County opts out of legal representation for lawsuit against the NPCA

By Lindsey Stuckless

The Haldimand Press

HALDIMAND—Haldimand County Council voted to allow legal counsel to only observe a lawsuit against the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority (NPCA), rather than formally taking part, to save the high costs of representation.

“For formal representation, the cost would be somewhere between $20,000 and $50,000,” said Haldimand Chief Administrative Officer Don Boyle. “Our legal team feels like at this time we can observe the case, and should we wish to join we could do so at a later time.”

The lawsuit was brought against the NPCA by a Hamilton community group who are disputing the NPCA board composition. The group is arguing the Board should be using the formula set out by a rescinded Orders of Council Act from the 1990s.