Event Details

Welcome, friends, to the RMA 2024 Fall Convention & Tradeshow!

I am excited to welcome our members, guests, and invited speakers to an electrifying week of learning, networking, and building relationships. This week will provide a great opportunity to make new connections with colleagues, form friendships, and exchange ideas with peers. This convention features a range of engaging speakers including keynote speaker Peter Mansbridge. With the rural municipal world busier than it has ever been, expect plenty of great conversations on a range of critical issues.

The convention will also be a great opportunity for RMA members to engage with provincial ministers and government representatives to better understand the province’s position on issues impacting rural municipalities. As always, the best opportunity for this dialogue will occur through the Ministerial Forums, but we expect a strong provincial presence throughout the convention.

We are also looking forward to the resolutions session. We have 21 resolutions on the order paper this year, and the wide range of issues covered shows just how diverse our members are.

Delegates will have the choice to participate in educational sessions which will cover current and important municipal issues. Session topics include council codes of conduct, effective communication, the forestry sector, regulatory hearings, wildfire competency, reducing red tape, and many more. Our team works hard to collaborate with experts in a variety of fields to organize these sessions, so please check out the ones that interest you!

As in past years, networking opportunities are a highlight for convention delegates. Check the convention agenda for social events that are supported by our valued sponsors scheduled throughout convention.

In closing, I would like to thank my fellow board members, our RMA staff, as well as our generous sponsors for helping us strengthen rural Alberta through the coordination of this event. From myself to my board colleagues to all of our amazing staff, we are so proud to represent our innovative, hard-working members and serve as the voice of rural Alberta.

Have a great convention!

Paul McLauchlin, RMA President