We got to hear from Ontario’s top politician today on possible amalgamation in Niagara.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford was in Niagara Falls this morning to mark a construction milestone at the new South Niagara Hospital.
Once the ceremony was complete, reporters flooded Ford with questions about Regional Chair Bob Gale’s call for change to our regional government structure.
Ford says says he will leave the possibility of amalgamation of cities and towns to local mayors, though he believes something must be done.
“You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure out we have too many politicians. I always said even when I downsized the city, politicians aren’t going to vote themselves out of a job. It’s like asking the turkeys to vote for Thanksgiving. I don’t mean they are turkeys by any means. You aren’t going to put yourself in the oven, you are going to keep collecting taxpayers money, you’re going to have double digit tax increases.”
Ford says taxes in the region are too high, there are too many politicians and that amalgamation would save taxpayers money.
The possibility of amalgamation has divided the region’s 12 mayors, with the majority of Niagara’s mayors opposed to change.
Ford says he will ultimately side with whatever the majority of them decide.
St. Catharines Mayor Mat Siscoe, and Welland Mayor Frank Campion, would like to see a four-city model.
Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati, who also supports the four-city plan, spoke in support of change at today’s event.
“How is it that we need 126 (elected officials), not that they don’t work hard, and the politicians don’t earn their money…..but no politician is gong to vote themselves out of a job. It simply doesn’t happen. We need change here, we don’t need our kids and grandkids to inherit huge debt and falling and crumbling infrastructure. We have asked the province to help us fix this.”
Click here to see a recap of which mayors support and oppose amalgamation.
Story credit: Bonnie Heslop, with files from The Canadian Press
Image credit: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Peter Power
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