Water & Waste Water Rate Freeze, Again!

I am thrilled to let you know that last week Council approved another freeze on our residential and commercial water and waste water rates. This will be the second year of a freeze!

How are we able to freeze rates when others Towns or Cities are contemplating increases of 2% to 7% increases?

We invested in technology and new infrastructure. Those investments are now paying dividends.

New RF Water Meters:
Prior to 2010 the Town measured water usage with old gallon and cubic metre odometer-type wheel meters – many of which that were installed when municipal water was first installed to various parts of the Town in the 1960s and 1970s. Needless to say, the meters were aged and, in many cases, slow and failing. We asked residents to provide readings or hired students to get readings every four months. That process would take two weeks. If a resident had a leak, it could take months to detect and added significant costs.

In 2010, the Town worked with Neptune Technology to replace all 4,200 of these old meters to electronic, RF (Radio Frequency) meters. In addition to leak detection, backflow detection, tamper detection and data logging, it takes only 3-4 hours for staff to drive around Town and record all the usage data every two months.

Not only does this cost less and give much more accurate billing, but we also automatically notify residents / businesses by phone if there is a leak or other issue with their water service.

When we replaced all meters we found homes and businesses without meters or with meters but that hadn’t received any billings. Sadly, in other cases, it appeared that some home owners tampered with or bypassed the old meters. Now, with all the meters replaced and these issues resolved, we reduced our water loss from 20% to less than 10%!

(To read more about the success of this replacement program please click here to read the article from Neptune Technology.)

Other Infrastructure Improvements:
As you know, we have also upgraded significant Town infrastructure over the last number of years. As we reconstructed or improved roads like Haist Street, Pelham Street, Port Robinson Road, Canboro Road, and Church Street we also replaced old water pipes and (in some cases) sewer pipes. Over the last eight years, we replaced more than 12 kilometers of cast iron water mains! This helped stop costly leaks and significantly reduce the number of breaks and repairs.


On behalf of Council, I am pleased that our investments in technology and new infrastructure are now paying dividend and allowing us to freeze your water and sewer rates for a second year.

Election of Regional Chair at Large Speaking Notes

Mr. Chair and fellow Councillors: I’m not going to make any bones about it. You know
it. I know it. Folks across Niagara know it: The way in which we appoint the Regional
Chair is antiquated and undemocratic.

In fact, it’s indicative of the things keeping Niagara back –- holding on to old ways of
doing things, not keeping up with the times, failing to innovate or improve.

But, this motion will help us to become more progressive, and jump ahead of York and
Peel Regions.

Background:
The foundation of our current process of appointing a sitting member of Council as
chair comes from the Baldwin Act of 1849, which established local County Councils.
The names of the annually appointed, former Wardens of Welland and of Lincoln
Counties are displayed on two plaques as you walk into this building.

When they first created Regional Governments in the 1970s, the Province also
appointed the first Regional Chairs. After our first Chair (Mr. Campbell) retired in
1985, Council appointed one of its own as Chair. But, this differed significantly from
County Councils – the new Chair gave up his seat and was appointed for the entire
three-year (now four-year) term.

The full-time Regional Chair sets the legislative and economic agendas for the Region,
presides over Council meetings, votes on every committee, and is the “face” of
Niagara with Provincial, National, and other governments.

So, while the person that fills this role serves as the face of the residents and
businesses in Niagara Region, he or she is only accountable to the majority of Regional
Councillors.

The Idea:
But, what if we could do it a different way?
What if the Chair could be accountable to all of Niagara?
What if we could overcome perception of this being some club?
What if we could show people that we can adapt to 21st Century, democratic
principles?
What if we could show people that THIS Council is different?

The idea is very simple:
We allow all Niagara citizens to democratically elect the person to represent them for
Regional Chair.

What would that look like?
Well. They would be elected like a Mayor but for the Region.

Interested people would nominate themselves, and put together a campaign.

Very important point is that these candidates would have to put together a vision for
all of Niagara so that they could appeal to all of Niagara.

This would be similar to the visions that Mayoral candidates present to the public --
but it would be for all in the peninsula.

I believe that this would actually work to unite Niagara. It would help pull the views
and hopes of our Region’s citizen’s together.

This may not be “one voice” for Niagara: one voice can degrade into a unison chant --
powerful yes, but boring and often the lowest common denominator.

Rather than “one voice”, I see this leader as presenting “one song” -- allowing
Niagara to "sing off the same song sheet", as it were, but in harmony -- so that our
distinct voices and those of our communities could be heard.

