Niagara amalgamation must come from a local plan, Ford says

Ontario Premier Doug Ford said any amalgamation of municipalities in the Niagara Region should be led locally and have majority support from mayors and elected officials; the discussion followed a letter from provincial appointee Bob Gale raising concerns about the two‑tier governance structure and recent tax increases.

Ontario's premier said the province would support amalgamation in the Niagara Region only if it is led and approved locally. The issue was raised after Bob Gale, a provincial appointee to the Regional Municipality of Niagara, wrote to the provincial government criticizing the current governance and recent tax increases. The region operates a two‑tier system with an upper tier and 12 lower‑tier municipalities that together have 126 councillors. Local mayors have expressed differing views on whether and how to restructure the region. Key points: - Doug Ford said any amalgamation "has to be from Niagara by Niagara" and would need approvals from a majority of mayors and a majority of elected officials before the province would proceed. - The Regional Municipality of Niagara is a two‑tier government with an upper tier and 12 lower‑tier municipalities, totaling 126 councillors. - Bob Gale was appointed chair in December by Municipal Affairs Minister Rob Flack and sent a letter to the province raising concerns about the region's governance and costs. - Gale's letter reported successive regional tax increases of roughly 7 per cent, 9.6 per cent and 6.3 per cent over three years, saying the regional tax levy rose almost 25 per cent over a single council term. - Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati has expressed support for amalgamating the region into four cities, while Fort Erie Mayor Wayne Redekop said his town is not in favour. Summary: Any change to Niagara's municipal structure would need a local proposal with majority support before the province would act. Undetermined at this time.