Fall 2026 Lunch & Learn Webinar Series

The start of a new Council term presents an opportunity for municipalities to review, refresh, and strengthen their Committee of Adjustment processes. This session will explore strategies for attracting qualified applicants, supporting the appointment process, developing effective orientation and training materials, reviewing procedural by-laws and governance practices, and ensuring committees are well-positioned for a successful term.

Join a panel of Secretary-Treasurers from municipalities across Ontario as they share practical experiences, lessons learned, and ideas that have helped improve Committee of Adjustment operations. Moderated by an OACA Board member, this interactive discussion will explore a range of topics, including policy and procedural reviews, hearing administration, service delivery improvements, public engagement, innovations, and preparations for a new Committee term.

Jennifer Stong began her municipal career as a Planning Secretary in 2011. Since then, she has progressed through increasingly responsible roles in municipal planning and is now a municipal Planner. Part of her role includes serving as Assistant Secretary-Treasurer for the Committee of Adjustment, helping to oversee the Committee process while providing guidance and mentorship to staff. Her work includes reviewing consent and minor variance applications, preparing planning reports and recommendations, interpreting planning policy, and working with applicants, agencies, Committee members, and the public.

Jennifer is a Certified Planning Technician and a Candidate Member of the Ontario Professional Planners Institute (OPPI), currently completing the Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) process. As a member of OACA, she values connecting with municipal colleagues, sharing knowledge, and continued learning.

Michel Bellemare has led the administration of the Ottawa Committee of Adjustment since 2020, an independent tribunal recognized as a “high performing organization” by KPMG following an in-depth review conducted in 2022-2023.

A lawyer, Michel previously served as an adjudicator with the Ontario Municipal Board (now the Ontario Land Tribunal), as chief administrative officer for the City of Clarence-Rockland, and as a special advisor at the Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada’s largest tribunal. Michel also served as an Ottawa City Councillor and Ottawa-Carleton Regional Councillor, elected to five consecutive terms from 1994 to 2010. He also served on the board of directors of the Ottawa Police Service, the Ottawa Public Library, and the Children’s Aid Society of Ottawa-Carleton.

A member of the Law Society of Ontario, Michel holds degrees from the University of Ottawa in law, political science, management and public policy, as well as a master’s certificate in municipal leadership from the Schulich School of Business at York University.

Elaine Monroe began her career as a Secretary-Treasurer in 2003 with the City of Thorold. With a strong municipal background but limited planning experience, she took the Primer on Planning Course—and began a journey that would shape her career and her commitment to supporting others in the profession.

Soon after, the Area Niagara Secretary-Treasurers group was formed. Meeting once or twice a year, the group provided an opportunity to discuss current topics, bring in knowledgeable speakers, share experiences, and build connections among Secretary-Treasurers across the Region of Niagara. What began as a small regional initiative has grown over the years into the Ontario Secretary-Treasurers group.

This experience reinforced for Elaine the importance of mentoring new Secretary-Treasurers entering the CofA field and, equally, the value of building strong connections with colleagues across the province. She remains committed to supporting and encouraging those who are new to the role and to fostering a collaborative professional community.

Elaine is also a strong advocate for the Ontario Association of Committees of Adjustment and Consent Authorities (OACA). She encourages Secretary-Treasurers, Planners, and Committee Members to become involved with OACA and to attend its conferences and seminars. Through OACA, professionals gain valuable resources, provincial updates, and, perhaps most importantly, opportunities to connect and learn from one another.

For Elaine, the strength of the Secretary-Treasurer profession lies not only in experience and knowledge, but also in sharing that knowledge, mentoring others, and building connections that strengthen the Committee of Adjustment community across Ontario.

Tim Fisher is a municipal land use planner and Secretary-Treasurer with more than 26 years of municipal planning experience in eastern Ontario. He served as the principal planner for the City of Kingston Committee of Adjustment for more than 20 years, including 10 years as Secretary-Treasurer. Tim currently serves as Secretary-Treasurer for the Committees of Adjustment for the Township of Edwardsburgh Cardinal and the Town of Prescott, with extensive experience in minor variances, consents and validation of title applications under Ontario planning and tribunal legislation.

Artificial Intelligence is transforming how municipalities deliver services, support staff, and drive innovation. Based on King Township's award-winning Responsible AI Roadmap, this session explores a practical approach to adopting AI responsibly through governance, guiding principles, staff enablement, risk management, and high-value use cases. Attendees will learn how King is balancing innovation with transparency, privacy, fairness, and accountability while building the foundation for sustainable AI adoption across local government.

Marco Cheng-Perri is an award-winning public sector innovation leader and sought-after speaker who has presented internationally and across Ontario. As an early adopter of artificial intelligence, Marco has been helping organizations responsibly explore and implement emerging technologies since 2020, advancing practical and ethical approaches to AI in government.

Today, Marco leads King Township’s award-winning AI and Digital Innovation Program and volunteers as Head of MISA Ontario’s Artificial Intelligence Special Interest Group (AI SIG), where he helps foster collaboration, knowledge sharing, and AI maturity across Ontario municipalities.