ST. JOHN’S. NL – College of the North Atlantic (CNA), Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador (MNL), and Professional Municipal Administrators (PMA) have entered into a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will see collaborations between the three organizations on initiatives related to training, innovation, applied research, and economic/community development.
The document was signed Wednesday, June 5, during the PMA’s Annual Convention & Trade Show held at the Holiday Inn in St. John’s. Trudy Barnes, CNA’s Vice President of Partnerships, Innovation & Entrepreneurship, was joined by Tony Keats, MNL President, and Nigel Black, PMA President, at the event, along with approximately 200 PMA registrants and invited guests.
College of the North Atlantic (CNA), Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador (MNL), and Professional Municipal Administrators (PMA) have entered into a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). At the signing were: Nigel Black, PMA President; Tony Keats, MNL President; and, on behalf of CNA was Trudy Barnes, CNA’s Vice President of Partnerships, Innovation & Entrepreneurship.
The MOU represents a platform for each organization to develop and deliver activities that are beneficial to each of the parties, as well as their stakeholders. The partnership will enable all three to explore applied research and innovation ideas, and projects that will help municipalities achieve sustainable communities and best practices, as well as support training needs and human resource development for MNL and PMA clients.
“College of the North Atlantic is honoured to be part of this exciting collaboration which will provide leadership in the development of enhanced training and human resources program offerings that are mutually beneficial for all parties,” said Bruce Hollett, CNA President & CEO. “This agreement will result in a plan that will see our graduates possess skillsets that are in demand by these organizations and their network of stakeholders. This ongoing partnership will help create a boost to the local skilled workforce that is more focused, while at the same time, fall in line with CNA’s ongoing involvement in community engagement and planning.”
“We are excited about the opportunities represented in this agreement for our municipal leaders and their communities,” said Tony Keats, MNL President. “It will give us unprecedented reach in terms of getting timely, quality training to councillors all over the province. It will better connect our communities to the research and student resources at CNA to help them solve some of their biggest challenges. And it will connect the 17 CNA campuses across the province to our members as regional hubs for collaboration.”
“PMA is thrilled to enter into this tripartite agreement with College of the North Atlantic and Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador,” said Nigel Black, PMA President. “We look forward to providing our members in municipal administration the opportunity to avail of programs, technology and services to assist them in local government management."
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Media contacts:
Michelle Barry
Communications Specialist
College of the North Atlantic
709-643-7721 / 709-649-6407
Michelle.barry@cna.nl.ca
Gail Woodfine
Communications and Public Relations
Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador
709-753-6820 / 709-725-1440
gwoodfine@municipalnl.ca
Krista Parsons
Executive Director
Professional Municipal Administrators
709-726-6405 / 709-685-5032
ex.dir@nlama.ca
BACKGROUNDER:
College of the North Atlantic is one of the largest post-secondary educational and skills training centres in Atlantic Canada with 17 campus locations throughout Newfoundland and Labrador, with nearly 7,500 students annually. CNA students graduate from its certificate, diploma and advanced diploma offerings. In addition, CNA serves apprentices by providing block training that enables them to advance through their apprenticeship programs and prepares them to write their journeyperson certification examination. CNA’s international development projects and education partnerships currently span several regions: China; South America; and South East Asia, and CNA-Qatar. CNA also partners with six universities in China where over 340 students are enrolled in CNA programs. CNA is a lead partner with the Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) Kenya Education for Employment Project (KEFEP), and the Global Affairs Canada Vietnam Skills for Employment Project (VSEP).
Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador was formed in 1951 to represent the interests of the growing number of municipal councils in the province. The roster of municipal clients has grown from 50 at MNL’s inception to the current membership of 276 municipalities, representing 89 per cent of the province’s population. Over 97 per cent of these councils are paying members of MNL and drive its considerable advocacy and policy efforts.
Professional Municipal Administrators is a professional organization composed of municipal administrators, town/city managers, town/city clerks, and department heads who are committed to improving the quality of administration in local government in Newfoundland and Labrador. Its mission is to enhance and promote professional management and leadership excellence in local government through professional development and the exchanging of ideas and information for the continued recognition of PMA as an authority on municipal government.