by FOPLED | Sep 29, 2023 | Advocacy Updates
FOPL attended the Association of Municipal Managers, Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario (AMCTO) Conference earlier this summer and the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) Conferences just last week to continue our campaign to reach out and spread awareness among our municipal partners. We spoke to hundreds of delegates at each, highlighting the importance of public libraries and discussing some of the larger issues our libraries are currently dealing with. A big thank you to Niagara Public Library and London Public Library for helping us out at the booth and advocating with us! We have booked two lobbying days at Queens Park on November 14th and 15th. This is our first opportunity post-pandemic to lobby at Queens Park in person and we are very excited to engage with MPPs and other stakeholders about our government relations priorities. More information on this to...
by FOPLED | Jun 9, 2023 | Advocacy Updates
FOPL and OLA met with Amanda Pape, liaison officer for the Ministry of Indigenous Affairs, to communicate our provincial budget ask for Public Libraries on Reserve. We were able to connect about the issues affecting these libraries and the immediate measures needed to stabilize them. Dr. Sabrina Redwing Saunders, CEO of Blue Mountains Public Library, joined us for this meeting and shared her experience working in public libraries on reserve. We headed over to Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM) Conference from May 8 to 11th in Parry Sound. FOPL had a tradeshow booth and as this was a “smaller” conference ( we spoke to over 250+ delegates!), we were able to have more in depth conversations about the libraries in their communities, some issues they are concerned about, and about our municipal engagement campaigns. We continue to promote the Value of Public Libraries and discuss the Importance of Keeping Public Library Boards Independent. We will be going to the Association of Municipal Managers, Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario (AMCTO) Conference in a few days so if you’re in or around Niagara Falls from June 11 to 14th, stop by and say hello! FOPL attended the Canadian Municipal Network on Crime Prevention Community of Practice event on Safety in Public Libraries. There was a fantastic panel presentation by CULC’s Safety and Security Working Group. A recording of the presentation has been made available by CMNCP and has given us permission to share with our members. A reminder that the CFLA’s Intellectual Freedom Committee provides an Intellectual Freedom Toolkit for Canadian Libraries. The CFLA Intellectual Freedom Toolkit is an assemblage...
by FOPLED | Apr 13, 2023 | Advocacy Updates
Stakeholder consultations with the Ministry of Tourism Culture and Sport were concluded in late March. We will be staying in touch with Ministry staff and offering any follow-up they may require. The MTCS has expressed an interest in “modernizing” the library sector’s funding contribution and we are hopeful that we will see some movement on our provincial priorities. The 2023 Provincial Budget was released on March 23rd. It came as no surprise that there was no mention of an increase or additional commitment to public libraries. Despite our fantastic media attention and recent consults with the MTCS the timing was very tight for the 2023 budget and we knew we were already looking ahead to 2024. On the whole lots of sectors and issues that are typically covered have no mention. The government has gone for a laser focus on a few key areas (key economic sectors, workforce development inc. health, etc.) and modest spending increases (scroll down for the budget press release for links). Health and education in particular are below inflation and growth needs. We have reached out to the MTCS to confirm that library sector funding will remain stable. FOPL and OLA also had the opportunity to meet with Connor Scott, MPP Liaison and Policy Advisor to Minister Neil Lumsden. As there was much buzz at the MTCS after our flurry of media attention and Mr. Scott wished to be briefed on the library portfolio. This was a great connection for us and shows us that there is definitely talk about us at the ministry. As you may have heard, FOPL was all over the news...
by Hannah Saunders | Mar 14, 2023 | Advocacy Updates
FOPL was granted a deputation to the Standing Committee of Economic Affairs and Finance on February 13th to compliment our Pre-Budget Submission to the Ministry of Finance. Our sector has had, in total, six deputations to the Standing Committee and/or the Minister of Finance combined this budget season. I’m so energized by the way our sector has really come together to support our goals! We have certainly made ourselves heard. A big thank you to everyone who took the time to apply and present on behalf of libraries across the province. FOPL and OLA were formally invited to consult with the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport on February 24th along with a few other key stakeholders. These consultations have been framed as information-gathering sessions as the MTCS seeks input to modernize support for Ontario’s public libraries. The purpose was to discuss the current priorities, opportunities and issues impacting public libraries so that the MTCS can develop a path forward. We are VERY encouraged by these consultations and delighted that the Ministry is engaged and looking for ways to improve its contribution to our sector. Read FOPL’s Pre-Budget...
by FOPLED | Jan 27, 2023 | Advocacy Updates
FOPL and OLA continue to have conversations with Ministry staff and answer any questions they may have about the ODPL and the funding issues with public libraries on reserve, which have also been of great interest. We hope to meet again formally next month to follow up from our conversation in November. We have also continued to monitor developments with Bill 3, Strong Mayors, Building Homes Act, 2022 and have sent a letter to the Toronto and Ottawa municipalities as the province proposes to expand the bill to other regions. These letters, sent as correspondence to the municipal Clerks, will hopefully make it to council agenda for review. I have attached these letters for you to read as well. The Minister of Finance and The Standing Committee of Economic Affairs and Finance have convened in January to accept deputations. FOPL has rallied a variety of public libraries CEOs across the province to apply for deputations to both. I was fortunate enough to be accepted to speak to the Minister of Finance during his budget consultation session in Brampton on January 11th. I spoke to our provincial priorities, emphasizing the frozen Public Libraries Operating Grant, the serious concern for public libraries on reserves and the province-wide benefits of creating the Ontario Digital Public Library. Kitty Pope from Windsor Public Library and Monika Machacek from Clarington Public Library also gave deputations to Minister Bethlenfalvy as the committee moved across the province, strengthening our message. Deputations for the Standing Committee on Economic Affairs and Finance are coming up and we have heard back from at least two CEOs that they have been...
by FOPLED | Jan 12, 2023 | Advocacy Updates
FOPL and OLA have have drafted a joint letter to Toronto and Ottawa municipal councils regarding the Strong Mayors Act. The intent of this letter was solely to bring to light to Toronto and Ottawa council members important information about the relationship between the exercise of authorities granted in Strong Mayors and the broader statutory framework governing Ontario’s public libraries. The letter will be sent via email this week. I will attach a copy in next month’s member emails. The Standing Committee Finance and Economic Affairs will be meeting in January and February across the province. The purpose of this committee is to hear deputations from various parties in advance of the provincial budget requests in February. FOPL and a few of our members have applied to attend 6 of the 9 committee meetings across the province, in Sudbury, Sault Ste Marie, Timmins, Kingston, Barrie and Queens Park. We will hopefully get a few slots and provide appropriate library sector representation! FOPL will be submitting a formal budget request after the committee meetings to the Minister of Finance. FOPL will be attending the Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA) Conference in Toronto from January 22nd to 24th. Stop by at our tradeshow booth and bring your local Councillor for an introduction! We will also be at the OLA SuperConference February 1-4. Stop by our booth outside of the tradeshow for a quick hello, I would love to meet you all in-person! FOPL is presenting two sessions as well, On Friday, February 3rd in person and during the virtual board bootcamp on Saturday, February...
