About AMO's Local Leadership Foundations Program

Getting elected is a real accomplishment, and the days that follow can be intense as the responsibilities of office sink in. This module grounds you in how local government works and what makes governing in Ontario distinct, your core responsibilities, and the mindset, routines and early priorities that set up a strong term.

• What "good governance" means locally, and the unique dimensions of governing in Ontario
• The key responsibilities of elected officials and councils
• Legislation and expectations for ethical conduct, and what’s changing for the 2026 term
• Setting your early priorities and a personal plan for the first year
• Building productive relationships with council colleagues, staff and community
• The habits and routines, from mindset to reflection and feedback, that help you lead well from the start

The idea of making decisions for your community is exciting, until the first agenda package lands on your desk and they keep coming. Councils make a wide range of decisions, often early in the term, and some carry consequences for generations. This module covers both the mechanics and the craft: how decisions get made, how to prepare, and how to advance the ideas you want to see happen.

• The mechanics of council meetings: motions, amendments, voting and by-laws
• Preparing for meetings and working through dense agenda packages
• Effective deliberation, debate and constructive dialogue
• The difference between strategic and operational matters, and how to engage with each
• The rules for open and in-camera meetings, and the roles of committee chairs and staff
• Advancing your own ideas while navigating cognitive bias, groupthink and conflicts of interest

For many councils, the first big decision comes fast: the budget. It’s among the most consequential things a council does, and the first time through can be a crash course in how the municipality works and how services get paid for. This module is a plain-language primer on municipal finance in Ontario: the rules, the real constraints, and how to be a constructive voice in the numbers.

• Operating and capital budgets, how they interact, and council’s legal responsibilities
• Where municipal money comes from, including property taxes, user fees, development charges and grants, and the limits on how it’s used
• Municipal expenditures and what drives costs up
• Capital planning and asset management
• Making sense of budget information, including comparative tools like the provincial Financial Information Return dashboards
• Experience-tested tips for being an effective financial steward

Council chambers are often called a “fish bowl,” highly public and open, and the temperature is rising. A 2025 survey of Ontario CAOs described incivility in council as “the new normal.” Healthy dynamics and integrity aren’t soft extras; they’re the foundation of good governance and public trust. This module explores both in the words of officials who’ve navigated them in practice.

• The practical meaning of accountability, responsibility and transparency
• The rules and expectations for members of council, and your municipality’s Code of Conduct
• The role of the Integrity Commissioner, including how complaints are filed, investigated and resolved
• The AMO Leading with Respect Handguides as a go-to resource
• Experience-tested strategies for respectful debate and sound working relations with staff
• Active listening, conflict resolution and de-escalation, in public meetings, one-on-one, and online

Once you’re elected, a lot of people want to reach you: residents, staff, developers and community leaders, and expectations for fast, easy communication keep climbing. This module is about what effective community engagement really involves, from the constituents you represent to municipality-wide consultation, including building strong Indigenous-municipal relationships.

• Engagement fundamentals, including the IAP2 framework (inform, consult, engage) and key terminology
• Telling constituent concerns from broader public feedback, and how to handle both
• Building meaningful dialogue and relationships with Indigenous residents and organizations
• Best practices for municipal-led engagement on planning, budgeting and more
• Experience-tested communications strategies, including with media