AORS Response to COVID-19 Pandemic
As we continue to deal with the COVID-19 outbreak, AORS is making adjustments to ensure the health and safety of our members, clients, staff, contractors and other stakeholders, their families, and the many communities they all serve so selflessly. This remains our top priority.
AORS 2021 Municipal Public Works Trade Show – Postponed to 2022
AORS and the Simcoe County Road Supervisor Association, the hosts of the 2021 Trade Show, made the difficult decision to cancel the trade show this year, yet again. After consulting with the hosts of the 2022 and 2023 shows, and with the approval of the Board of Directors, it was decided to postpone each of those events by one more year. Hence, the 2022 trade show will be held in Barrie, hosted by the Simcoe County Road Supervisors Association; the 2023 trade show will be held in Strathroy, hosted by the Middlesex County Public Works Association; and the 2024 trade show will be held in Cornwall, hosted by the Eastern Ontario Road Supervisors Association. We want to thank the many suppliers who had committed to exhibit at the 2021 show for their loyalty and support, and look forward to seeing them in 2022 instead. We also want to thank the many volunteer members of the Simcoe County Road Supervisors Association who worked diligently to plan the event. Their hard work will not go to waste as they look forward to hosting the trade show in Barrie next year.
Stay tuned for an announcement on a virtual Public Works Marketplace to be launched later in 2021.
AORS 2021 Provincial Safety Truck Roadeo
A decision on the status of the 2021 Provincial Safety Truck Roadeo will be made at a later date, dependent on group gathering restrictions, and whether the Local Associations are able to hold local Roadeos in the coming months.
AORS and our training partners are committed to delivering the quality training that our members and their staff need to provide the essential services their municipalities expect, safely and efficiently.
Where feasible, training programs have been adapted for online delivery. These may be either as live webinars, scheduled on specific dates, or as prerecorded / self-paced modules that students can complete at their convenience. AORS believes the networking, relationship building, and interaction between students and instructors that occur during in-person training are often as valuable as the course content. So where possible, we’ve tried to incorporate these into the online sessions as well.
Not all training lends itself to online delivery, such as equipment operator or chainsaw safety training. There may also be occasions when in-person training can be delivered to a small group, possibly as a hybrid of online and in-person. Whenever in-person training is offered, we will do so in full compliance with public health guidelines or government directives on group gatherings, social distancing and disinfecting.
You can visit our Upcoming Seminars page for a list of scheduled training, check out the full complement of training available here, and contact Dennis O’Neil or Michelle Poirier for more info or to request a proposal.
AORS Staff, Contractors and Volunteers
Those of you familiar with AORS know that we operate with a skeleton staff, and depend on a network of contractors and dedicated volunteers to deliver our quality programs. Their health and safety are paramount. We continue to monitor and implement government guidelines for maintaining a safe workplace. At this time, most staff continue to work from home or on site as required, with just one person at the office most days. Thank you for your patience and understanding while we work through these challenging times. Please send any requests for information to admin@aors.on.ca, and we will respond as soon as possible.