A Statement from Niagara Regional Chair Bob Gale on the Region’s Proposed 2026 Niagara Region Budget, followed by a response from Niagara At Large reporter/publisher Doug Draper
Posted February 11th, 2026 on Niagara At Large
Niagara Falls Regional Councillor Bob Gale has been appointed Niagara’s Regional Chair by Ontario’s Ford Government
Niagara Regional Chair, Bob Gale, has issued the following statement after conducting a review of the Region’s proposed 2026 budget.
“Following a Motion tabled by Councillor Easton and passed by Council on January 8, I asked staff to take a deeper look at our operations to identify immediate opportunities for budget savings. I directed the team to look for savings without touching healthcare, long-term care, or any essential or social services.
“We have identified over $3 million in additional potential savings for the 2026 budget, responding directly to concerns raised by residents about affordability and rising costs.
“I have heard clearly from taxpayers across Niagara that they are feeling financial pressure. Residents have been asking us to keep increases as low as possible, and I take that responsibility seriously.
“If passed, these savings will keep real dollars in the pockets of families and businesses, where we can all agree it is better used.
“I want to thank Regional Council for sending us to look for more efficiency and express my gratitude to the Regional staff who worked tirelessly to identity and recommend potential savings.”
“These identified savings and related budget measures remain subject to final approval by Regional Council.”
Doug Draper, at work at his former reporting job at The St. Catharines Standard, way back when newspapers still had newsrooms
A Brief Response from Doug Draper at Niagara At Large – So Bob Gale, Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s new chair at Niagara Region – appointed by Ford’s government following the tragic death last September, 2025 of former Regional Chair Jim Bradley – says he has recently looked at this year’s proposed regional budget and found an additional $3 million in savings.
To that I say; Nothing of any real significance for the rest of us to celebrate here.
The annual budget for the Niagara Regional Police Service alone has risen to more than $236 million. And the total Regional Government budget adds up to hundreds of millions of dollars more.
Given all of that, another $3 million seems like throwing two or three coins into a fountain and wishing, in vain, for a little relief come tax time.
As it stands now, we, the little people with homes and local businesses who pay municipal taxes in this region, are facing somewhere around a seven per cent increase in the regional portion of our property taxes this year – well above the rate of inflation – all coming after this regional council has slapped us with increases significantly above the rate of inflation for the the past three years.
The only good news this year may be that we have municipal elections in October. It is not to early to go looking for some good candidates to run for seats on this council. We are in urgent need of change!
-
Doug Draper, Niagara At Large
NIAGARA AT LARGE Encourages You To Join The Conversation By Sharing Your Views On This Post In The Space Below and by sharing the Niagara At Large site at www.niagaraatlarge.com with all of your friends and associates.
Visit us every day on www.niagaraat.arge.com and on Doug Draper’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/doug.draper.180 and encourage everyone else you know to do the same. Let’s build local news and commentary media!
Niagara At Large 