NEWS RELEASE
NIAGARA REGION
************************
Niagara Region’s 2025 Budget is focused on strategic infrastructure investments and supporting the core services residents rely on every day. For 2025, the General Levy to support Niagara Region's operations will increase by 9.60 per cent.
The Region is investing to help those in our community in need through investments in social assistance supports, a new homeless shelter and investments to stabilize our Niagara Region Housing stock. The 2025 budget is supporting the future prosperity of our region through investments to attract new businesses, and additional supports for our ambulance services.
The Region keeps our investments focused on our core services through a culture of continuous improvement, organizational realignments, and shared services with neighbouring municipalities that are all aimed at finding savings and efficiencies that resulted in $4 million in savings in the 2025 budget.
The General Levy also provides support for Niagara’s Agencies, Boards and Commissions that includes Niagara Regional Police Services, Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority, Niagara Regional Housing and Court Services. The Agencies, Boards and Commissions will see an increase of 5.13 per cent.
Finally, the 2025 budget will have a 2.50 per cent increase to support needed investment in Niagara’s historically underfunded capital infrastructure assets. This infrastructure includes our roads, facilities and equipment that are essential for our community and for the delivery of services.
In total, Council approved the General Levy budget with an increase of $46 million in 2025 equaling an estimated 9.60 per cent property tax increase on the Regional portion of the tax bill. For the average home in Niagara region this would equate to an approximate $191 increase on the Regional portion of the property tax bill.
The General Levy 2025 budget includes: the operating budget for Regional departments, Niagara Regional Police Service, Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority, Niagara Regional Housing and Court Services, as well as the consolidated Capital Budget.
General Levy Highlights
- $5.4 million in development grants to support major industrial investments
- $1.5 million to support additional ambulance services
- $1.3 million to support a new homeless shelter in South Niagara Falls
- $700,000 to support investments to stabilize our Niagara Region Housing stock
- $1.8 million to support investments in social assistance for 21 new staff members to improve the ratio between case managers and clients
Capital Budget Highlights
- $100 million for Infrastructure upgrades to support major industrial investments
- Eastside Pumping Station Forcemain replacement in Port Colborne
- New Barrick Road watermain in Port Colborne
- $29 million for capacity improvements on RR98 Montrose Road – Lyons Creek to Chippawa Creek Road in Niagara Falls
- $13 million for the Region-wide annual roads resurfacing program
- $10 million for the rehabilitation of JR Stork Bridge in St. Catharines
Learn more about the Niagara Region budget and how the budget works at niagararegion.ca.
Quotes:
“I would like to commend Regional Council for its diligence in passing a challenging and fiscally responsible budget that makes essential investments in the Region’s core services. Council takes seriously its responsibility to deliver essential services, even in the midst of an exceptionally challenging economic climate that has seen costs rise for residents and municipalities alike. I also thank Regional staff who have worked diligently to provide Council with the information needed to make these very difficult decisions.” - Jim Bradley, Regional Chair, Niagara Region
“The 2025 Budget continues to reflect the ongoing pressures faced by local government. This year’s budget process has been challenging, we have worked to address critical budgetary needs including investments in our municipal infrastructure and support for our programs and services that Niagara residents rely on. In order to continue to deliver cost-effective provincially mandated social services and policing to our residents in a sustainable manner, municipalities clearly need greater financial assistance from the Province.” - Wayne Redekop, Regional Councillor and Budget Chair
“Our 2025 Niagara Region budget remains focused on our core services and continues to invest in our regional infrastructure. This budget reflects the challenging budgetary environment that we continue to find ourselves in, while still providing the necessary measures to continue to deliver critical regional services.” – Ron Tripp, Chief Administrative Officer
************************
