In what Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority officials are calling a “maintenance budget,” Niagara Region will see a jump in its 2026 rate apportionment from the authority by 3.42 per cent, while Hamilton’s levy will top all municipal stakeholders at 4.25 per cent.

“The operating budget is effectively a maintenance budget,” said Leilani Lee-Yates, the authority’s chief administrative officer.

The authority board approved the 2026 budget unanimously at its Oct. 24 meeting.

Niagara Region’s 2026 rate apportionment will rise from $7.959 million in 2025 to $8.2 million, while Hamilton will see an increase from just over $2 million in 2025 to $2.16 million.

Hamilton Mayor Andrea Horwath requested the authority cap the city’s rate apportionment at 4.25 per cent, due to “the reality that

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