Setting Ontario's communities up for success
AMO and the Institute on Governance (IOG) have partnered to create Local Leadership Foundations: a new, practical learning program to prepare councillors for their critically important leadership roles and to give Ontario's municipal elected officials, new and returning, the strongest possible start to the upcoming term.
In this program, elected officials learn from experts and from each other on key local leadership themes like:
- Governing in practice: roles, responsibilities, and what good governance means at the local level
- Making decisions: from mechanics to strategy, how to make good decisions together
- Municipal finance and budgeting: the processes and trade-offs involved in municipal finance
- Civility and integrity: creating effective dynamics between council, staff, and the public
- Engaging the community: serving constituents and the community you lead
Registration is now open for sessions that begin following the October 2026 municipal election!
For the sector, by the sector
Local Leadership Foundations is built on the experiences of those who have done the job. Throughout the program you learn from councillors, mayors, and experts from across Ontario and beyond. It's hundreds of years of collective municipal experience, distilled into practical guidance you won't find in a textbook.
Engagement with the sector also helped us design a modular, flexible program that complements the full range of municipal onboarding plans and flexes to accommodate busy leaders' calendars.
The Program
Local Leadership Foundations is a flexible learning journey, built as six focused modules you can fit around a busy schedule. Take the full series or just the ones you need, in any order.
Governing in Practice
An orientation to the councillor's role in Ontario today, and the habits that set up a strong term.
Making Decisions
How council decisions get made, and how to prepare for meetings and shape good outcomes.
Finance & Budgeting
A plain-language grounding in municipal finance and the trade-offs behind the big decisions.
Civility & Integrity
Building healthy dynamics with colleagues and staff, and keeping debate respectful under pressure.
Engaging Community
What community engagement really involves, from the residents you serve to municipality-wide consultation.
Leading Council
The added work of the chair, from running tough meetings to speaking for your municipality.
Each module comes with two ways to learn
Learn at your own pace. Explore an online course featuring candid video and audio interviews with councillors, mayors, and experts, alongside plain-language explanations and links to go deeper. It's years of on-the-ground municipal experience and insight, compiled in a way you can't find anywhere else, available before a session and as a reference afterward.
Learn with experts and peers. Then you join our facilitators to discuss the key ideas and work through case studies together. Because it’s led by people who’ve held the role, you get a genuine political perspective you won’t find in a textbook, in a space built to be candid and supportive. Sessions are held virtually, so you can take part from anywhere.
Who’s Leading It
AMO’s Local Leadership Foundations is developed and facilitated in partnership with Dr. Kate Graham: award-winning professor of local governance, consultant to municipal governments across Canada, former municipal public servant, and host of the popular No Second Chances podcast about women in senior political roles. Dr. Graham brings deep expertise in local government and a talent for turning complex material into learning that sticks.
She is joined by experienced Ontario elected officials, soon to be announced, whose firsthand experience shapes every module.
Pricing & Registration
Join us for the full Learning Series, or individual modules. All are delivered as live sessions you choose from a schedule of upcoming dates.
Learning Series Best value
Sign up for the five core modules at once and earn a certificate on completion.
$1,000 / series
early-bird price until Sep 30, $1,200 standard
Individual Modules
Learn just what you need, when you need it.
$275 / module
early-bird price until Sep 30, $325 standard
Bursaries available! We're excited to offer first 200 AMO members to register a $150 bursary, first come, first served. Made possible by sponsors Guardian Capital and PH&N Institutional, valued business partners of AMO Business Services and ONE Investment.
Group pricing for municipalities! Municipalities can reserve seats now and assign names after the election. Also, save $100 per seat on the Learning Series, or $25 per module, on 5 or more seats from one municipality.
Common Questions
Who is this program for?
This program is designed for Ontario's municipal elected officials: the people making the decisions at the council table.
Whether you're newly elected in October 2026, a returning councillor looking for a strong reset at the start of a new term, or a head of council, this program is built for you.
Please note registration is limited to elected officials. Municipalities can purchase spaces for incoming council members and provide names after the election. Those standing for election can register once they assume office.
What will participants learn?
This program builds a strong foundation in what you need to know and do to lead effectively as part of a municipal council including:
- How local government works. What municipalities are, how they're structured, and how they fit into the bigger picture. The legal and ethical foundations and requirements that define your role.
- How councils work. Procedures, decision-making, working effectively with staff, and how to get things done at the council table.
- Foundations of good governance. Role clarity, civility, strategic thinking, and what it takes to serve your community well alongside council colleagues, staff and the public
Check out our program brochure with more detail on what you'll learn in each module.
There is no job description for municipally elected leaders! There's lots to learn in local government, and much is learned on the job. This program gives you the foundation to hit the ground running and sets you up to keep building your knowledge and skills throughout the term.
What makes this program different?
Local Leadership Foundations builds on your local council onboarding activities by leveraging the unique, province-wide position, scope, and expertise of AMO and IOG:
- Tailored to Ontario realities, right now: Speaks to rural, urban, and northern realities, upper and lower tier dynamics, and the issues shaping municipal governance today.
- Practical and engaging: Brings the theory to life through extensive interviews with officials and experts, plus the opportunity to work through real case studies together with peers and practitioners.
- Elected officials focus: Developed for and with elected officials across the province to reflect the realities and complexity of their roles.
- Connect and build your network: Work together with peers from across the province in an environment where you can engage openly on real questions, challenges, and experiences.
How does this fit with local onboarding we're already planning?
The Local Leadership Foundations program is design to integrate with, not replace, municipality-specific onboarding efforts. While local orientations are essential for introducing newly elected officials to your specific administration, municipal projects, and unique community contexts, this program serves as a valuable sector-wide complement. It handles the heavy lifting on broader, foundational governance principles, providing a shared baseline of knowledge to bring greater consistency to Ontario's municipal sector.
Can all five modules be delivered in person for a whole council or group?
Yes. On request through AMO, all five modules can be delivered in person to a specific council (or group of councils) through a two-day in-person workshop. This option includes:
- Post-election access for all members to the full suite of online courses
- An expert-facilitated in-person two-day workshop which covers the most important content from the first five modules
- Enrollment for the head of council in a separate 3-hour workshop with peer heads of council across Ontario
- Recognition of all members who complete the workshops through a Certificate.
Pricing starts at $15,000 with sliding scale based on municipality size. Contact amo@education.on.ca to discuss!
When does the program start?
The program launches after the October 2026 municipal election, with sessions running from late 2026 through 2027. You can see the full schedule of open sessions on the registration page. Sessions run primarily on weeknight evenings and weekend mornings, so you can take part around a busy schedule.
Is there a certificate?
Yes! Those who complete the five core modules will receive a Local Leadership Foundations Certificate recognizing their commitment to well-informed and responsible local leadership.
Who is behind the program?
This program is a partnership between:
- The Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO), the trusted voice of Ontario's 444 municipalities, and
- The Institute on Governance (IoG), a national leader in governance, decision-making, and public sector training.
Together these two organizations bring together deep municipal insight, expertise on leadership and governance, and a specialty in practical, applied learning.
Where can I direct questions and suggestions?
Please share comments or questions with the AMO Education team at education@amo.on.ca.
