Explore every episode of the podcast MW Shares

Sandra Datars Bere, London city manager, joins us to discuss the ever-growing demands on municipal infrastructure and the rising challenges around creating more affordable housing. She also addresses the broader financial and service-delivery pressures facing municipalities across Ontario.

The post London’s municipal infrastructure and affordable housing challenges appeared first on Municipal World.

Sandra Watts, general manager of external relations and director of communications at the Town of Wasaga Beach, joins us to Destination Wasaga – an ambitious, collaborative project that puts community members at the centre of a plan to create a … [...]

The post Destination Wasaga appeared first on Municipal World.

Riley Brockington, AMO president and an Ottawa city councillor, joins us to introduce himself and share his vision for the organization’s future. He also outlines his leadership approach, the three key priorities he plans to focus on during his presidency, … [...]

The post A vision for AMO’s future appeared first on Municipal World.

Alicia Neufeld, associate director at AMO, joins us to put Ontario’s growing homelessness crisis into perspective and explain why it is affecting communities of all sizes, not just large urban centres. She also discusses the increasing pressures on municipalities and … [...]

The post Ontario’s growing homelessness crisis appeared first on Municipal World.

Christa Lowry, mayor of Mississippi Mills, Ont., joins us to discuss some of the most pressing issues facing rural Ontario, from health care access to connectivity challenges. She also highlights recent advocacy successes while outlining priorities for supporting rural municipalities … [...]

The post Pressing issues facing rural Ontario in 2026 appeared first on Municipal World.

Kate Graham, an award-winning educator and author, and Melanie Pilon, mayor of Wawa, Ont., join us to examine the challenges facing local democracy, including declining interest in running for municipal office in some communities. They also highlight initiatives such as … [...]

The post Challenges facing local democracy in 2026 appeared first on Municipal World.

Lindsay Jones, AMO executive director, joins us to discuss growing concerns about provincial decisions that are reducing municipal authority and local decision making. Jones examines the importance of defending local democracy, protecting municipal jurisdiction, and strengthening collaboration between municipalities and … [...]

The post Provincial decisions affecting municipal authority appeared first on Municipal World.

Christina Pavone, director of business services at AMO, joins us to explain the role of Local Authority Services (LAS), a municipal services organization that is often less well-known than AMO’s advocacy work. Pavone discusses how LAS has evolved, the programs … [...]

The post The role of Local Authority Services (LAS) appeared first on Municipal World.

Joe Masi, FCM board member, Rural Forum vice-chair, and Portage la Prairie, Man. city councillor, joins to discuss the infrastructure challenges facing rural communities and what meaningful support from senior orders of government would look like for rural municipalities.

The post Infrastructure challenges for rural communities appeared first on Municipal World.

Kathy Valentino, FCM board member and Thompson, Man. city councillor, joins us to discuss why bail reform has become such a pressing issue for municipalities today, FCM’s role in pushing the federal government for changes to the system, and how … [...]

The post The bail reform issue appeared first on Municipal World.

Katie Hayes, a member of MNP’s Digital Advisory Services team in Edmonton, joins us to discuss what is driving the municipal shift in reimagining how work is organized and delivered, how the introduction of AI and digital tools is accelerating … [...]

The post Reimagining municipal work with AI appeared first on Municipal World.

Rory Nisan, FCM board member, Ontario caucus chair, and Municipality of Halton, Ont. councillor, joins us to discuss the scope of the nation’s housing crisis, the biggest barriers to getting more housing built, and the value – or lack thereof … [...]

The post Can strong mayor powers help alleviate Canada’s housing crisis? appeared first on Municipal World.

Tim Tierney, 2026 FCM president and Ottawa city councillor, joins us to talk about his vision for helping lead the organization’s engagement efforts across the country, as well as the biggest opportunities for strengthening local government’s relationships with the federal … [...]

The post 2026 FCM president’s vision for his term appeared first on Municipal World.

George Cuff, municipal governance expert, author, and Municipal World columnist, joins to discuss his decades of working with municipalities, particularly around the leadership dynamic between mayors and CAOS, as well as the keys to good governance and decision making, and … [...]

The post Keys to good governance appeared first on Municipal World.

Municipalities must learn how to adjust and maintain perimeter protection in real time as conditions shift – whether for routine event changes or full‑blown emergencies. Shawn Lowry, the vice president of sales and marketing at Ontario Bollards, joins us to … [...]

The post Planning for the unplanned – Adapting municipal spaces in real time appeared first on Municipal World.

Nicolas Germond, the country director and CEO for Veolia in Canada, joins us to discuss how the integration of water, wastewater, and energy planning can cut costs, boost resilience, and turn treatment plants into resource hubs – supporting compliance, local … [...]

The post Turning Canada’s water deficit into opportunity appeared first on Municipal World.

