For the remainder of this year, Niagara Region councillors and staff are not allowed to attend the United States for conferences or trade shows on behalf of the region — whether attending as attendees, presenters or exhibitors.
The motion does not prohibit councillors’ personal travel to the U.S.
The motion, brought forward by Lincoln regional Coun. Robert Foster, and passed Thursday night, will be implemented immediately.
“No discretionary trips for conferences or trade shows are to be made to the U.S. on behalf of the region, be it staff or council, for the remainder of 2025,” said Foster at an April 24 regional council meeting.
Niagara-on-the-Lake Lord Mayor Gary Zalepa said that as a regional councillor, he would not advocate for this and as lord mayor, he would not implement anything like this.
“I wouldn’t have done that,” said Zalepa. “I wouldn’t advocate for that.”
Advocacy efforts and government relations opportunities that are “required to advance Niagara in this economic turmoil” may be exempted from the prohibition, according to the motion.
Staff training or education critical to the future of the region, only available in the U.S., may also be exempted.
But all other staff development, training and education will now take place in Canada to save money and support Canadian schools and service providers.
Regional councillors will instead focus on Canadian partnerships that promote collaboration and knowledge-sharing, while any financial savings that come as a result of the motion will go into the region’s reserves to support programs and services aimed at helping during these uncertain economic times.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats to Canada’s sovereignty and imposed tariffs were mentioned as one of the threats to Canada’s economic stability at the meeting.
“All of us are hearing the concerns of our communities. Businesses, residents (and) support organizations have all been really clear,” said Foster.
Niagara is especially vulnerable, with 72 per cent of goods produced in Niagara exported to the U.S. and 54 per cent of the region’s input materials imported from the U.S., states the motion.
“We as councillors in the region need to acknowledge what I refer to as the economic tsunami coming at us,” said Foster.
Zalepa decided not to attend the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative conference in the U.S. this year, but said it was based on the agenda and cost.
“It had nothing to do with, you know, about a ‘right’ — like the region has done. I just don’t think that makes sense,” he said.
Zalepa was a regional councillor from 2018 to 2022 and still is one, due to being lord mayor.
“I don’t remember any time as a regional councillor having to go to a U.S. conference anyway,” he said. “I don’t see it as very consequential at all.”
Zalepa argues that officials should, rather, weigh a trip’s pros and cons and relevance to the municipality before deciding if it’s worthwhile.
“It’s really important for elected people today, right now, especially at this sensitive time, to really make sure that they evaluate the importance and the benefit of going,” he said.
The goal should be to encourage American visitors to come to Canada, he said.
So he questions how consistent that goal is with restricting elected officials from travelling to the U.S. for business on behalf of the region.
The town’s current policy for attending conferences requires participants to consider the conference’s value to the town.
Zalepa said the policy hasn’t changed in response to tariffs or U.S. threats, nor does he see a need to change it.
“The town’s travel to the United States is pretty limited,” he said.
The other regional councillor that represents NOTL, Andrea Kaiser, was not available for a comment by press time for her thoughts on this decision.
