Are Ontario mayors violating ethics rules by endorsing Ford? Three in Niagara may soon find out 

The mayors of Niagara’s three big cities recently endorsed Progressive Conservative leader Doug Ford to be Ontario’s next premier, a move that has raised questions about the ethics of the decision, and who these local leaders put first – their constituents, or the powerful provincial leader. 

The triple endorsement took place in Niagara Falls on January 31, as Doug Ford launched his campaign in the snap election he forced just days earlier. The early election call has drawn criticism as Ford still had 18 months remaining in his mandate. Many see the decision to force Ontarians to the polls as a strategic move to get ahead of an ongoing RCMP investigation into the Greenbelt scandal, and avoid an election after the potential victory of the federal Conservatives in the looming national election. 

Ford has claimed the early call was needed to get a “stronger mandate” to take on U.S. President Donald Trump. Critics have pointed out that the PC leader started hinting at an early election long before Trump was elected, and have questioned why he needs a stronger mandate, when he already had a powerful majority inside Queen’s Park.

PC leader Doug Ford with Welland Mayor Frank Campion (left), Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati (second from the left) and St. Catharines Mayor Mat Siscoe (right).

(Doug Ford/X)

This did not stop St. Catharines Mayor Mat Siscoe, Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati and Mayor of Welland Frank Campion from very publicly endorsing Ford for reelection. The unprecedented move, first reported by CHCH TV, has sparked criticism about the motivations of these three mayors, and the use of their office to benefit a politician at a higher level of government. 

“When citizens vote for a mayor they are not voting for a political party. A mayor has a responsibility to represent all citizens and in places like Niagara there is no party on a municipal ballot,” says Jeff Burch, the incumbent running to retain his seat as an NDP MPP in the Niagara Centre riding. He served as municipal affairs critic during his last term. “Using the office of mayor for partisan purposes in a provincial election is not only unethical, it is a violation of many municipal codes of conduct.”

During the tightly choreographed January announcement, one by one the mayors took to the microphone to deliver enthusiastic endorsements of Ford, openly using their position as mayor to sway the provincial outcome. It’s not the first time all three mayors joined together to support Ford or his agenda. 

As reported by The Pointer, the same three mayors were quick to support Ford’s suggestion that the Notwithstanding Clause be invoked in order to forcibly clear homeless encampments, while possibly jailing and fining residents who refuse to leave.   

Doug Ford’s campaign stop in Niagara Region came with a promise to widen portions of the QEW.

(Doug Ford/X) 

Municipal politics in Ontario is non-partisan. Candidates for local office are prohibited from running under a party banner or affiliation, thereby ensuring a focus on local issues rather than partisan politics at senior levels of government. While endorsing a candidate for provincial office as a municipal elected official is not explicitly prohibited by provincial policy, it is uncommon and is now drawing criticism from residents.

“I am shocked and appalled that three mayors in Niagara, would come out publicly in favour of a candidate running in the Ontario election,” Barb Scollick, a long-time resident and co-founder of Coalition for a Better St. Catharines told The Pointer. Scollick is actively involved in local issues, particularly those requiring action from local government. “They have overstepped their authority. They were not put into those positions to engage in partisan politics. How can we trust them, going forward?”

One concern that has been raised is the potential conflict the mayors have created. Loyalty to Ford, for example when he enlisted mayors to support his use of the Notwithstanding Clause, could put local priorities and the position of constituents at odds with a municipal leader more interested in currying favour with the premier.

Critics of Ford have raised red flags over his desire to usurp power from municipalities. He has stripped them of planning authority through the use of Ministerial Zoning Orders, new legislation and policies that now dictate how towns and cities can grow (powers the provincial government has long had, which were traditionally used in cooperation with local planning priorities). 

Ford has dictated policies such as those that govern the use of safe injection sites to address the overdose crisis, which have traditionally been guided by local and regional governments. His recent position on bike lanes, using aggressive tactics to override municipal decision making, is the latest example of Ford’s takeover of local authority. 

