Niagara Regional Council

The Niagara Regional Council is the governing body of the Regional Municipality of Niagara in Ontario, Canada. Council meets at Niagara Region Headquarters in Thorold, Ontario.^[1]

The council is composed of a regional chair, the 12 mayors of the constituent municipalities, and 18 regional councillors, all elected to 4-year terms. The next election was held in October 2018, and the council's composition is reviewed and updated accordingly.

The regional chair of the Niagara Regional Council is not directly elected by the residents, but rather chosen by the council members themselves. While any eligible voter in the region can be considered for the position, the regional policy typically selects the chair from among the 30 council members elected in the previous municipal elections. Once chosen, the regional chair must relinquish their seat as a municipal councillor, triggering a process for the municipality to fill the vacancy.^[2]

Controversy

On January 25, 18 delegates were slated to speak to request that the council be lit in the colours of the Palestinian flag in solidarity with community members who had loved ones killed in Gaza. The delegations were prevented when a motion brough forth by Laura Ip and Mat Siscoe to prevent them from speaking was passed. In response, members watching began to chant "Ceasefire Now!" which resulted in council calling a recess and escorting members out.^[3]

On July 25, Niagara Regional Council passed a motion banning the display of signage within the council chambers following a months long spectacle with pro-Palestinian supporters in which the council refused to light the chambers in the colours of the Palestinian flag as was done for Israel. In response, Christine Van Geyn, litigation director for the Canadian Constitution Foundation described the measure as unconstitutional and highly vulnerable to litigation.^[4]

Council members

Councillor	Notes
Jim Bradley	Chair and CEO
Wayne Redekop	Mayor, Fort Erie
Tom Insinna	Councillor, Fort Erie
Jeff Jordan	Mayor, Grimsby
Wayne F. Fertich	Councillor, Grimsby
Sandra Easton	Mayor, Lincoln
Robert Foster	Councillor, Lincoln
Jim Diodati	Mayor, Niagara Falls
Bob Gale	Councillor, Niagara Falls
Barbara Greenwood
Peter Nicholson
Betty Disero	Lord Mayor, Niagara-on-the-Lake
Gary Zalepa	Councillor, Niagara-on-the-Lake
Marvin Junkin	Mayor, Pelham
Diana Huson	Councillor, Pelham
Bill Steele	Mayor, Port Colborne
Barbara Butters	Councillor, Port Colborne
Mat Siscoe	Mayor, St. Catharines
Haley Bateman	Councillor, St. Catharines
Brian Heit
Sandie Bellows
George Darte
Tim Rigby
Laura Ip
Terry Ugulini	Mayor, Thorold
Tim Whalen	Councillor, Thorold
Kevin Gibson	Mayor, Wainfleet
Frank Campion	Mayor, Welland
Pat Chiocchio	Councillor, Welland
Leanna Villella
Dave Bylsma	Mayor, West Lincoln
Albert Witteveen	Councillor, West Lincoln

^[5]

References

1. "Regional Council - Niagara Region, Ontario". www.niagararegion.ca. Retrieved 2024-06-18.
2. dougdraper (2024-03-28). "Niagara Regional Chair Delivers Upbeat 'State of the Region' Address During Tough Times". Niagara At Large. Retrieved 2024-06-18.
3. "Israel-Hamas conflict upends Niagara regional council meeting".
4. "Niagara Region's ban on signs in council chambers 'unconstitutional'".
5. "Regional Council Members, 2018 - 2022 - Niagara Region, Ontario".

External links

• Official website