Port Colborne city council voted on April 28, 2026, to investigate the creation of a city-owned corporation to manage water and wastewater services. The move aims to shift control away from Niagara Region to help stabilize long-term rates for local residents.
Currently, Port Colborne households face the highest water and wastewater costs among all 12 municipalities in the region. In 2026, local users paid an annual average of $2,081.87. Unlike other communities in the region, Port Colborne applies heavy fixed charges for its water and wastewater services, which constitute a significant portion of residents’ bills.
The city has dealt with ongoing frustration from residents regarding these costs, with a 2019 petition signed by over 656 people calling for more accountability. Residents have pointed out that local delivery charges have been double those of neighbouring areas for years.
Rising costs are partly driven by a 9.05 per cent increase in wholesale water and wastewater charges from the regional government in 2026. For a typical household, this increase added about $179.93 to their annual bill. Port Colborne Mayor Bill Steele and other leaders have also identified significant water loss within the city due to aging infrastructure, noting a persistent gap between the amount of water purchased from the region and the amount actually consumed.
To address infrastructure decay, the city has already budgeted $6 million for water main lining projects over a three-year period. These efforts come as the region faces a $680-million backlog in overdue investments, with nearly half of all regional water assets classified as being in poor or very poor condition.
