Municipal leaders from across the province are coming together this week in Gander for three days of learning, sharing knowledge, and networking at Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador’s 2025 Municipal Symposium with a theme of Empowering Community Leaders.

This year’s Symposium, happening May 1-3 at the Quality Hotel and Suites, is filled with sessions and networking events to provide members with the critical information they need to make decisions at the council table. Topics on the agenda include housing, fire services, economic challenges, municipal legislation, rural banking services, and wastewater, among others.

MNL will also be launching Climate Ready NL, a two-year program to equip municipalities with the tools and resources necessary for climate adaptation and resilience. Municipalities across the province are increasingly seeing the effects of climate change, including property and infrastructure damage from increasingly severe storms, coastal erosion, and wildfires.

This year is a municipal election year in Newfoundland and Labrador. A special session on Saturday morning will launch the 2025 Make Your Mark campaign to encourage people to get involved in municipal governance.

“The Municipal Symposium has a focus on professional development, but it’s about more than just learning. It’s about connecting with each other, supporting our municipal colleagues, and sharing information as we collectively work to strengthen our municipalities and empower our community leaders.” – Councillor Amy Coady, MNL President