Corporate Structure

Jason Burgess commenced his role as Chief Administrative Officer on July 26, 2021.

Jason came to the City of Niagara Falls from Norfolk County where he served as Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) as well.  Norfolk County is a single tier municipality with a total budget of over $300 million and 700 full time employees.  His past experience includes having served as the Commissioner of Corporate Services and Treasurer for the Niagara Region, as well the Director of Procurement and Strategic Acquisition. In addition to his work in municipalities, Jason has extensive work experience in the private sector. He was previously a partner with MNP, a large national consulting firm, where he led the municipal practice for southwest Ontario.  He also was employed as the Senior Manager and Vice President at Deloitte, and a member of the firm's National Tourism Hospitality and Leisure team.

Jason holds a Bachelor of Accounting from Brock University and is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA). He was past recipient of the Queens Jubilee Medal for Community Involvement, Past Chair of the United Way, and was previously named to Niagara's "Top 40 Under 40.”

Jason is a life-long resident of the Niagara Region.

Communications

Niagara Falls is an excellent place for business. We help existing businesses, future investors, and community partners with their projects. We connect the private sector and government, providing a place to get help and support.

• Help with business and financial incentives
• Assist with business growth, investments, and financial planning
• Support businesses staying and growing in Niagara Falls
• Provide consultations
• Help with attracting business
• Work with governments
• Analyze markets
• Sale or lease of city land
• Help find sites and give tours
• Support companies in exporting
• Build networks of suppliers

We help the corporation achieve its communication goals by making government information easier to access and encouraging people to get involved. 

• Brand and Marketing:  Uphold and promote the City’s identity and create marketing materials
• Engagement: Facilitate ways to gather feedback from residents, businesses and stakeholders. The Let’s Talk Niagara Falls website further promotes community feedback on city projects.
• Events: Support public consultations and special events hosted by the City
• Public relations: Issue media releases and send out crisis information during emergencies
• Social Media: Use Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and our websites to tell people about news and events

We commit to safely protecting life, property and the environment through education, prevention, and emergency response. Hundreds of firefighters and volunteers stand ready to protect both the urban and rural areas of our city.

• Fire and emergency response
• Fire prevention and Fire Code enforcement
• Public fire and life safety education

We play a crucial role in managing the municipality’s most valuable resource – its people. In HR, we focus on placing people in the right roles to help them achieve their full potential.

• Administer benefits and pensions
• Handle workers’ compensation matters
• Manage employee recruitment and retention
• Manage health, safety, and wellness programs
• Negotiate contracts with unions; Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) and Niagara Falls Professional Firefighters Association (N.F.P.F.F.A.)
• Offer training and career development
• Provide employee support programs
• Track how well employees are doing and recognize their efforts

At Your Service Niagara Falls

We focus on eliminating guesswork and making accessing the right people and information easy using the channels you prefer. Our goal is to help you get things done quickly, simply, and seamlessly.

• Customer service delivery
• Customer relationship management (CRM) system for tracking service requests and communicating our progress
• Service standards

The office of the City Clerk performs duties required by law, supports democracy, and makes sure government actions are open and clear. We provide accessible information for council members, staff and the public when they need it.

• Commissioner of Oaths, taking declarations of an affidavit
• Council services include agendas, resolutions, minutes, bylaws, and other proceedings. We ensure council meetings are transparent and follow the rules
• Requests for information under the Freedom of Information laws
• Issue business and lottery licences
• Issue marriage licences and perform civic marriage ceremonies
• Manage elections for the municipality and school boards
• Manage the records system for the corporation

We manage and safeguard public funds to ensure transparency, efficiency and accountability in every transaction. Financial controls are in place to guarantee there is enough money to meet debt obligations, operating costs, and future needs.

• Budget and planning: Develop annual operating and capital budgets and long-term financial plans
• Accounting: Track and monitor finances, prepare reports and statements
• Revenue: Decide how much to charge for water, sewer, and taxes and ensure property taxes are collected
• Debt and investment: Borrow money responsibly and invest savings wisely for maximum returns
• Policy: Establish guidelines to manage funds effectively and comply with legal requirements

We use technology to make services better. From routine technical support to implementing innovative solutions, our work keeps operations running smoothly.

• Assign civic addresses, and keep track of where properties are located
• Backup and secure databases
• Geographic Information System (GIS) tool to help people work with maps and data. It combines layers of information to understand locations and features better
• Hardware management of physical items such as computers, phones, servers, and security devices
• Network security and maintenance, including how documents are stored electronically
• Software management, including licensing, updates, custom apps, integrations, data migration, and performance monitoring
• User support and training
• Website administration, including compliance with accessibility legislation and domain names

We provide an advisory role to council members and internal staff, ensuring that city operations comply with legislation and common law requirements. Our services do not extend to providing legal advice to the public.

