“The Niagara Region is its own worst enemy. Our term (of regional council) is not over, and we need to be actively engaged until the end of our term”. – Haley Bateman, St. Catharines Regional Councillor
A News Release from St. Catharnes Niagara Regional Councillor Haley Bateman
Posted June 25th, 2026 on Niagara At Large
St. Catharines Regional Councillor Haley Bateman
ST. CATHARINES, ON– A motion drafted by St. Catharines Regional Councillor Haley Bateman and calling for Niagara Region Public Health to actively participate in the environmental assessment, cleanup, and redevelopment planning of the former General Motors site on Ontario Street will not be heard by Niagara Regional Council (at its meeting this June 25th) after Regional staff determined the matter falls outside the Region’s core jurisdiction.
The motion sought to direct Niagara Region Public Health’s Environmental Division to engage in the review of environmental studies, health risk assessments, remediation plans, and community consultation activities related to the redevelopment of the former General Motors property at 282–285 Ontario Street in St. Catharines.
The motion also called for regular public reporting on environmental and public health considerations throughout the site’s cleanup and redevelopment process and expressed support for efforts to ensure strong environmental oversight under Ontario’s Environmental Protection Act.
In correspondence received from the Regional Clerk’s Office, it was stated that, following consultation with the Chair’s Office and the Chief Administrative Officer, and based on correspondence from Niagara Region’s Medical Officer of Health indicating that the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) is the primary regulatory authority, the motion was deemed to fall outside Regional Council’s core jurisdiction.
As a result, under Section 19.3(a) of Niagara Region’s Procedural By-law, the motion required both a mover and a seconder prior to being placed on the Council agenda. When asked if she agrees with staff decision to not include the motion, acting chair Barbara Greenwood said “yes”.
Because a seconder was not confirmed in advance, the motion will not appear on the June 25 Regional Council agenda.
“The Niagara Region is its own worst enemy,” said Bateman. “Our term is not over, and we need to be actively engaged until the end of our term”.
The old General Motors site off Ontarrio Street in St. Catharines, Niagara
“A motion supporting the clean-up of this site and the engagement of Public Health’s Environmental Division is exactly what is required to communicate the efforts being undertaken to remediate this property. I receive calls and emails daily from residents who are concerned about the former GM lands, and somehow our Chief Medical Officer of Health is refusing to engage or share information he has already stated that he has. I have asked Dr. Kasmani to review my motion and highlight the areas that he claims are outside of our jurisdiction, but he did not follow-through with my request.”
“Air quality, environmental hazards, and community health impacts are directly related to the mandate and expertise of Niagara Region Public Health. Public Health should be actively involved in the safety of the neighbourhoods, schools, parks, recreational facilities, and residential areas surrounding the General Motors site at 282-285 Ontario Street.”
The former General Motors property represents one of the largest redevelopment opportunities in Niagara and has been the subject of public concern and environmental scrutiny for many years. The motion emphasized that remediation and redevelopment activities at the site have the potential to affect public health through issues such as contaminated soil and groundwater, dust, air quality, noise, traffic, and other environmental factors.
“I am not asking the Region to take over from the Ministry,” Bateman added. “However, we should be working alongside them, providing local public health expertise, communicating directly with residents, and ensuring the public remains informed throughout the remediation and redevelopment process. Most importantly, we should be supporting the residents who live and work in the surrounding community.”
Despite the motion not proceeding to Council, concerns remain regarding the need for transparent communication, public engagement, and ongoing monitoring of potential health impacts associated with the redevelopment of the former industrial property
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