Ontario Premier Doug Ford has stated that the provincial government will not force municipal amalgamation in the Niagara Region, leaving the decision to local councils. His comments came during a media availability in Niagara Falls on March 18, 2026, where he was asked about the future of the region's 12 local municipalities.
"We're not going to force it down their throat," Ford said, according to a transcript from the Premier's office. He added, "If the local councils want to come together and have those discussions, we're more than willing to listen." This stance aligns with the government's response to a 2023 report by provincial facilitators, which recommended a single-tier government for Niagara.
The facilitators' report had suggested that amalgamation could save money and improve services. However, the proposal has faced significant local opposition. Ford used a metaphor to describe the challenge of getting local politicians to support such a change, stating it was "like asking the turkeys to vote for Thanksgiving."
The Niagara Region council is expected to continue discussions on governance in the coming months. The province has maintained that any move toward restructuring must be locally driven, with the province acting only in a supportive role if consensus is reached.
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