Whether it results in a single region or an alternative, governance reform must put focus on efficiency and service, writes Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce chief executive officer Mishka Balsom.
Whether it results in a single region or an alternative, governance reform must put focus on efficiency and service, writes Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce chief executive officer Mishka Balsom.
After the Government of Ontario announced its decision to break up Peel Region, all eyes are watching the Ministry of Municipal Affairs for an announcement on Niagara’s fate. A facilitator to review the two-tiered government structure is about to be appointed, and Niagara region may be in for some changes the like of which it hasn’t seen in over 50 years.
Niagara’s political classes are wondering what it will mean. Will Niagara Region be abolished? Will there be a single City of Niagara? Will the province break up the region into three or four municipalities?
Government has the opportunity to put function first in its review. What government does is more important than what it looks like.
We want better and more efficient government services. For instance, new business anywhere in Niagara is good for all of Niagara. Our economic development departments do a great job attracting new business, but imagine what they could do if all their resources were pooled together.
We know you can get more when you buy in bulk, but procurement and purchasing remains divided across the region, even for facilities that will end up within sight of each other. Solving our problems with housing and homelessness needs a co-ordinated approach, not a patchwork.
Niagara’s governments have already taken some steps in the right direction. Lincoln is sharing fire and library services with other municipalities, and a Lincoln-St. Catharines tourism partnership is about to launch. At the 2023 state of the Region address, Chair Jim Bradley announced Niagara Region is creating new offices dedicated to shared services and attainable housing. We finally have a single transit commission.
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We have an opportunity for improved services for residents and businesses, fostering economic growth and attracting investments. Streamlined governance can address local issues effectively, such as aligned municipal budgets, modernization of service delivery, eliminating duplication and maximizing resources, ultimately benefiting taxpayers.
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Public departments that are set up to be responsive to the needs of citizens while being leaders in service delivery would allow us to better address the challenges facing Niagara. If changing the governance structure will make us better, then let’s do it.
We recommend the following actions for governance improvement:
Reduce overlap, and address inequality of services through structural revision of municipalities and officials, promoting consistent strategies and access to talent;
Eliminate duplication, define government roles clearly and consider consolidating certain functions at a single tier;
Include Niagara’s business community in governance consultations to align with Ontario’s business-friendly approach;
Make the 2019 Fenn-Seiling report public, as it provides crucial insights into municipal performance through a broad survey and public submissions.
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In the conversations that will follow in the coming months, we need to remember one thing: it does not matter what it says on the side of the bus, or what logo appears at the top of the property tax or water bill. What matters is those services themselves.
The bus must run on time and take people where they need to go. The tax bill has to assure the taxpayer that no stone was left unturned in delivering the best service for the lowest cost. In the end, governments are there to serve citizens, and the delivery of that service is the only goal that matters.
