A News Commentary by Doug Draper
Posted November 10th, 2026 on Niagara At Large
Not much of a surprise here.
Doug Ford yes-man Frank Campion is appointed Niagara’s new Reginoal Chair
Word had already leaked out that Frank Campion had decided not to run for Mayor of Welland again because he wanted to be in the running for an appointment by Ontario’s Ford government to be appointed Niagara’s Regional Chair.
Campion had already brandished his desire for the Chair’s job by joining fellow Niagara Mayors, Mat Siscoe of St. Catharines and Jim Diodati of Niagara Falls, in his open endorsement of Ontario Premier Doug Ford in the last provincial election.
So here we are. The Niagara Regional Chair’s position, which was historically filled by someone chose by the elected members of Regional Council, is now appointed by Ford and his government and is granted “super powers” to veto any decisions made by whoever is left on the Regional Council coming in.
Courtesy of Ontario Premier Doug Ford, Campion will be quite the King. And If You are one of the almost two thirds of elibable voters who did not bother casting a ballot in this Fall’s municipal elections, I don’t want to hear you complain.
Niagara At Large will have more to say about this later.
For now, here is the news release on this appointment, from the Ford government-
Ontario Announces Heads of Council in Eight Upper-Tier Municipalities
Regional Chairs will help prioritize housing and infrastructure in province’s fastest growing regions
November 10, 2026
TORONTO — Today, Rob Flack, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, announced the following Heads of Council for Durham, Halton, Niagara, Peel, Waterloo and York regions, Muskoka District and Simcoe County:
- Kevin Ashe, Durham Regional Chair
- Ann Mulvale, Halton Regional Chair
- Frank Campion, Niagara Regional Chair
- Nando Iannicca, Peel Regional Chair
- Scott Davey, Waterloo Regional Chair
- Steven Del Duca, York Regional Chair
- Scott Aitchison, Muskoka District Chair
- Don McIsaac, Simcoe County Chair
“Ontario stands at an important juncture. As we navigate geopolitical challenges and create the conditions for growth, strong leadership at the regional level is more important than ever,” said Rob Flack, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
“These appointments reflect our confidence in local leaders who bring a deep understanding of their municipalities and a proven record of performance and public service. As Heads of Council, they will foster collaboration across municipalities, support responsible growth and ensure services are delivered efficiently, so that these communities remain great places to live, work and raise a family.”
Heads of Council are equipped with powers to streamline decision-making, improve efficiency, strengthen alignment with provincial priorities, including housing and infrastructure, and introduce upper-tier budgets.
Heads of Council bring a range of experience and expertise to their new roles, including municipal governance and administration, infrastructure delivery and finance.
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