A move by the Niagara regional chair to review municipal governance with an eye to possible amalgamations appears to have hit a snag after an at-times testy council meeting.
A letter earlier this month from provincial appointee Bob Gale to mayors of the region said there are too many elected officials in Niagara — 126 — and tax increases are too high, so he is starting consultation on reforms including potential amalgamations or reducing the number of councillors.
Several mayors have said the letter caught them off guard and they want a more thorough process involving data and discussions with residents, rather than the tight, two-week timeline he gave mayors to provide feedback.