Council Highlights for April 8, 2026

Council Highlights for April 8, 2026

View the full agenda package here.

The Town of Pelham's regular council meeting was held on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. in the Council Chambers at the Pelham Municipal Building at 20 Pelham Town Hall. 

Additional Residential Units – Additional Public Comments

Council received memo 2026-0084 “Additional Residential Units – Response to Additional Public Comments” for information. The memo detailed that the proposed by-law does not approve, legalize, or change the status of any existing development. Buildings that were constructed in compliance with the zoning rules in place at the time are already legal and do not require this by-law to remain so. The proposed regulation instead sets out how the development of ARUs will be addressed within currently constructed, lawfully established accessory structures. This is a general regulatory change that applies Town-wide and is not specific to any one property or development. www.pelham.ca/aruzoning

Housekeeping Zoning Amendment Appeal

Council received memo 2026-0085 “Housekeeping Zoning Amendment Appeal Update – File No. AM 04-2025,” for information. By-law 01-2026 “Housekeeping” was approved by Council on January 14, 2026. The last day for filing an appeal was February 9, 2026. On February 9, 2026, the Clerk's department received notice of an appeal, and the Municipality forwarded the material and information to the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT). The Ontario Land Tribunal has tentatively scheduled a hearing on this matter for April 30, 2026. Town of Pelham staff continue to engage with the appellant to resolve the outstanding issues and remain optimistic that a resolution may be achieved before the scheduled hearing date. www.pelham.ca/2025housekeeping

2026 Spongy Moth Report and Invasive Species Management Response

Council received report 2026-0078 “2026 Spongy Moth Report and Invasive Species Management Response,” for information. The Town of Pelham retained the Davy Resource Group through the competitive bid process to conduct spongy moth egg mass surveys during the month of January 2026. A total of 100 plots, including street trees and forest plots, were assessed throughout Pelham, including Fenwick and Fonthill. The Spongy Moth Monitoring Survey found that population levels were lower than in 2025, and while populations persist, they continue to show signs of decline and remain within manageable levels. A large aerial spray is not recommended in 2026. Learn more about spongy moth and other invasive species at www.pelham.ca/invasivespecies

Quaker Road Reconstruction Project Update

Council received report 2026-0027 “Update on Quaker Road Reconstruction Project,” for information. The Town of Pelham entered into an agreement with Niagara Region to undertake a complete urbanization of Quaker Road from Pelham Street to Line Ave (approximately 400m in length). The Region is managing the project, and the awarded contractor has completed approximately 90% of the scope of work within the Town of Pelham. The Region has encountered deficiencies in the installation of some infrastructure, which have impacted the project schedule. Most of the deficiencies are within the City of Welland’s portion of Quaker Road. The Region has provided notice to the Town and the public regarding the planned recommencement of work, the corrective actions required, and the proposed timelines for these. The Region anticipates that the final surface works, including final grading, landscaping, and surface-course asphalt, will not be completed until late fall of 2026 and may extend into the spring of 2027, depending on the contractor’s progress and weather conditions. www.niagararegion.ca/projects/quaker-road-sanitary-sewer

Niagara Transit Fleet Electrification Strategy and Implementation Roadmap

Council received a memo from the Niagara Transit Commission, “Niagara Transit Fleet Electrification Strategy and Implementation Roadmap”. The memo accompanied the Niagara Transit Fleet Electrification Strategy and Implementation Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) Study. The memo summarized the key findings, conclusions, and recommendations. Town of Pelham Council requested that the Niagara Transit Commission provide fulsome details regarding the hydrogen bus pilot program commencing August 2026, and that it include costs of infrastructure requirements, operational impacts, environmental considerations and evaluation metrics by May 15, 2026.

Council Vacancy Policy Update

Council received report 2026-0082 “Council Vacancy Policy S201-22 Update,” for information and approved the amended Council Vacancy Policy S201-22. The amendments include improved structure and formatting, removal of the reference to Niagara Regional Councillor, enhanced procedures, randomized voting order and recognition of Strong Mayor legislation.

Leah Letford, Manager of Communications and Government Relations | 905-980-6653 | lletford@pelham.ca