Convention Agenda – Spring 2026

Sponsored by Lidstone & Company Law Corporation

This workshop will feature government relations experts from Crestview Strategy, who will provide an overview of what advocacy looks like in today’s provincial and federal government context, as well as how municipalities can develop effective key messaging to ensure local issues and priorities resonate with decision-makers at other levels of government. This will be followed by a presentation from RMA focused on their approach to effective advocacy and a case study demonstrating how Crestview’s key messaging strategy applies to a current RMA advocacy campaign.

Sponsored by Wildfire Resilience Consortium of Canada

ATCO/AltaLink/FortisAlberta Presentation Description
Join the utility consortium of AltaLink, ATCO, and FortisAlberta for an insightful session designed to empower municipal leaders. Learn how electricity is delivered and maintained in your community, explore proactive wildfire mitigation and emergency preparedness strategies, and discover ways to strengthen collaboration between municipalities and utility providers.

CN Presentation Description
Safety is a core value at CN. Our ambition is to be the safest railroad in North America with an uncompromising commitment to the health and safety of our employees, the customers we serve and the communities and environment in which we operate. Over the last decade, there have been numerous advancements in safety and technology within the freight railway industry. This in-depth clinic will help communities better understand the strategies, technology and methods which CN employs to ensure safe and sustainable operations throughout our network. Including CN’s Fire and Suppression fleet, a custom-designed in-house fleet of five trains that can get fire fighting resources to remote and inaccessible areas.

	Denis Andre – FortisAlberta Denis has worked at FortisAlberta for 17 years and is currently the Manager, Sustainability and Wildfire Mitigation. In this role Denis is responsible for FortisAlberta’s sustainability program, environmental compliance and stewardship and wildfire risk mitigation programs. Denis also participates in the Provincial Powerline Wildfire Prevention Task Group and the International Wildfire Risk Mitigation Consortium.
	Colin Harvey – AltaLink Colin has 16 years of experience in the utility industry.  He started with AltaLink in 2009, joining as a Senior Right-of-Way Planner.  In this role, Colin was responsible for the permitting of some of the largest electricity transmission projects in southern Alberta.  In June 2024, Colin moved into his current role as the Municipal and Community Relations Manager, leading efforts to foster and strengthen relationships with the municipalities within AltaLink’s service territory.  Colin has a diploma in Forest Technology from NAIT and a Bachelor of Science in Forest Management from the University of Alberta.
	Alex Bonokoski – ATCO Alex is a Stakeholder Relations Manager with ATCO Energy Systems and supports ATCO’s wildfire mitigation work with a focus on municipal engagement and communication. Alex applies his extensive previous municipal and provincial government experience to his role at ATCO
	Monty Armstrong – CN Monty Armstrong is the Fire Prevention Officer at Canadian National Railway (CN), where he leads wildfire risk reduction and emergency preparedness initiatives across the network. He brings more than three decades of progressive fire service leadership and regulatory experience, including roles as Deputy Fire Chief and Assistant Fire Chief in several Canadian municipalities. Monty holds a Master of Arts in Leadership and Training from Royal Roads University and has completed advanced executive education in management and public safety leadership. His career is marked by extensive expertise in fire prevention, wildfire mitigation, risk management, and regulatory compliance, with a strong focus on collaboration with Indigenous communities, utilities, and government agencies. Monty’s work at CN integrates his deep operational experience with innovative strategies for resilience, positioning him as a recognized leader in fire safety and emergency management.

This workshop will bring together expertise from a variety of different community organizations to give attendees an understanding of shared priorities and opportunities for collaboration. Get to know representatives from the Family and Community Support Services Association of Alberta (FCSSAA), Rural Development Network (RDN), Alberta Seniors and Community Housing Association (ASCHA) and Rural Health Profession Action Plan (RhPAP) to see how their organizations can help support community service delivery in your municipality! Attendees will be split into groups for 15-minute conversations with each organization, before moving on to the next one; all attendees will get the opportunity to hear from all organizations.

Salon 12, Meeting Level

Get to know your association and the different services RMA provides! This workshop provides an opportunity for members to interact with representatives from Canoe Procurement, Canoe Benefits, RMA Insurance, and RMA’s Policy and Advocacy team.

