The possibility of amalgamation of cities and towns in the Niagara region will be decided by local mayors, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said Wednesday, though he believes something must be done to improve governance.
The Regional Municipality of Niagara has a two-tier governance structure with an upper-tier government as well as 12 lower-tier municipalities with 126 councillors in total.
The new provincially appointed chair of the region, Bob Gale, has told the province the region has far too many tax increases, a growing capital backlog in the billions and an inability to be fiscally prudent.
Any move toward amalgamation “has to be led by Niagara, simple as that,” Ford said at an unrelated news conference in Niagara Falls.
“If it’s not led by Niagara, well, we move on, and I guess the people in Niagara are going to pay double-digit tax increases for quite some time.”
Gale was appointed to the role in December by Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Rob Flack. He recently wrote to Flack about the situation in the region.
“This governance structure has resulted in a decision-making process that has led to successive tax increases of roughly 7 per cent, 9.6 per cent, and 6.3 per cent over the past three years, driving the regional tax levy up by almost 25 per cent over a single council term,” Gale wrote.
“This is an egregious affront to Niagara taxpayers and is not sustainable.”
Gale has proposed reducing the number ofcouncillors and restructuring the region, “including potential amalgamations.”
Ford agreed with Gale that taxes in the region are too high, there are too many politicians, and that amalgamation would save taxpayers money.
Ford said he will ultimately side with whatever the majority of them decide. But the possibility of amalgamation has divided the region’s 12 mayors.
Niagara Falls for, Fort Erie against amalgamation
Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati said he is in favour of amalgamating down to four cities. He said the two-tier government has led to bloated property tax increases and “too many politicians.”
“And when you look at our current status, we’ve got $110-million infrastructure deficit. Fifty per cent of our water and wastewater infrastructure is poor or very poor and failing.”
Diodati told The Canadian Press he has spoken privately with Ford about amalgamation.
“I know the premier favours one city,” Diodati said. He agrees the region should eventually amalgamate into one.
“I think down the road, that’ll definitely be the answer,” he said. “It’s just premature, and I think we do (the four-city option) for now.”
Fort Erie Mayor Wayne Redekop said the town does not support forced amalgamation, but rather a more efficient government. If amalgamation is forced upon them, Redekop said they would prefer to go it on their own.
“We believe that financially and administratively, we can accomplish that,” he said in an interview.
The issue of governance in Niagara has long been studied, including multiple times by the Ford government. It commissioned a report on municipal governance early in its first term, but has refused to release the findings.
Grimsby Mayor Jeff Jordan is calling on the province to publish those findings and others, so as not to rush into a decision before all the facts are known.
“We need clear, comprehensive data on service delivery impacts, financial implications, governance structures, and logistical considerations before taking a firm stance,” he wrote in a statement.
“The options shared so far outline only two structural models and do not reflect the broader range of possibilities that should be thoughtfully explored.”
Some mayors, including those in Niagara-on-the-Lake, are staunchly opposed and take exception to the speed at which this process appears to be happening.
“Any proposal that would fundamentally change our municipality must have a clear legislative foundation, a transparent process, and meaningful public consultation,” Mayor Gary Zalepa wrote in a statement.
“None of that has occurred.”
Several mayors and a provincial representative take issue with how Gale has approached the discussion around amalgamation. They said Gale gave the mayors only two weeks to respond to a letter he sent them on Feb. 19.
“The process is ridiculous,” said provincial New Democrat Jeff Burch, who represents the riding of Niagara Centre.
“People in Niagara don’t want it, and I’ve been hearing this for the 30 years that I’ve been involved in politics in Niagara.”