Council

That Council Agenda CL 3-2025, BE ADOPTED.

That Minutes CL 2-2025 being the Open and Closed Session minutes of the Regional Council meeting held on Thursday, January 23, 2025, BE ADOPTED.

That the following items BE RECEIVED for information: CL-C 17-2025 Notification of Voluntary Unpaid Leaves of Absence CL-C 18-2025 Revised Interim and Final Levy Payments and Dates (Appendix 5, Report CSD 6-2025) CL-C 19-2025 Town of Fort Erie Motion – Request Provincial Funding Remain Available to Support Fort Erie’s Primary Care Initiative CL-C 21-2025 United States Tariff Update A request was made to consider Correspondence Item CL-C 19-2025 separately. The Regional Chair called the vote on the balance of the correspondence items and declared it,

That Correspondence Item CL-C 19-2025, being a letter from the Town of Fort Erie dated October 22, 2024, respecting Request for Provincial Funding Remain Available to Support Fort Erie’s Primary Care Initiative, BE RECEIVED; That Regional Council SUPPORT the Town of Fort Erie in advocating to the Minister of Health for funding all necessary services at the new South Niagara hospital without the removal or reallocation of operational funding from Douglas Memorial for the Urgent Care Centre; and That a copy of this motion BE SENT to the Premier of Ontario, the Honourable Doug Ford; the Ontario Minister of Health, Sylvia Jones; the Prime Minister of Canada, the Honourable Justin Trudeau; the federal Minister of Health, Mark Holland; the four MPPs and MPs who represent Niagara; and the local area municipalities in Niagara.

That Report PW 3-2025, dated February 4, 2025, respecting Award of Contract 2023-T-194 York Road Watermain Replacement, Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake, BE RECEIVED and the following recommendation BE APPROVED: 1. That Contract 2023-T-194 York Road Watermain Replacement in the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake BE AWARDED to the lowest compliant bidder, Alfred Beam Excavating Limited, at their bid price of $9,143,350 (including 13% HST).

That Memorandum CL-C 20-2025, dated February 20, 2025, respecting Declaration of Vacant Regional Council Seat, BE RECEIVED; That, pursuant to Section 262(1) of the Municipal Act, 2001, the seat held by Diana Huson, Regional Councillor for the Town of Pelham, BE DECLARED vacant effective March 15, 2025; and That Regional Council REQUESTS the Town of Pelham advise of its preferred method of filling the vacancy on Regional Council by April 18, 2025.

That Minutes PHSSC 2-2025 being the Open Session minutes of the Public Health & Social Services Committee meeting held on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, BE RECEIVED and the recommendations contained therein BE APPROVED.

That the motion BE AMENDED to add an additional clause as follows: 5. That, as part of the incentive review scheduled to take place in 2026, staff BE DIRECTED to review the New Multi- Residential Sub-Class as part of the incentive strategy.

That Minutes PEDC 1-2025 being the Open Session minutes of the Planning and Economic Development Committee meeting held on Wednesday, February 5, 2025, BE RECEIVED and the recommendations contained therein BE APPROVED.

That Minutes COTW 1-2025 being the Open Session minutes of the Committee of the Whole meeting held on Thursday, February 6, 2025, BE RECEIVED and the recommendations contained therein BE APPROVED.

WHEREAS Niagara is a critical hub for trade between the United States and Canada with our economy benefitting greatly from an historically positive trade relationship with the United States; WHEREAS Niagara’s business community has repeatedly shown its strength and resiliency navigating extreme economic uncertainty; WHEREAS the U.S. market accounts for 72 per cent of total exports from Niagara businesses, with export trade directly supporting over 30,000 jobs in Niagara; WHEREAS in 2023, 532 Niagara businesses exported $5.9 billion in goods to the United States; and WHEREAS Niagara’s identity as a border community places the region at particular economic risk during periods of trade uncertainty. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: 1. That Regional Council AFFIRMS its strong support for the local Niagara businesses that rely on positive trade relationships with the United States to contribute to our local economy; 2. That Regional Council DIRECT the Regional Chair to work alongside staff to undertake advocacy efforts calling on the Federal and Provincial governments to enhance the economic strength and resiliency of Niagara and other communities by: a) Reducing barriers to interprovincial trade, enhancing internal trade and economic flow within Canada; b) Encouraging the formation of local trade alliances to strengthen regional supply chains and ensure greater self-reliance; c) Supporting export market diversification by promoting the intensification of foreign market development an

That the following Bills BE NOW READ and DO PASS: Bill 2025-03 A by-law to set and levy the rate of taxation for Regional general and special purposes for the year 2025. Bill 2025-04 A by-law to set tax ratios and tax rate reductions for the prescribed property subclasses for Regional purposes and area municipal purposes for the year 2025. Bill 2025-05 A by-law to amend By-law No. 2024-81, being a by-law to establish fees and charges for the services and activities provided by the Regional Municipality of Niagara and for the use of its property. Bill 2025-06 A by-law to adopt, ratify and confirm the actions of Regional Council at its meeting held on February 20, 2025