Ontario Municipal Chief Administrative Officer Survey 2025

Ontario’s CAOs are leading through a moment unlike any we’ve seen before. Longstanding municipal pressures — housing, infrastructure, human resources, and financial strain — are now compounded by geopolitical instability, shifting governance, and the uncertainty of the 2026 election and its outcomes.

This year, CAOs share how they are holding the line, adapting to both familiar and unprecedented changes and fostering resilience in their communities and organizations. It’s a candid look at the realities of leading local government in a year when every challenge feels bigger, more complex, and closer to home.

Download the full 2025 report.

Since 2016, StrategyCorp has conducted a wide-ranging survey of municipal Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs) from across Ontario to hear their views on the most pressing issues facing local governments today.