The Niagara Escarpment Commission, founded in June 1973 by the Niagara Escarpment Planning and Development Act (last revised 2012), is an agency of the Ontario government. Its mission is to "conserve the UNESCO-designated Niagara Escarpment Biosphere Reserve as a continuous natural environment and scenic, working countryside". The Niagara Escarpment Commission published the first Niagara Escarpment Plan in 1985. This plan is reviewed and updated every five years, with the most recent version of the plan published in 2017. The Niagara Escarpment Commission has essentially the same powers and responsibilities as a municipality, including control over zoning and bylaws. The Commission staff are split between two geographical offices:

Commission