Ria Dhillon, Deputy CEO at destinationone consulting, joins us to discuss current hiring trends and what the future of recruitment looks like – especially for municipalities.

The post Strategic recruitment and the future of municipal hiring appeared first on Municipal World.

Jason Burggraaf, executive director of the Greater Ottawa Home Builders’ Association, joins us to discuss how Ottawa’s housing crisis has reached a breaking point, with housing attainability and the cost of living now top concerns for both residents and builders. … [...]

The post Taking action on housing affordability: Homebuilders plan for Ottawa’s future appeared first on Municipal World.

Danielle Manton, the 2025-2026 AMCTO president, discusses new research from the organization on the serious and growing impacts of harassment and incivility at the local level. This topic is especially relevant to municipalities, as ongoing reports and news stories highlight … [...]

The post Civility in service: Building respect in municipal workplaces appeared first on Municipal World.

Emilie Hayes, the lead for sustainable affordable housing at the Green Municipal Fund, and Nancy Simmonds, the CEO for Heartland Housing Foundation, join us to discuss how municipalities and housing providers are proving that energy efficiency and affordability can go … [...]

The post Building strong communities with sustainable, affordable housing appeared first on Municipal World.

Chandrashekar LSP, Zoho Canada’s managing director, joins us to discuss how municipalities will learn to manage digital transformation challenges and opportunities as they work with AI and technology to deliver services.

For municipal leaders, the challenge isn’t whether to adopt … [...]

The post Using AI, technology to securely deliver services appeared first on Municipal World.

Patrick Beauger, vice-president business development, strategy, and marketing at Veolia, joins us to discuss how Canadian municipalities can benefit from “ecofactories,” which integrate water, waste, and energy projects while offering cost savings and environmental synergies. Beauger will also address implementation … [...]

The post The ecofactory approach: Turning wastewater into opportunity appeared first on Municipal World.

Craig Berga, from Ducks Unlimited Canada, and John Stille, from the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority join us to explore how the Town of Ajax, through strong partnerships, is transforming urban land into resilient wetlands – boosting biodiversity, reducing flood … [...]

The post The Power of Partnership: Restoring Wetlands and Resilience in Ajax appeared first on Municipal World.

Haley Bateman, a councillor with the Region of Niagara representing St. Catharines, Ontario, joins us to talk about Ontario’s proposed Municipal Accountability Act, which is intended to punish municipal councillors for violence and harassment, but needs significant improvements so that … [...]

The post Accountability for municipal leaders – Haley Bateman appeared first on Municipal World.

Rebecca Bligh, a councillor with the City of Vancouver and President of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), joins us to talk about laying the groundwork for a National Prosperity Partnership in order to align all levels of governments around … [...]

The post FCM’s focus on prosperity – Rebecca Bligh appeared first on Municipal World.

Josh Morgan, Mayor of London, Ontario, an FCM board member, and Chair of FCM’s Big City Mayors’ Caucus, joins us to talk about the need for a National Prosperity Partnership that would mean the coordination of all levels of government … [...]

The post FCM’s call for a National Prosperity Project – Josh Morgan appeared first on Municipal World.

Rowena Santos, a councillor at the City of Brampton, a member of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM)’s board, and chair of FCM’s Finance, Infrastructure and Transportation (FIT) committee, joins us to talk about FCM’s Municipal Growth Framework, which is … [...]

The post FCM’s new Municipal Growth Framework – Rowena Santos appeared first on Municipal World.

Lauren Hanchar, Mayor of Watson Lake, Yukon, and President of the Association of Yukon Communities (AYC), joins us to talk about the challenges faced by northern communities, such as an affordable housing shortage, aging infrastructure, and financial pressures due to rising … [...]

The post Challenges faced by northern communities – Lauren Hanchar appeared first on Municipal World.

Neal Comeau, a councillor in Sturgeon County, Alberta, and chair of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM)’s Rural Forum, joins us to talk about FCM’s rural report, The Future of Rural Canada, a comprehensive roadmap to unlock the full potential of … [...]

The post FCM’s focus on rural communities – Neal Comeau appeared first on Municipal World.

Rail safety is everyone’s business, and this episode of MW Shares explores why. Sponsored by Operation Lifesaver Canada (OLC), this conversation features Chris Day, OLC executive director, and Sandra LaRose, a rail safety ambassador who turned unimaginable loss into lifesaving advocacy.

The post Partnering for Safety: Municipalities and Operation Lifesaver Canada – Sandra Larose & Chris Day appeared first on Municipal World.

In Part Two of the pilot episode of the No Fairy Godmothers in Government podcast, Dr. Ashleigh Weeden continues her examination of the fairy godmother – reliance on other orders of government and the expectation that technology will provide the … [...]

The post No Fairy Godmothers in Government Part 2 – Ashleigh Weeden appeared first on Municipal World.

