“More than three-in-five respondents (62%) thought Premier Doug Ford and his provincial government should back off from meddling in Niagara’s local democracy.”
“Two thirds of residents think the issue (of governance reform in Niagara) should be put to a special vote in this year’s municipal elections.”
By Mario Canseco, Research Co., a professional public poll and analysis company, on a poll conducted for CUPE (Canadian Unton of Public Employees) Ontario
Posted April 16th, 2026 on Niagara At Large
At a recent anti-Ford rally in Niagara. photo by Emily Spanton
(A Brief Note to Niagara At Large readers – As stated in the polling information posted below, this poll was conducted before Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s appointed Niagara Regional Chair and former Ford Conservative candidate in Niagara Falls, Bob Gale, resigned from the Chair’s job this past March after news emerged that he owned a signed copy of Hitler’s hate-filled manifesto Mein Kampf, and after Ford and some of his hardcore supporters in municipal politics here at least temporarily shelved the idea of amalgamating municipalities in favour of significiantly reducing the number of elected representatives serving our communities at the local and regional level.
Niagara At Large is nevertheless posting the poll because, arguably, it is unlikely the feelings of a majority of Niagara residents, that they should have much more of a say in the future of their municipal governments and how they are run across the region has changed.)
St. Catharines, ON – Residents of the 12 cities, towns and townships that form the Niagara Region are unconvinced about an amalgamation proposal, a new Research Co. poll conducted for CUPE Ontario has found.
In the mixed mode survey of a representative regional sample, conducted in early March, more than three-in-five respondents (62%) thought Premier Doug Ford and his provincial government should back off from meddling in Niagara’s local democracy though his hand-picked Regional Chair, Bob Gale and want the people of Niagara to have their say on possible amalgamation based on who they elect as mayors and councillors in October.
Only 19% of respondents think Premier Ford and his provincial government should continue pushing for amalgamation through Gale, who they appointed, and want this decision to be made by the provincial government and the current mayors of Niagara’s 12 municipalities.
The survey was conducted prior to Gale’s resignation as chair of the Regional Municipality of Niagara on March 12, following a controversy regarding his alleged ownership of a signed copy of Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf.
Majorities of both men (58%) and women (66%) in the Niagara Region want to place the decision on amalgamation away from the provincial government—a view that is shared by 60% of Niagara Region residents aged 18-to-34, 61% of those aged 35-to-54 and 65% of those aged 55 and over.
Two thirds of respondents (66%) think the possible amalgamation of cities, towns and townships in the Niagara Region should be put to a special vote during the municipal elections already scheduled for this October—a proportion that rises to 76% among respondents aged 55 and over.
Methodology: Results are based on a mixed-mode (online and telephone) survey conducted from March 5 to March 10, 2026, among 934 adults in the Niagara Region. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age and gender in the Niagara Region. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is +/- 3.2 percentage points, nineteen times out of twenty..
Find our data tables here and download the press release here.
Mario Canseco has analyzed and conducted public opinion research since 2003, designing and managing research projects for clients across private and public sectors.
For more on Research Co., click on – Research Co. – Public Opinion Polls and Analysis
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