• Administer third-party insurance certificates
• Draft and review contracts and agreements
• Property transactions such as buying and selling land, leasing, and granting licenses
• Represent the City in court cases and protect its interests
• Risk Management identifies potential problems that could cause liability issues and makes plans to prevent them. We also handle claims for injuries or damage.

We manage an open, honest, transparent, and competitive process for buying goods and services for the City. Our goal is to get the best value while meeting the needs of our community and protecting the City's best interests.

• Auction surplus vehicles, fleet equipment, and other city-owned goods
• Join buying groups under the Canadian Free Trade Agreement to combine our purchasing needs. This helps us get lower prices and save on administration costs.
• Request proposals and quotes
• Set rules under the Procurement by-law and create policies and procedures

We manage the planning, design, and construction of major projects that form the foundation of our city such as roads, bridges, sewers, and water systems.

• Capital construction projects for roads, watermains and sewers
• Design landscapes and streetscaping beauftification projects
• Help reduce basement flooding with rebates for disconnecting weeping tiles from sewers
• Issue permits for road occupancy and driveways over culverts
• Monitor infrastructure condition and capacity
• Plan for the replacement of city assets

Our employees are highly visible and seen regularly throughout the community performing daily maintenance tasks.

• Ensure the safety of city vehicles and equipment
• Fill potholes, repair sidewalks, maintain streetlights, and sweep the streets
• Forestry services such as tree planting, pruning and removal
• Maintain parks, trails, and splashpads
• Plow snow and prevent ice on roads and sidewalks
• Respond to emergencies like watermain breaks and sewer blockages

We are responsible for road safety and traffic flow.

• Issue permits for special events and for oversize/overweight loads
• Manage school crossing guards
• Paint lines on roads
• Traffic calming measures and traffic reviews
• Traffic signs

We manage land use in our municipality, shaping and developing our city to meet today’s needs while planning responsibly for the future.

• Committee of Adjustment reviews applications and holds public meetings
• Create long-term planning tools such as Community Improvement Plans, Secondary Plans and the Official Plan
• Manage zoning by-laws and make changes when necessary
• Monitor development and housing
• Protect heritage properties
• Process Sidewalk Café and outdoor patio applications
• Site Plan approval

Ontario Building Officials ensure all construction projects under a building permit follow the rules required by the Ontario Building Code (OBC) and the Ontario Building Code Act. The OBC outlines how buildings must be designed and built to protect public health, safety, fire protection, resource conservation, environmental integrity, and accessibility.

• Review and issue building permits
• Conduct inspections at key stages of construction to confirm compliance. We also perform inspections for business license and liquor license applications.
• Enforce compliance by issuing orders, taking legal action, or stopping the work until issues are resolved
• Collect all related permit and development fees
• Establish and enforce a Code of Conduct for the Chief Building Official and Building Inspectors

Municipal By-law Enforcement 

Municipal By-law Enforcement Officers are out in the community working alongside police and other agencies to ensure order, safety, and compliance. We focus on educating the community while upholding a fair and professional approach.

• Assist the Niagara Region with homelessness matters
• Dangerous dog muzzle orders and appeals
• Enforcement of municipal by-laws, including property standards
• Issue rebates for rodent control services

Parking

We manage municipal parking resources in Niagara Falls, aiming to promote safety, and improve accessibility for residents, businesses, and visitors.

• Enforce parking rules
• Issue parking permits
• Lease monthly lots and provide by-law requirements to private lot owners
• Maintain city parking lots and parking meters

We create programs and provide amenities to stay active and have fun.

• Arenas and skating
• Aquatic programs, swimming lessons and pools 
• Awards and recognition
• Community gardens
• Environmental programs and events
• Events such as the Canada Day celebration and the Santa Claus parade
• Facility rentals
• Programs for children, youth, families, and older adults
• Sports fields

Niagara Falls cemeteries are peaceful and respectful places for families to visit their loved ones. We offer compassionate support to grieving families and work closely with funeral homes and death care providers.

• Burial and cremation
• Commemorative trees and benches
• Genealogy/family search
• Grounds maintenance, development, and beautification
• Internment (lot) purchases

We strengthen and promote arts, culture and heritage and provide a place to be creative. 

• Culture projects, development fund and plans
• Museums
• Niagara Falls Exchange
• Public art and venues

We take care of designing, constructing, maintaining and improving municipal buildings. Our job is to make sure these facilities are safe, functional and accessible for everyone.

• Energy-efficient upgrades
• HVAC, mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems
• Maintenance and repairs
• Preventative maintenance plans
• Renovations and expansion