The Niagara Region is launching an update to its transportation master plan to guide future development of roads, transit, and cycling infrastructure through 2051. Officials are inviting residents, including those in Port Colborne, to attend upcoming public meetings to learn about the project and share feedback on how the region should manage travel over the next few decades.
The updated plan, which follows the provincial environmental assessment process, is estimated to cost $1.5 million. Port Colborne Coun. Vance Badawey, who serves as vice-chair of the Niagara Transit Commission, has described the update as overdue, noting that the region’s transportation networks are a core economic strength.
Residents can review early findings and speak with the project team at two planned events. The first is June 9, 2026, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Seymour-Hannah Sports and Entertainment Centre in St. Catharines. A second session will take place June 10, 2026, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Welland Community Centre.
For Port Colborne, the planning process comes as the community prepares for significant transit changes. According to the Niagara Transit Commission, which includes Port Colborne representative and municipal councillor Eric Beauregard, the city is slated to receive two new 30-minute frequency community bus routes by 2030. Plans also include a new regional route that will connect Fort Erie through Crystal Beach to Port Colborne, Welland, and St. Catharines.
Port Colborne Mayor Bill Steele has previously highlighted the importance of these regional partnerships in maintaining healthy local transit services. The region has appointed Amy Shanks as the project manager for the master plan, with Sharon Sterling of WSP Canada Inc. serving as the senior principal transportation planner.
