Part Three: A History of Niagara Regional Government

The following article completes a three-part look at regional government in Niagara. This column asks a series of questions about amalgamation and its implications for the towns and cities that make up Niagara. The first part ran in the Niagara Independent on March 6, 2026. Part One: A History of Niagara Regional Government. The second part on March 10, 2026. Part Two: A History of Niagara Regional Government. 

The recent resignation of Regional Chair Bob Gale has thrown a wrench into the prospects for a quick resolution to the amalgamation talks. Rife with complications, regional councillors now must find someone to fill the vacant position and then restart discussions that could end the current governance structure and establish a replacement model. Or will the premier step in and decide to appoint a person of his own choosing? Maybe he will abandon the project altogether. Or decide to push ahead on his terms. Before doing so, Premier Doug Ford and his government should consider a few pivotal questions. What makes this the right time to scrap regional government? Are there prominent issues that have ignited the desire for change? Does it make sense to amalgamate communities with disparate interests without their electoral input? How does a new blueprint for delivering government services at the municipal level look? 

THE RIGHT TIME TO SCRAP REGIONAL GOVERNMENT?

In part one of this series, the lengthy process of studying, consulting, gathering data, and incorporating citizen input preceded the decision to transition from the old county system to regional government. Now the provincial government aims to revisit regional government and improve it. Rumours of amalgamating smaller towns and cities into larger municipalities have circulated since the Harris days (1995-2002). The arguments have focused on several issues: too many politicians, unnecessary duplication, higher-than-acceptable taxes, and the need for more efficient services. On their own, these challenges present formidable reasons for exploring change. Complicating matters, however, the proposed changes do not resolve any of these practices. Reducing the number of politicians sounds great but hiring full-time politicians with benefits and the associated costs of insurance, training, and long-term disability coverage may well increase budgets rather than reduce them. 

Duplication often exists in the eyes of the beholder. Waste management, road clearing and repair, sewer construction, and services for new developments are admittedly costly in Niagara. However, how can we be certain that new cities will manage these costs better? With planning powers taken away from many regions in Ontario and given back to individual cities, costs have decreased, and communities have been able to promote development that suits their geography and landmarks. Niagara Falls aims to develop a vibrant tourism industry with casinos, attractions, and large venues for concerts and performances. Niagara-on-the-Lake might prefer a small-town atmosphere with theatre, old shops, and a quiet, park-like setting. Meanwhile, Fort Erie might leverage its proximity to the river to develop attractive homes that highlight natural recreational opportunities. Merging these cities might cause friction, weakening the efforts to cut duplication. 

Each year, the region and its various municipalities establish their respective tax rates. This makes politicians accountable to both levels. For mayors, this means they oversee their town or city and also vote at the regional level. Since taxes were first introduced in Ancient Egypt, people have complained about the rates, the amounts, and how the money was being spent. Democracy has merely provided an outlet for protest. That does not imply that worries about regional or municipal taxes in Niagara should be ignored. But it may be fool’s gold to think that neutralizing the issue is as easy as eliminating regional government. Transferring services to local municipalities from the region might make sense in some cases but could cause issues in a four-city amalgamation. Before making any of these decisions, minimal consultation, research, and reporting should inform the councillors. 

Messing with the satisfactory delivery of services people take for granted carries its own risks. Changes in garbage pick-up, sewer rates, water charges, or snowplowing will inevitably elicit voter complaints. Before guaranteeing lower tax rates and better services, politicians of any stripe should go on record in a documented, in-person, voice vote. The nature of the discussions currently underway among regional councillors and mayors requires a high level of accountability. We should be cautious of broad promises from council meetings across the region, as these claims imply that daily services relied upon by citizens will both improve and become more affordable in a new municipality. This contrasts with the current system, which needs fixing or updating rather than complete replacement. 

PROMINENT ISSUES

Regional governments have struggled to manage many of the problems outlined in the previous section. Still, there are others. One significant issue concerns the rising cost of policing. The Niagara Regional Police Service employs hundreds of highly trained officers and administrative workers. Crime, changing demographics, family breakdown, and mental health changes have shifted a lot of work to the constables assigned to patrol communities in Niagara. No one would criticize the department for looking for ways to update its equipment, provide thorough training, or enhance community relations. These strategies exist in many locales, and Niagara area citizens deserve no less. But at what cost? A quick look at the numbers shows that policing costs have soared well above inflation. In the early 2000s, the NRP budget demanded about $60-70 million annually. By 2026, the budget will need $236.9 million after increases of 13.2 per cent in 2024 and 11.5 per cent in 2025, with estimates of rises to 14.8 per cent in 2027 and 10.5 per cent the following year. The validity of the explanations offered for these rises may be a subject of ongoing debate, but it is undeniable that the current increases cannot be sustained. With arbitration deciding the outcomes, cost certainty disappears. Whether that genie can be reined in after amalgamation remains uncertain. 

Other issues driving the talks include infrastructure backlogs, deficits, and operational red tape and inefficiency. Some claim that up to 50 per cent of Niagara’s water and wastewater systems are in poor or very poor shape. Regarding red tape, some argue that having 12 CAOs (Chief Administrative Officers) in the region and all the bureaucratic “mumbo-jumbo” in place deters businesses and developers from investing there. Again, much of this relies on presumptions and assumptions. What data has been collected, what reports have been written, and what statistics have been gathered? 

COMBINING LOCAL COMMUNITIES

Joining towns and cities together may make sense in certain situations under the right conditions. Besides the long-term consultation that seems fair and wise, why should citizens themselves not exercise the ultimate say in a decision of this magnitude? After studying the data, holding public hearings, and airing out the issues thoroughly, let the people vote on whether they want amalgamation, to continue with regional government, or vote for other options that the research finds plausible. 

An example this author knows firsthand exists in the community where I grew up. Fort Erie’s Volunteer Fire Department, officially established in 1862, has four companies across the Greater Fort Erie area after two recent consolidations in 2013 and 2021. With an estimated population of just over 37,000, the town’s volunteer fire safety services are among the largest in the province in terms of population served. Niagara-on-the-Lake, with a population of 19,000, ranks first with an all-volunteer department that employs no full-time officials. If Niagara Falls absorbed these towns, what would happen to those volunteer units, and what would become of cost-effective service delivery? Other examples abound. The move to dissect regional government demands consideration, deliberation, and consultation. 

NEW CHAIR AND NEW BLUEPRINT

Whoever becomes the Niagara Regional Chair will inherit numerous headaches. The council would likely favour former Liberal MP Vance Badawey. The former mayor of Port Colborne has the requisite skills and works well with other councillors. He speaks carefully and has the respect of many other councillors. Regardless, the selected individual must have strong alliances with other councillors and community leaders in the region. This person must possess the skills of experience, collaboration, patience, and wisdom. They might oversee the dismantling of regional government and implement a new system, whether it involves amalgamation or something else. Think of a juggler with a dozen items in the air. Or the old “Monkeys in a Barrel” toy, where you had to pick up each monkey and get them back in the barrel. You could have everything just about solved, and the link would break. The effort to resolve problems that have taken decades or longer to develop has no simple solution. Asking an overweight person to show up the next day a hundred pounds lighter sounds impossible. The region cannot reduce faster than makes sense. Let’s hope that future decisions made by regional meetings are based on data collection, consulting experienced individuals or those who have researched this issue, engaging in respectful discussions, including input from the people of Niagara, and developing a model that includes clear intent, vision, and takes into account historical and heritage considerations.