Decision against amalgamation shows province listened to region: Redman

The decision by the province not to force Waterloo region to amalgamate shows the government was listening to the local municipalities, says regional Chair Karen Redman.

Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Steve Clark announced Friday in London the province would not force any regional governments in the province to amalgamate, but the provincial government is offering funding to help municipalities audit their financial books and look at better ways to deliver services to residents.

Redman says since the province announced a review of regional governments last fall, it was "a year of distraction, of feeling like we were waiting for a shoe to drop."

To now have an answer is great news, she says.

"To have clarity and move forward is very welcome," Redman said.

Review looked at 82 municipalities

The regional government review looked at 82 upper and lower municipalities in Halton, York, Durham, Waterloo, Niagara, Peel, Muskoka District, Oxford County, and the County of Simcoe.

It saw two special advisers, Michael Fenn and former Region of Waterloo chair Ken Seiling, consult with municipalities, organizations and the public through meetings, open forums and online submissions. Seiling and Fenn submitted their report to Clark last month.

Waterloo Mayor Dave Jaworsky echoed Redman, saying in a release on Friday that giving the city and region the ability to determine its own future "is a good decision."

"Through the consultation, we have maintained that local municipalities are best positioned to decide what works best in their local areas and I thank the province for listening to that input," Jaworksy said.

Wilmot Mayor Les Armstrong said in a statement the results were "exactly what we were hoping for."

'Pleased to see that it is off the table'

In a tweet, Cambridge Mayor Kathryn McGarry thanked Clark "for listening to mayors, council and citizens" and she thanked Cambridge MPPs Belinda Karahalios and Amy Fee for their work.

In an interview, Karahalios said she had heard from many people worried about the possibility of amalgamation.

"All of that went to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Steve Clark and he listened. And I'm just so pleased to see that it is off the table," she said.

Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic also tweeted that his city has a "long history of working with our municipal and regional colleagues" in the region and he thanked Clark.

"While there were clearly many viewpoints, you struck the right balance by not forcing top-down solutions," he wrote.

• Read more of CBC Kitchener-Waterloo's coverage of the regional government review