Dave Bylsma loses seat on West Lincoln’s emergency operations centre

West Lincoln Mayor Dave Bylsma is facing repercussions following his participation in a protest in St. Catharines over the weekend.

Bylsma was one of an estimated one thousand people who defied the province’s stay-at-home orders and protested on Saturday.

“As an elected official, being receptive to all sorts of ideas is important,” Bylsma said in an interview with CHCH News.

WATCH: West Lincoln Mayor explains why he attended the protest in St. Catharines on Saturday

Niagara police say the investigation into the protest is ongoing and charges are pending.

Council removed Bylsma from his seat on the Township of West Lincoln’s emergency operations centre Monday night.

UPDATE:
Effective immediately, Mayor David Bylsma has been removed by Council from his seat on the @TWPWestLincoln EOC (Emergency Operations Centre).

Ward 3 Councillor, Cheryl Ganann, has been appointed to this role for the remainder of this term on Council.

— 🇨🇦William Reilly | West Lincoln Councillor🇨🇦 (@WmReilly4WL) April 13, 2021

Regional Chair Jim Bradley released a statement on Bylsma’s participation saying, “I am deeply troubled and disappointed with his active participation in a public demonstration that deliberately ignored the ongoing state of emergency that he himself declared as one of Niagara’s mayors.”

Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati was asked his thoughts about the protest during his weekly update on Morning Live.