2026 National Public Works Week Webinars
AORS is proud to host FREE webinars throughout National Public Works Weeks for our members. Â Sign-up below for the webinars you would like to attend – links to each webinar will be sent out to you by Friday May 15, 2026.
BUILDING BETTER COMMUNITIES: MUNICPIAL PARTNERSHIPS DRIVING FRESHWATER CONSERVATION – Hosted by: Watersheds Canada
Tuesday May 19, 2026 at 1:00pm
Celebrate National Public Works Week with an inspiring look at how municipalities and community partners are leading a growing conservation movement across Canada. This Watersheds Canada webinar highlights real-world success stories—from innovative constructed wetlands and shoreline restoration projects to impactful education campaigns tackling road salt pollution and climate change. Discover how collaboration between public works professionals, local governments, and community organizations is delivering practical, scalable solutions that protect freshwater resources while strengthening resilient, sustainable communities.
ONTARIO ONE CALL 101: ROADWAY TO COMPLIANCE – Hosted by Ontario One Call
Wednesday May 20, 2026 at 1:00pm
As road construction activity increases across Ontario each spring, it’s essential for excavators to understand the locate request process and their responsibilities to prevent damage to underground infrastructure and remain compliant.
In this session, participants will learn about:
- Ontario One Call’s role in damage prevention
- How to properly submit and manage locate requests
- Key excavator responsibilities under the Act
- Best practices for maintaining compliance
The session will be delivered by members of Ontario One Call’s Stakeholder Relations and Education Team, who work closely with industry partners across the province to promote education, compliance, and safe digging practices.
LOW VOLUME ROADS: MANAGING LOADS & IMPROVING SAFETY – Hosted by Good Roads
Thursday May 21, 2026 at 11:00am
Join James Smith from Good Roads for an insightful webinar focused on the unique challenges and opportunities of managing low volume roads. This session will explore strategies for handling reduced load restrictions, review new studies reflecting improving road safety for all users, and more. Attendees will gain practical knowledge and real-world insights to help municipalities make informed decisions and optimize performance on low volume road networks.
BEYOND “PART OF THE JOB”: BUILDING A REPORTING CULTURE TO PROTECT MUNICIPAL PUBLIC WORKS STAFF – Hosted by: Lowe Strategy Consulting
Thursday May 21, 2026 at 1:00pm
Across Ontario, municipal public works professionals are facing increasing incidents of abuse, harassment, and public interference—yet many of these situations go unreported. AORS survey findings show that workers often view these incidents as “part of the job,” not serious enough to report, or believe that no action will be taken. In some cases, clear reporting processes simply don’t exist or aren’t well understood.
Join Sandra Lowe, Owner of Lowe Strategy Consulting, as she explores how municipalities can shift this mindset and build a strong reporting culture. This session will focus on practical strategies to ensure employees know how, when, and why to report incidents—empowering leaders to better protect their staff, improve response, and strengthen workplace safety.
HARMONIZING MUNICIPAL ROAD CONSTRUCTION STANDARDS – Hosted by: Ministry of Transportation
Friday May 22, 2026 at 1:00pm
Ontario is advancing a major initiative to harmonize municipal road construction standards through a proposed Minister’s regulation, as was outlined in the Ontario Regulatory Registry (Proposal 26‑MTO003). This presentation provides an overview of the legislative and regulatory steps underway to support consistent municipal road construction standards across the province. Attendees will learn how recent amendments to the Public Transportation and Highway Improvement Act, enable the Minister of Transportation to mandate select Ontario Provincial Standards Specifications for Municipalities (OPSS.MUNI). The session will explain the first round of standards that are proposed to become mandatory—including hot mix asphalt, aggregates, and drainage—along with the phased transition period, exemption framework, and reporting requirements leading to full compliance by July 1, 2027. Grounded strictly in the published regulatory proposal, the presentation offers information to help municipalities and industry understand upcoming requirements, plan for compliance, and prepare for future phases of standards harmonization.
Presenter Bio:
Jason Kittle, CET, is the Manager of the Municipal Standards Harmonization Office at the Ontario Ministry of Transportation. He brings extensive leadership experience in municipal operations, engineering, and policy development. Jason has more than two decades of experience in municipal governance, with a background spanning operations, construction, asset management, and transportation services. He currently contributes to national transportation initiatives through his involvement with the Transportation Association of Canada. Jason’s work focuses on fostering stakeholder alignment, leading complex infrastructure and standards initiatives, and advancing modernized frameworks that support safe, efficient, and sustainable transportation systems across Ontario