Bob Gale has let the province know he's proposing a smaller Niagara regional council
A proposal from Niagara Regional Chair Bob Gale on how to change the regional government.
He's written to Minister of Municipal Affairs Rob Flack indicating in order to improve government operations he's proposing a regional council with a chair and 12 municipal mayors.
He also suggests each mayor's vote be according to 15,000 residents, so a municipality of 100,000 residents get 6-votes, or 6,000 people get one vote.
Also, St. Catharines would have 12 councillors, plus the mayor... Niagara Falls would have 8-councillors... Welland, Niagara on the Lake, Thorold, Pelham, West Lincoln, Lincoln, Grimsby, Fort Erie and Port Colborne will have 6, and Wainfleet will have 4.
The chair adds this idea is supported by the mayors of St. Catharines, Niagara Falls, Welland, Lincoln, Pelham, Niagara on the Lake and Wainfleet, and represents 74% of the population.
Gale also writes he's heard from several major private-sector companies in Niagara, representing about 12,000 employees, who are in support of governance restructuring.
He's also proposing these changes be in place by the fall municipal elections.
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