Sponsored by Wildfire Resilience Consortium of Canada

ATCO/AltaLink/FortisAlberta Presentation Description
Join the utility consortium of AltaLink, ATCO, and FortisAlberta for an insightful session designed to empower municipal leaders. Learn how electricity is delivered and maintained in your community, explore proactive wildfire mitigation and emergency preparedness strategies, and discover ways to strengthen collaboration between municipalities and utility providers.

CN Presentation Description
Safety is a core value at CN. Our ambition is to be the safest railroad in North America with an uncompromising commitment to the health and safety of our employees, the customers we serve and the communities and environment in which we operate. Over the last decade, there have been numerous advancements in safety and technology within the freight railway industry. This in-depth clinic will help communities better understand the strategies, technology and methods which CN employs to ensure safe and sustainable operations throughout our network. Including CN’s Fire and Suppression fleet, a custom-designed in-house fleet of five trains that can get fire fighting resources to remote and inaccessible areas.

	Denis Andre – FortisAlberta Denis has worked at FortisAlberta for 17 years and is currently the Manager, Sustainability and Wildfire Mitigation. In this role Denis is responsible for FortisAlberta’s sustainability program, environmental compliance and stewardship and wildfire risk mitigation programs. Denis also participates in the Provincial Powerline Wildfire Prevention Task Group and the International Wildfire Risk Mitigation Consortium.
	Colin Harvey – AltaLink Colin has 16 years of experience in the utility industry.  He started with AltaLink in 2009, joining as a Senior Right-of-Way Planner.  In this role, Colin was responsible for the permitting of some of the largest electricity transmission projects in southern Alberta.  In June 2024, Colin moved into his current role as the Municipal and Community Relations Manager, leading efforts to foster and strengthen relationships with the municipalities within AltaLink’s service territory.  Colin has a diploma in Forest Technology from NAIT and a Bachelor of Science in Forest Management from the University of Alberta.
	Alex Bonokoski – ATCO Alex is a Stakeholder Relations Manager with ATCO Energy Systems and supports ATCO’s wildfire mitigation work with a focus on municipal engagement and communication. Alex applies his extensive previous municipal and provincial government experience to his role at ATCO
	Monty Armstrong – CN Monty Armstrong is the Fire Prevention Officer at Canadian National Railway (CN), where he leads wildfire risk reduction and emergency preparedness initiatives across the network. He brings more than three decades of progressive fire service leadership and regulatory experience, including roles as Deputy Fire Chief and Assistant Fire Chief in several Canadian municipalities. Monty holds a Master of Arts in Leadership and Training from Royal Roads University and has completed advanced executive education in management and public safety leadership. His career is marked by extensive expertise in fire prevention, wildfire mitigation, risk management, and regulatory compliance, with a strong focus on collaboration with Indigenous communities, utilities, and government agencies. Monty’s work at CN integrates his deep operational experience with innovative strategies for resilience, positioning him as a recognized leader in fire safety and emergency management.

Sponsored by ATS Traffic

Who’s actually driving the grader and who’s determining how to best use it? Of all the topics that can quickly trip up a councillor, understanding and exercising role clarity is at or near the top.When roles blur, overlap, or leave a vacuum, municipal effectiveness quickly erodes. Decision-making slows, trust deteriorates, and staff and council alike become frustrated. Knowing your role matters but staying in your lane matters just as much.

Ian McCormack CMC, President Strategic Steps President Ian McCormack brings broad experience from government, for-profit, and non-profit sectors, His specialties include governance with a focus on local government, civility, ethics, libraries, post-secondary education, and non-profit organizations. In the past few years, he has worked across Canada and beyond. His areas of focus include local government, ethics, libraries, post-secondary education, and non-profit organizations. Ian’s first book on the principles of good governance, Who’s Driving the Grader and Other Governance Questions was published by Municipal World in 2020. His second book, The DNA of Great Leaders, which is about the attributes of the best functioning mayors, reeves, & board chairs, came out in 2022, and book number three, (Un)Civil Society, which is about abuse in the local government realm, came out in May 2025. Ian co-hosts the bi-weekly podcast The Political Trenches: Local Government at Work and is a frequent media commentator on governance and ethical issues. In recent years, he has worked in every province and territory in Canada, as well as internationally. Strategic Steps is an advisory firm dedicated to helping organizations build strong, effective governance. The company serves clients from its offices in Alberta and Newfoundland. Outside of work, Ian is a glider pilot, a committed volunteer, and an active member of Rotary.