Kate Burns Gallagher is a political and economic development powerhouse! From her start as an Executive Assistant to MP Joe Preston at the Parliament of Canada, to shaping economic development and tourism in the County of Elgin, Kate now leads as Executive Director of the Western Ontario Wardens’ Caucus (WOWC) where she is uniting 15 upper and single tier municipalities in Southwestern Ontario, advocating for their collective interest, and supporting the region’s 117 municipalities, 1.6 million residents, and over 250,000 businesses!

In this Hyper Local episode, we dive deep into collaboration and impact:

• WOWC’s mission, members, and key projects
• How economic developers can get involved and support WOWC’s work
• What Kate’s hearing from Western Ontario municipalities
• Discussions on the recent AMO (1-year-later report), housing, homelessness (up 30% in rural areas), and budget pressures
• The critical art of being a bridge between elected officials and staff. With practical tips on early, consistent communication, understanding perspectives, and collaboration
• Advice for entering the municipal/government sector: Top 3 tips, including discussion around- “With great power comes great responsibility.”
• WOWC’s vision for 2026, including the upcoming ROMA Conference and goals around vulnerable sector checks and Broadband expansion

Kate’s message is clear: collaboration is the theme of the year. Working together to shape the future, not just respond to it. This episode is a must-listen for anyone passionate about rural advocacy, municipal leadership, and building stronger communities!

Thank you to Marc Champagne for your inspiration for this episode's mystery question: “What is your word/intention for this year?”

Now some work for YOU! Are you attending ROMA next week? If so, what is the number one thing you are looking to get out of it?

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