Media Release: Notice to Withdraw from TRI Council Shared Services Agreement
January 15, 2025
***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***
ARMOUR TOWNSHIP PROVIDES NOTICE TO WITHDRAW FROM TRI-COUNCIL SHARED SERVICE AGREEMENTS
The Township of Armour believes that a strong municipality, providing the best possible value and the best possible services to its ratepayers, requires the best possible partnerships. Our small municipalities in the Almaguin Highlands cannot stand alone. In order for those partnerships to work, a clear and common vision is required. Insulating ourselves within our own municipal borders will not allow this vision to be realized.
At its January 14, 2025 Council meeting, the Township of Armour took the difficult step of advising that it is providing written notice of its intention to withdraw from both the tri-council Library agreement (as of January 14, 2026) and the tri-council Shared Services Agreement for the Arena, Landfill and Fire Services (as of December 31, 2027). Council felt strongly that one of its tri-council partners does not share a common vision with us and prefers to stay insulated within its borders.
Unfortunately, this means that the partnership is working counter to what we are trying to achieve. This decision was not taken lightly by any means.
We see this as a step back from one partnership to allow us to work on more productive partnerships and lead a vision for the entire Almaguin Highlands. How this vision is formed requires these new partnerships. Region-wide, fully-supported services for economic development. Region-wide, fully-supported and coordinated services for healthcare delivery. Region-wide, fully-supported services for housing and land-use planning. Centres of excellence for individual services for everyone across the Almaguin Highlands. Building on the success-through-cooperation of our Fire Services across Almaguin. Building on the success of our economic development through Almaguin Community Economic Development (ACED). Building on the success of our Almaguin-wide approach to healthcare services through the Almaguin Highlands Health Council (AHHC).
We need a view of our infrastructure needs across the entire region, from arenas to fire halls to health and wellness centres. We need a shift to acting as one cohesive unit with one common vision so that we can look down the road to future generations. This vision should serve the entire Almaguin Highlands. It is only with this type of broader, stronger partnerships that we will get the serious attention required from other levels of government to allow us to best-serve all of our citizens. It will allow us to provide the services that our current citizens should expect without the inefficiency of doing this in isolation. It will allow us to attract new businesses, new services, new people to our area.
Of utmost importance at this point is the assurance that our intent is not to disrupt service levels while we work toward new partnerships and approaches which better align with the future of the Almaguin Highlands.
Press Contact:
Mayor Rod Ward, on behalf of the Council of the Township of Armour
r.ward@armourtownship.ca | (705) 380-7654 or (705)380-7177
