emerging and priority issues to support municipal professionals in navigating and responding to sector trends.
    2. Explore the feasibility of implementing on-demand learning to support flexible, accessible, and scalable delivery that meets learners where they are at.
• Policy & Advocacy

  AMCTO remains an essential advocate for municipal professionals and we will strengthen our presence and visibility across the sector, with government stakeholders, and in the public sphere. By growing our capacity for research and policy development and exploring new platforms to share our messages and content, AMCTO will foster greater dialogue and support action on critical municipal priorities and issues.

  • Elevate and grow our policy expertise and leadership.
    1. Enhance our research and data capabilities to generate thought leadership that can help inform policy development and decision-making.
    2. Collaborate with academic and research institutions to expand sector reach and provide practical learnings and tools for municipal professionals.
  • Be the trusted voice of municipal professionals in Ontario.
    1. Explore creative opportunities and platforms to facilitate and amplify public and sector-wide conversations on local government issues, building awareness of and momentum for the sector.
    2. Develop a refreshed advocacy approach to strengthen our influence and advance progress on key policy priorities.
• Network & Community

  AMCTO is recognized for fostering a vibrant community of practice among municipal professionals, bringing members together to share knowledge and build valuable professional and personal connections. As we look forward, there is an opportunity to reimagine how members connect and engage through new formats, platforms, and experiences, while enhancing our approach to partnerships with the goal of elevating and celebrating the impact of local government and public service.

  • Bring municipal professionals together to share, learn, and grow.
    1. Strengthen Zone collaboration to ensure high-quality networking and learning opportunities for members aligned to AMCTO standards.
    2. Identify new approaches and tools to build both real-time and sustained connections among members, fostering a community committed to professional excellence.
  • Champion the value of local government and public service, building connections in and beyond the municipal sector.
    1. Continue to engage with secondary schools, post-secondary institutions, and other education partners to improve public understanding of local government and the career opportunities within it.
    2. Work with other municipal and professional associations to support a unified approach to addressing municipal workforce development challenges.
• Membership

  AMCTO serves a broad range of stakeholders across the municipal sector, with members at the core of our identity and long-term sustainability. Building on this foundation, we can leverage our reputation, core service offerings, and organizational infrastructure to continually drive value for members, while also expanding our reach to new audiences and partners. At the same time, we will build the capacity needed to deliver on our ambitions, putting in place the systems and supports required to operate at greater scale.

  • Advance strategic growth opportunities that build from our core strengths and capabilities.
    1. Support emerging communities of practice, leveraging our capacity, reputation, and foundational municipal programs to help their success.
    2. Pursue strategic partnerships across sectors and industries to enhance the breadth and quality of our service offerings and deliver benefit for members.
  • Continue to evolve operations and offerings to be responsive to member needs.
    1. Deepen understanding of member and customer segments to guide decision-making and inform how resources are allocated.
    2. Review our membership model and consider options to improve accessibility and affordability.
    3. Develop a sponsorship strategy to support revenue diversification and enhance the member experience.
  • Enhance how we tell our story and grow our presence.
    1. Develop a diversified social media strategy to build awareness of our work and impact.
    2. Adopt a proactive approach to media relations to increase our visibility as a recognized authority on local government.
    3. Conduct a brand refresh to modernize key elements, reflecting AMCTO’s evolving role and value proposition, while honouring our legacy.
    4. Mobilize members as ambassadors and storytellers to promote membership and celebrate AMCTO successes.