It could be a unifying force for our Region -- our Region that so desperately needs a
vision.

Why Do It?
Now, the question you are asking, why do it? And why make the move now to
democratically elect the Chair.

First, other Regions have either made the move -- like Waterloo, Halton, Durham -- or
are making the change -- like York and Peel. Niagara is the last one to move forward
on this.

Second, it will take some time. We need approval from the Minister then we need to
get support from the majority of Niagara’s Cities & Towns.

Third, we just appointed a Chair, and that process is still fresh in our mind.

Fourth, the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce asked for a commitment to
“governance modernization that includes a directly elected Regional Chair" during last
Fall’s election. They provided further support in a letter today. And, in December,
Niagara’s other eight local Chambers of Commerce, the local Sun Media newspapers,
and TV Cogeco shone a light on the appointment process by organizing a public
candidate debate. It’s clear that the business community is interested in reform -–
and they want that reform to start now.

Finally, this improvement is linked with our economic development agenda. The
Chambers and businesses in Niagara believe it important to move ahead and elect the
Chair at Large. And it sends a clear signal to business that this Council will take
actions that past-Councils dare not do. It actually sends the message that we are no
longer interested in competing among ourselves, but rather focused on competing
with other Regions and Cities.

Conclusion:
It’s clear that the way in which we currently appoint our Regional Chair is antiquated,
undemocratic, and out-of-synch our society and with all other Regions in Ontario.

Would you want us to continue to act sheepishly and keep on doing what we’re doing
because that’s what we’ve always done?

Or, do we have the courage to take this step now?

It is time that Niagara stands-up, puts our small thinking aside, and democratically
elects our Regional Chair.

Mr. Chair and fellow Councillors, let's work together now to become more open,
accountable, and democratic on behalf of all of Niagara!

Thank you.


__________________________

Made the motion, but deferred by Council for six months.

Electing Niagara Regional Chair to Become More Accountable, Open & Democratic

Roger Anderson was victorious as the first elected
chair of Durham Region, 2014.

Since the Regional Chair holds an extremely important leadership role in Niagara, and now that we have appointed a Chair, I believe it’s time to start the process now so that all Niagara residents can electe the Regional Chair “at large” in 2018.

Role of the Chair:
The full-time Regional Chair sets the legislative and economic agendas for the Region, presides over Council meetings, votes on every committee, and is the “face” of Niagara with Provincial, National, and other governments.

So, while serving as the face of the entire Niagara Region, ironically, the Regional Chair is only accountable to the majority of Regional Councillors.

Baldwin Act & County Councils:
Our current process of appointing a sitting member of Council as chair comes from the Baldwin Act of 1849, which established local County Councils. The names of the annually appointed, former Wardens of Welland County and Lincoln County are etched on two plaques at the Regional HQ (across from Brock University).

When they first created Regional Governments in the 1970s, the Province also appointed the first Regional Chairs. After our first Chair (John Campbell) retired in 1985, Council appointed one of its own as Chair (Wilber Dick).

But, this appointment differs significantly from County Councils days – the new Chair give up his or her seat and is appointed for the entire four-year term of Council.

Lagging Behind Other Regions:
All other Ontario Regional governments have already either adopted a more accountable and democratic process to directly elect their Regional Chair at large or are in the process of doing so.

Waterloo Region (Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, Wilmot, Wellesley, Woolwich, and North Dumfries) began electing their Chair 17 years ago. Halton Region (Burlington, Oakville, Milton, and Halton Hills) has elected a Regional Chair since 2000. Durham Region (Pickering, Ajax, Uxbridge, Oshawa, Whitby, and Clarington) first elected their Regional Chair last Fall.

A bill to elect the York Region (Aurora, East Gwillimbury, Georgina, King, Markham, Newmarket, Richmond Hill, Vaughan, Whitchurch–Stouffville) Chair “at large” is currently before the Ontario Legislature. Finally, in 2013, Peel Regional Council (Brampton, Mississauga, and Caledon) directed staff to report in 2015 on options to directly elect their Chair for 2018.

It’s Time for Niagara:
It’s clear that the way in which Niagara Region currently appoints our Regional Chair is antiquated, undemocratic, and out-of-synch with all other Regions in Ontario.

That’s why I am making a motion at Regional Council on Thursday to begin the process to change toward a directly elected Chair. If you agree, please contact your Regional Councillor.

Let's work together now to become more open, transparent, accountable, and democratic in Niagara!