The controversial granting of strong mayor powers is seen by many municipal officials as a blatant erosion of local governance, placing unprecedented power in the hands of one person who sits at the head of council. That person has Ford to thank for these powers, and he can take them away at any time. 

The optics of having “strong mayors” so firmly in Ford’s political camp, supporting him in the middle of an election, raise questions about who really controls municipal government in Niagara’s three largest cities, critics have told The Pointer.   

Using public office to improperly or unduly influence others falls under the scope of municipal codes of conduct. Whether or not the action of the three mayors is actually a breach of their respective municipality’s code of conduct can only be decided by an integrity commissioner (IC). 

The IC is responsible for investigating complaints filed against municipal officials bound by a city’s Code of Conduct. All municipalities have such a Code and all elected officials take an oath of office to uphold it in their service to the public. However, the IC cannot initiate investigations independently and requires a formal complaint from a citizen to act. Without a complaint, it remains uncertain whether the mayors have violated their oath or the code, but there is evidence to show a complaint is warranted. 

Section 10 of the St. Catharines Code of Conduct which relates to “Improper Use of Influence”, states “a Member (elected official) shall not use the influence of their office or appointment for any purpose other than the exercise of his or her official duties in the public interest.”

In St. Catharines if a resident believes an elected official has violated his/her ethical commitment there is a complaint protocol established. By paying a fee of $36.90 and submitting a complaint to the City’s Integrity Commissioner it will be reviewed and if an investigation is warranted it will commence with no further charge to the resident.

The Welland Code of Conduct is similar, with its Section 13 noting, “No Member shall use the influence of her or his office for any purpose other than for the exercise of her or his official duties.”

Welland’s Code also gives examples of “prohibited conduct” including “the use of one’s status as a Member (elected official) to improperly influence the decision of another person to the private advantage of oneself, a family member, or associate (business or otherwise).”

Unlike St. Catharines, Welland has no fee for filing a complaint. This aligns with the Ontario Ombudsman's recommendation to avoid imposing financial barriers to hold municipal officials accountable. Residents simply fill out a complaint form and present it to City Hall where it will be processed for the Integrity Commissioner to evaluate.

In Niagara Falls the Code of Conduct states: “No Member shall use the influence of their office for any purpose other than for the lawful exercise of their official duties and for municipal purposes.”

Niagara Falls has taken steps that deter residents from their statutory right to file a complaint. In 2023 the City imposed a highly controversial fee of $500 for filing a complaint. The Ontario Ombudsman has expressed concerns in direct response to Niagara Falls’ fee structure, and called for the charge to be eliminated, something council refused to do. 

According to the Ombudsman, “Charging a fee to complain is entirely inconsistent with the primary intent of the Integrity Commissioner scheme, which is to foster democratic legitimacy and public trust at the local level.”

The Ombudsman has no power to enforce his conclusions and as reported by The Pointer, the Niagara Falls fee remains in place. Those who are willing to pay the hefty $500 can still lodge a complaint and if the complaint is validated they will receive $250 back from the City.  

In his statement to The Pointer Burch suggested there may be more strategic reasons behind the endorsement of Ford by the three mayors.

“We know these PC party mayors have advocated for forced amalgamation and a four city governance model for Niagara,” he said. "All citizens in Niagara and especially those in smaller municipalities like Thorld, Port Colborne and Fort Erie deserve to know if a deal has been cooked up with Doug Ford, and what role these three mayors are playing in that deal.”

The amalgamation of Niagara Region, reducing the current 12 cities to four, is something that can be done by the provincial government at its discretion. The big city mayors of Niagara have long advocated for this model. In January 2024, during provincially-hosted committee meetings regarding Niagara’s two-tier structure, both Siscoe and Diodati spoke in favour of amalgamation. The majority of Niagara’s smaller municipalities are hesitant about the possible change and view it as a threat to their democratic representation and governance.  

The Pointer sent questions to all three mayors seeking comment.

Diodati reiterated his support for Ford and claimed “my decision to make an endorsement was not partisan, I have endorsed a candidate from another party in the past when I felt it was the right thing to do.”

Siscoe and Campion did not respond. 

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