April 13, 2026

Niagara Regional Councillor Haley Bateman is raising concerns regarding recent governance decisions and growing financial pressures facing the Region, calling for greater accountability, transparency, and a renewed fiscal relationship with senior levels of government.

Bateman’s comments follow recent communications issued in relation to the A Better Municipal Governance Act, which she says were developed without proper Council involvement and contradict previously approved motions.

“This is a matter of process and governance,” said Bateman.

“These letters were released following Regional Council meetings and stand in direct contrast to motions that were clearly passed by Council. They were issued without fulsome discussion and without direction from this body. If we had been consulted, I hope that this is the direction we would have taken. It’s not too late to advocate for the residents of Niagara. If these changes are approved, Niagara will be a Conservative Government.”

Bateman emphasized that none of Niagara’s Regional Councillors have been formally engaged in discussions regarding a new governance model for Niagara.

“Not one member of this Council has been asked to participate in shaping what a new regional governance model should look like,” she said.

“That shows a lack of respect for the work and advocacy of every member around this table.”

She added that governance decisions must remain rooted in Council authority: “Council must be at the center of decisions that fundamentally shape how this Region operates. This is not just a process issue; it is a governance issue. We are residents of Niagara and had we been consulted, we would have had the opportunity to clearly identify how municipalities are being underfunded by both the provincial and federal governments. And neither level of government wants that. Removing us from the equation appears to be how the Province is choosing to deal with this.”

Beyond governance concerns, Bateman highlighted the growing financial strain facing Niagara municipalities, describing it as a structural imbalance.

“Niagara is facing a structural fiscal challenge. We are being asked to deliver more services, in more complex areas, without the financial support required from provincial and federal partners,” she said. “And increasingly, those costs are being downloaded onto the municipal tax levy.”

Bateman pointed to significant financial impacts resulting from Bill 23, including an estimated $84 million loss in development charge revenue in 2023 and $52 million in 2024.

“Those costs don’t disappear—they are shifted onto property taxpayers, deferred, or added to municipal debt.”

She also noted rising costs across critical services:

-Multi-million dollar annual increases in housing and homelessness support

-Paramedic services are operating above intended cost-sharing levels while supporting over 14 million annual visitors

-Transit systems requiring tens of millions in tax support due to low fare recovery

-A $2.76 billion infrastructure backlog with an annual shortfall of nearly $400 million

“I believe we are responsible for up to 60 percent of infrastructure, yet receive only 9 to 10 percent of the revenue tools needed to fund it. That imbalance is not sustainable.”

Bateman highlighted pressures from major services, including the Niagara Regional Police Service, which accounts for nearly 39 percent of the Region’s operating budget, and increased reliance on municipal funding for organizations like the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority.

“Provincially mandated services like public health and policing continue to grow in cost, while supportive funding has not kept pace with inflation. It is placing an unreasonable burden on local taxpayers.”

Niagara’s unique role as a major tourism and trade corridor further intensifies these pressures. The Region welcomes approximately 14 million visitors annually and generates an estimated $3 billion in tourism-related economic activity, while also serving as a key border crossing between Canada and the United States.

“Niagara is not just another municipality; we are a critical economic driver for Ontario and Canada. Yet municipalities are left carrying a disproportionate share of the costs required to sustain that success.”

 In response, Bateman is calling for a comprehensive review of the provincial-municipal fiscal framework and a new approach to funding municipalities.

“Niagara needs a new deal, and this must be our top priority,” she said. “We need a system that reflects the realities of what municipalities are being asked to deliver and ensures we have the tools to do it sustainably.”