Pelham council has committed $1 million to Niagara Health in support of the new South Niagara Hospital, with the donation to be paid out over 15 years.
Council also directed staff to add a line item to property tax bills so residents can clearly see any contributions or payments made to the Niagara Health System, according to a Town of Pelham council highlights post.
The decision came at the Town's regular council meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025, held at 9 a.m. in the Council Chambers of the Pelham municipal building at 20 Pelham Town Square in Fonthill.
Fight against invasive pest at St. John's Conservation Area
Council heard from a Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority delegation about the invasive hemlock woolly adelgid, an emerging threat to Eastern hemlock trees at the St. John's Conservation Area in Pelham.
Natalie Green, the NPCA's director of watershed strategies and climate change, chief executive officer Leilani Lee-Yates and conservation lands planning specialist Kerry Royer outlined the ecological risk posed by the pest.
Council approved a collaborative pilot project to treat and manage the infestation through preventative tree injections and staff training, funded with a $10,000 contribution from the Town's invasive species operating budget.
Plowing match brought support duties for the Town
Chris Freure, director of operations and partnerships with the Ontario Plowmen's Association, gave a presentation on the International Plowing Match & Rural Expo, held Sept. 16–20, 2025, at the West Niagara Fairgrounds in West Lincoln — the first time the event returned to Niagara Region since 1926.
The five-day expo featured plowing competitions with horse-drawn, antique and modern tractors, along with vendors, exhibits, live entertainment and educational programming for students. The Town of Pelham supported the event through fire services for on-site first aid and public works help with post-event teardown.
Heritage designation and new policy
Council directed staff to proceed with designating the Fonthill Cemetery Mausoleum under the Ontario Heritage Act. Built between 1923 and 1925 by Canada Mausoleums, the Indiana limestone structure includes decorative stonework, a geometric tiled floor and stained-glass panels depicting coniferous trees.
The mausoleum holds 70 columbaria and 275 crypts, many with personalized engravings.
Council also approved a new heritage policy, S300-06, which sets out how the Town identifies, conserves and promotes properties and features of cultural heritage value. The policy was identified as a priority in the Town's 2025 strategic plan update.
Community grants and Quaker Meeting House work
A revamped Recreation, Culture and Wellness Municipal Grant Program was approved, with implementation beginning in the third quarter of 2026. The program funds individuals and community organizations across three categories: Arts and Culture, Recreation and Wellness, and Neighbourhood and Community Development.
Council also approved immediate work at the designated heritage Quaker Meeting House at 1141 Maple St. in Fenwick, following a building code and accessibility study completed in June 2025 by Quartek Group Inc. The upgrades include additional emergency lighting, removal of interior doors, crash bars to replace existing latching and locking mechanisms, and new landings at the ground and rear doors.
A staff report with further recommendations on the building's future was scheduled to come to council in the fourth quarter of 2025.
The full meeting agenda and a video recording are available through the Town's website.
