Niagara Region has a number of partnerships with various organizations. Some are highly structured and formal --- based on legislated requirements --- while others are less so. Each agency, board or commission has Council representation. Some of the more prominent agencies are listed below:

Niagara Economic Development Corporation

The Corporation is a non-profit corporation funded in partnership with the Regional Municipality of Niagara. Its mandate is to act to advance the economic prosperity of the Niagara Region.

The Niagara Economic Development Corporation provides a range of innovative and cost-effective services to attract investment and visitation and delivers economic and tourism information to its customers.

Niagara Regional Housing (NRH)

Since 2002, Niagara Regional Housing has acted as the Service Manager for affordable housing on behalf of Niagara Region, providing subsidized housing through our owned properties, in partnership with non-profit and cooperative providers and several private landlords. We also co-ordinate a centralized waiting list for applicants requiring subsidized affordable housing and advocate for innovative solutions and funding to address urgent local needs.

Niagara Regional Housing receives its funding from Niagara Region (50%), rent payments made by tenants and miscellaneous charges (26%), and the federal government (24%).

Niagara Regional Housing, a non-profit agency, is governed by a 13 member board representing regional council, housing providers, tenants and the general public. The board provides oversight in the ownership, provision and development of affordable housing.

Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS)

The NRPS provides policing and public safety services to all of Niagara’s residents as well as approximately 15,000,000 visitors annually. In partnership with the community, the NRPS aims to provide quality policing services, with integrity.

Niagara is faced with some unique policing challenges because of its combination of urban and rural development, its proximity to the United States and the nation’s busiest border, extensive waterfront shoreline and the large numbers of tourists visiting the Region annually.

The NRPS has many different units of service including a Canine Unit, Major Crime Unit, Sexual Assault Unit and Marine Unit and also works in partnership with CrimeStoppers and the Niagara Victim Crisis Support Service.

Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority

In response to concerns about drought and deforestation in the late 1920's and 1930's, the Province of Ontario passed the Conservation Authorities Act in 1946. This legislation embodies three fundamental principles:

• Local initiative of the municipalities to become involved in resource management projects;
• Cost-sharing between the Province and the member municipalities;
• The use of watershed units as the logical basis on which to develop rational and integrated resource management programs.

The Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority was established by an order-in-council on April 30, 1959. The watershed jurisdiction of the NPCA is 2424 sq. km. covering the whole Niagara Region, 21% of the City of Hamilton and 24% of Haldimand County. The watershed is drained primarily by the Welland River, Twelve Mile Creek, Twenty Mile Creek and Forty Mile Creek with a number of smaller water courses draining into Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. The NPCA jurisdiction also encompasses 117 km. of Great Lakes shoreline, with 67 km. on Lake Erie and 50 km. on Lake Ontario. The legislative mandate of the Conservation Authority, as set out in Section 20 of the Conservation Authorities Act, is to establish and undertake programs designed to further the conservation, restoration, development and management of natural resources. The NPCA fulfills this mandate by advocating and implementing programs that:

• Improve the quality of lands and waters within its jurisdiction;
• Contribute to public safety from flooding and erosion;
• Provide for the acquisition of conservation and hazard lands;
• Enhance the quality of life in its watershed by using its lands for regional recreation, heritage preservation and conservation education

Public education and stewardship activities are an important component of the NPCA's mission. The Authority fulfills this by:

• Delivering educational and community stewardship programs
  
• Training and supervising student teams and community volunteer groups i.e. Friends of the Twelve, Welland River Keepers, Friends of One Mile Creek
  
• Developing and organizing educational seminars, workshops, tours, and demonstrations for landowners, technicians and professionals
  
• Partnering with member municipalities, community groups and businesses to undertake conservation education projects such as the Niagara Children's Water Festival

Education will become more critical as we deal with issues including maintaining water quality and health, maintaining surface and groundwater resources, wildlife habitat while being sensitive to the demands and needs for development.