Knowing he wouldn’t be speaking until well into the afternoon, Pelham’s Mayor arrived at the start of Niagara’s public hearing to discuss the possibility of amalgamation.
Junkin said he arrived early because he wanted to take in as much information as he could about where Niagara’s municipal leaders stand on the issue. A Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing committee is overseeing a study on regional government.
Members of the Standing Committee on Heritage, Infrastructure, and Cultural Policy held a public hearing on Jan. 10 in St. Catharines, where Junkin was one of 21 politicians, individuals, or groups that addressed the committee to share their thoughts on whether Niagara’s 12 communities should amalgamate, or continue as they currently stand, with one regional government and their municipal level of government.
“It was really great listening to (Niagara Region Chair Jim) Bradley and all the other municipalities make their presentations,” Junkin said. He recalled Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati and Lincoln Mayor Sandra Easton expressing interest in having a different governance structure for the Region that might look like a four-city model.
“(Both mayors) seem to be leaning towards some kind of amalgamation. The rest of the municipalities seem to be of the opinion that what we have is good but could possibly need some tweaking, and as municipalities we should be working together even more, whether it be planning, or purchasing or whatever the case may be (for cost savings),” he said.
Junkin previously told PelhamToday that he was not in favour of amalgamation.
“With Pelham having two percent of the Region’s population, I’m afraid that if we were to amalgamate, especially into one big city, our voice would be locked into the urban control of the three bigger municipalities and perhaps we would not be getting the representation that we enjoy right now,” he said.
Public hearings that will look at regional governance in other communities have been planned for later in January in Burlington, Brampton, Ajax, Vaughn, and Kitchener.
When those hearings are held, Junkin said the information will be compiled in a report that he expects will be completed by the end of May at the earliest.
When discussing the meeting process, Junkin said it was a positive experience.
“I thought it was very good. The province heard loud and clear that, yes, there is room for improvement, but let’s leave the basic structure intact,” he said. “I think that message was received loud and clear.”
Read Junkin's full remarks to the committee here.
