Eight of Niagara’s 12 local municipalities unite behind a concrete plan to modernize regional governance, cut duplication, and keep taxes low for residents
A News Release and a Letter to Ontario Premier Doug Ford from the Mayors of Fort Erie, Pelham, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Grimsby, Wainfleet, Thorold, Port Colborne and West Lincoln
(The Mayors of St. Catharines, Niagara Falls, Welland and Lincoln, for reasons yet to be known, are not included in this news release and letter.)
Posted March 5th, 2026 on Niagara At Large
NIAGARA, ON — The Mayors of Thorold, West Lincoln, Port Colborne, Fort Erie, Grimsby, Pelham, Niagara-on-the-Lake, and Wainfleet today delivered a joint letter to Premier Doug Ford presenting a clear agenda to modernize governance and service delivery in Niagara. The mayors are moving decisively to address the number of politicians, strengthen efficiency, eliminate duplication, and secure long-term economic growth for their municipalities and the taxpayers they serve.
The announcement follows a motion passed by an overwhelming majority of Niagara’s elected representatives at Regional Council on February 26, 2026, directing a comprehensive governance and service delivery review.
This is Niagara stepping up – not standing in the way.
Aligning with Provincial Priorities
The mayors have heard the Province’s concerns and are acting on them. Their reforms are practical, evidence-based, and designed to align with provincial priorities — while maintaining strong local representation and preserving the integrity of their communities.
A Clear Reform Agenda
The governance and service delivery review will include a focus on the following priority areas, with a firm commitment to act where a clear fiscal business case supports doing so:
- Water and Wastewater: Establishing one or more Water and Wastewater Public Corporation(s) under the Water and Wastewater Public Corporations Act, 2025.
- Regional Services: Subject to a financial review, reforming local and regional services to drive savings and deliver better value for every tax dollar – such as transitioning the Regional road network and remaining services such as Social Services, Public Health and EMS to locally-governed Public Service Boards.
- Council Size: Reducing the number of politicians by streamlining councils to reflect the needs and scale of each community.
Rooted in Community
These reforms reflect what residents have said directly: they want governance that is efficient, affordable, locally accountable, and built around the unique character of Niagara’s small and rural communities. The mayors are delivering on that mandate.
Looking Ahead
We are committed to a made-in-Niagara local and regional governance reform that will be reflected in the 2026 municipal election as well as the ongoing support for the governance and service delivery review passed by Regional Council in February 2026.
About the Participating Municipalities
This joint statement represents the municipalities of Thorold, West Lincoln, Port Colborne, Fort Erie, Grimsby, Pelham, Niagara-on-the-Lake, and Wainfleet — eight communities committed to building a stronger, more efficient Niagara for residents and taxpayers.
The Mayors’ Letter to Ontario Premier Doug Ford –
March 4, 2026
RE: Joint Letter from the Lower-Tier Municipalities of Niagara Region
The Honourable Premier Doug Ford,
We, the Mayors of Thorold, West Lincoln, Port Colborne, Fort Erie, Grimsby, Pelham, Wainfleet and the Lord Mayor of Niagara-on-the-Lake, write with a unified voice to present our agenda for modernizing governance in Niagara. We are taking decisive action to address the number of politicians, strengthen efficiency, and eliminate duplication to enable economic growth and long-term sustainability for our municipalities and the taxpayers we serve.
We have heard the Province’s concerns clearly, and we are acting on them. We share the goal of building a governance model that is streamlined, transparent to the public, and results-driven, and are committed to implementing practical, evidence-based reforms that align with provincial priorities while maintaining strong, responsive local representation and preserving the integrity of our communities.
This is Niagara stepping up – not standing in the way.
At Niagara Regional Council on February 26, 2026, an overwhelming majority of Niagara’s mayors and elected representatives passed a motion directing a comprehensive governance and service delivery review be initiated. Niagara is positioning itself as a provincial leader in responsible municipal reform – and we are moving forward with purpose. The review will include focus on the following priority areas, with a firm commitment to act where a clear fiscal business case supports doing so:
- Establishing one or more Water and Wastewater Public Corporation(s) under the Water and Wastewater Public Corporations Act, 2025.
- Subject to a financial review, reforming local and regional services to drive savings and deliver better value for every tax dollar – such
as transitioning the Regional road network and remaining services such as Social Services, Public Health and EMS to locally-governed Public Service Boards. - Reducing the number of politicians by streamlining councils to reflect the needs and scale of each community.
These reforms reflect what our residents have told us directly: they want governance that is efficient, affordable, locally accountable, and reflective of the unique character of Niagara’s small and rural communities. We are delivering on that mandate.
We are committed to a made-in-Niagara local and regional governance reform that will be reflected in the 2026 municipal election, as well as the ongoing support for the governance and service delivery review passed by Regional Council in February 2026.
We would welcome the opportunity to meet with you at your earliest convenience to discuss this further and to outline how Niagara’s municipalities can work collaboratively with the Province to advance these reforms. We are confident that, together, we can deliver a governance model that reflects shared priorities and achieves meaningful, lasting
results for the people of Ontario.
Respectfully,
The Mayors of Fort Erie, Grimsby, Port Colborne, West Lincoln, Pelham, Thorold, Wainfleet, and the Lord Mayor of Niagara-on-the-Lake.
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