Fort Erie Stands Firm on Proposed Governance Changes

FORT ERIE (February 20, 2026): Bob Gale was appointed by Ontario Premier Doug Ford to be Niagara's Regional Chair on December 15 last year. 

Yesterday, the newly appointed Gale sent letters to all 12 mayors in Niagara and a separate letter to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.  While the letter to the mayors is dated February 5th, it was not sent until February 19th. The Regional Chair has requested feedback on potential governance review in Niagara by March 3, 2026. 

This will be the third time in the past seven years that an initiative has been started to review governance in Niagara, the first two by the Premier. It is unclear on what authority the Regional Chair is undertaking his review.  He was not elected to his position, unlike mayors who have democratically earned the public trust, represent the interests of their residents and businesses and advocate for local governance issues that align with local priorities and values, high quality public service, value for tax dollars and responsive service to our respective communities.

It is not reasonable to expect a careful and informed response to major and disruptive changes like governance reform or municipal amalgamation within 12 days. Rushing a decision of this size shows poor judgment and does not allow for meaningful consultation.

The Town of Fort Erie will write to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing to express concern about forced amalgamations and request that a business case be provided that is based on data-driven evidence to prove that a new structure will actually improve quality of life in this region. Municipal governments should strive to provide excellent, efficient and cost-effective services to residents and businesses every single day.

Changes to local governance must be supported by a clear business case that shows real benefits to the community, good value for taxpayers, or improved services. These benefits must be strong enough to justify the level of disruption these changes can cause. Municipal operating decisions should be data driven, transparent and subject to public scrutiny.  Forced municipal amalgamations should not be undertaken without public consultation.

The Town of Fort Erie is delivering on local and Provincial goals that include economic growth, affordable housing and fiscal responsibility.  The Town's reserves are healthy and tax rates are low.

Fort Erie is strong and has shown in the past that it can stand alone and thrive as a single-tier municipality.  Fort Erie has also stood firmly against the forced amalgamation of municipalities. 

“Fort Erie has a proud history of strong, independent local governance. Decisions that affect our community must be transparent, evidence based and shaped by the people who live and work here. We will continue to stand firmly against any forced amalgamation and advocate for the right of our residents to have a clear voice in the future of Fort Erie. Our community is strong, fiscally responsible, and well positioned to thrive on its own, and we will continue to defend that strength.”
 – Fort Erie Mayor Wayne Redekop

We encourage public engagement on this issue and look forward to hearing from you.  To everyone who loves Fort Erie, and wants to fight for your local community, now is the time to be heard.

We will keep our community informed as more information becomes available.