“The appointment of regional chairs with “strong chair” powers is fundamentally undemocratic.” – Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO)
A Call-Out to the Ford Government from the Association of Of Municpalities Of Ontario
Posted June 26th, 2026 on Niatara At Large
Doug Draper , during my earlier years as a newspaper reporter in Niagara.
A Brief Foreword by Doug Draper at Niagara At Large – How good it is to have the Association of Ontario Municipalities come out with a call for protecting our democratic freedoms at the municipal government level and how shameful it is that our own Niagara’s Regional Council (with the exception of a few on that council) has not come out with something anywhere near as strong on behalf of the people it is supposed to represent.
To add to the shame, we have a Niagara Regional council with three key members – St. Catharines Mayor Mat Siscoe, Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati and Welland Mayor Frank Campion – who openly endorsed Doug Ford during last year’s provincial election and a handful of significant others on the council who don’t mind licking Ford’s boots for whatever “rewards” they hope to receive, including the possibility that Ford might appoint them to the position of Regional Chair.
It adds up to a disgusting situation for everyday Niagara residents and we should all be demanding that Ford let our local representatives get back to deciding who should be our Regional Chair.
Now here is the call-out from AMO –
Bill 100, the Better Regional Governance Act, 2026 was passed on May 7. AMO has sent a letter to the province opposing the government’s decision to move forward with the appointment of regional chairs, the Warden of Simcoe County, and the Chair of Muskoka District. Municipal leaders should be elected by, and accountable to local voters – not Queen’s Park. AMO calls on the province to restore the balance of local governance by reversing Bill 100 and maintaining the democratic election of heads of council.
The appointment of regional chairs with “strong chair” powers is fundamentally undemocratic. It erodes accountability to voters, undermines the ability of councils to represent the interests of their residents, move forward on local priorities, and deliver effective services. The selection of heads of council should be kept local.
This is key to ensuring:
- Regional chairs have a strong, local mandate to deliver local priorities and drive growth
- Residents can hold elected officials to account and elect people who care about their priorities
- Unelected appointees cannot overturn decisions made by democratically-elected council members
- Regional chairs have a deep understanding of how municipal government works, and are able to build consensus, trust and buy-in at Council and in the community to advance shared local goals
For more on the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO), click – Home | AMO
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