26.03.25 | In Part One of the pilot episode of the No Fairy Godmothers in Government podcast, Dr. Ashleigh Weeden examines the problems of expecting a fairy godmother to provide municipalities with magical solutions to their problems, when in reality … [...]

The post No Fairy Godmothers in Government Part 1 – Ashleigh Weeden appeared first on Municipal World.

04.02.25 | Carolyn Stern, Emotional Intelligence expert and award-winning author of The Emotionally Strong Leader, joins us to talk about how a municipal leader can take action to constantly improve their Emotional Intelligence at ever stage of their career.

The post Episode 5: Emotional Intelligence and your career | Becoming an Emotionally Strong Leader – Carolyn Stern appeared first on Municipal World.

04.02.25 | Carolyn Stern, Emotional Intelligence expert and award-winning author of The Emotionally Strong Leader, joins us to talk about how the traditional notion of a strong leader as one who hides their emotions can be turned on its head and … [...]

The post Episode 4: Emotions and leadership | Becoming an Emotionally Strong Leader – Carolyn Stern appeared first on Municipal World.

04.02.25 | Carolyn Stern, Emotional Intelligence expert and award-winning author of The Emotionally Strong Leader, joins us to talk about how emotions are full of wisdom to assist municipal leaders so they can learn to treat their team members as individuals … [...]

The post Episode 3: Emotions are full of wisdom | Becoming an Emotionally Strong Leader – Carolyn Stern appeared first on Municipal World.

04.02.25 | Carolyn Stern, Emotional Intelligence expert and award-winning author of The Emotionally Strong Leader, joins us to talk about ways a municipal leader can learn to boost their own Emotional Intelligence and how helping people in their organization to … [...]

The post Episode 2: Boosting your Emotional Intelligence | Becoming an Emotionally Strong Leader – Carolyn Stern appeared first on Municipal World.

04.02.25 | Carolyn Stern, Emotional Intelligence expert and award-winning author of The Emotionally Strong Leader, joins us to talk about understanding what Emotional Intelligence is and why it is important for municipal leaders to have Emotional Intelligence.

The post Episode 1: Defining Emotional Intelligence | Becoming an Emotionally Strong Leader – Carolyn Stern appeared first on Municipal World.

03.05.25 | Sandra Lisi, vice-president supplier engagement at Kinetic GPO, joins us to discuss how organizations can navigate the process of doing business with Canada’s largest municipality and effectively engage with the City of Toronto’s diverse departments, secure contracts, and … [...]

The post Unlocking Opportunities: How to do business with Canada’s largest municipality – Sandra Lisi appeared first on Municipal World.

02.12.25 | Monica Ciriello, a municipal lawyer who writes Municipal World’s monthly Municipal Docket column, joins us to talk about heritage bylaws and how designating a home as a heritage property can inspire legal battles.

The post Episode 5: Heritage bylaws | Today’s top issues in Municipal Law – Monica Ciriello appeared first on Municipal World.

02.12.25 | Monica Ciriello, a municipal lawyer who writes Municipal World’s monthly Municipal Docket column, joins us to talk about homelessness and, in particular, a big legal decision making headlines across the United States and how it may or may … [...]

The post Episode 4: Homelessness | Today’s top issues in Municipal Law – Monica Ciriello appeared first on Municipal World.

02.12.25 | Monica Ciriello, a municipal lawyer who writes Municipal World’s monthly Municipal Docket column, joins us to talk about licensing pets and animal bylaws.

The post Episode 3: Pets and animal bylaws | Today’s top issues in Municipal Law – Monica Ciriello appeared first on Municipal World.

02.12.25 | Monica Ciriello, a municipal lawyer who writes Municipal World’s monthly Municipal Docket column, joins us to talk about nuisance party bylaws and what municipalities can do when responding to unsanctioned events such as homecoming and St. Patrick’s Day … [...]

The post Episode 2: Nuisance parties | Today’s top issues in Municipal Law – Monica Ciriello appeared first on Municipal World.

02.12.25 | Monica Ciriello, a municipal lawyer who writes Municipal World’s monthly Municipal Docket column, joins us to talk about protecting tenants from “bad faith evictions” with a new renovictions bylaw, the first of its kind in Ontario.

The post Episode 1: Bad faith evictions | Today’s top issues in Municipal Law – Monica Ciriello appeared first on Municipal World.

01.06.25 | Claire Basinski, chair of the Ontario Professional Planners Institute, joins us to discuss why registered professional planners are critical to the planning process and how they can help align the public’s feedback with provincial and municipal legislation to … [...]

The post Navigating growth: The planner’s role in municipal development – Claire Basinski appeared first on Municipal World.

08.23.23 | Ehren Cory, CEO of the Canada Infrastructure Bank, joins us to talk about “sustainable financing and investing” in Canada’s municipal infrastructure.

The post Municipal infrastructure, net zero, and the all-at-once challenge with Ehren Cory appeared first on Municipal World.