Darren Ottaway (right) sits next to former Pelham mayor Dave Augustyn during a November 2017 council meeting. Ottaway was Pelham’s chief administrative officer from 2012 to 2019 and worked closely with Augustyn to fulfill council’s East Fonthill development plans, including overseeing a controversial land-for-credits scheme. Photo used by permission from the Voice of Pelham.   […]

Owner of Archives Wine and Spirit Merchants Robbie Raskin offers a toast to a group of whiskey aficionados. Raskin and his partner have been forced to jump through hoop after hoop by the City of St. Catharines to bring their tasting business to fruition. Supplied photo.   Robbie Raskin and his friend and business partner […]

Newly re-elected Conservative MP for Niagara West Dean Allison. Photo credit: Facebook/Dean Allison   When the election dust settled in Niagara West early Tuesday morning, no one was surprised at the result. The pollsters, and the historical record, had pointed to a landslide win for Conservative Dean Allison, and that’s exactly what happened. Just over […]

Photo credit: Reuters/Mark Blinch   Some explain it as a classic case of supply and demand. Property costs have risen dramatically over the past decade, despite government measures to increase the housing supply and reduce demand. But many economists and housing experts question whether recent proposals by the federal Liberals are sufficient to restore affordability […]

Jerry Winnicki and a flatbed-full of his garlic crop. Photo used by permission from the Voice of Pelham.   Jerry Winnicki is a farmer, not a doctor, but he is happy to dispense free health advice—at least when it comes to the nutritional and medicinal power of the humble garlic. It was the ancient Greek […]

Elco Beach, part of Sherkston Shores Beach Resort and Campground. Located at the border between Port Colborne and Fort Erie, Sherkston, like Crystal Beach and many other areas on Niagara’s south shore along Lake Erie, is a popular destination for vacationing Americans throughout the warmer months. Photo credit: Toronto Life Canadian border crossings reopened to […]

 Strada West on Lundy’s Lane in Niagara Falls. Like so many restauranteurs in the region, Strada West proprietor Tom Roberto has had difficulty securing staff because of the pandemic and associated government measures. Photo credit: The Niagara Independent   Ontario’s Minister for Labour, Training, and Skills Development Monte McNaughton was in Niagara last week to […]

Former Pelham mayor Dave Augustyn (centre, black shirt) with CannTrust executives at the official opening of the cannabis producer’s Fenwick facility, June 2018. Three of the company’s former executives are currently facing a litany of charges related to alleged illegal growing efforts in 2018 and 2019. Photo credit: (c) 2018 The Voice of Pelham. Used […]

Mountainview president Mark Basciano.  Talk to director of philanthropy and public relations at Pathstone Mental Health Kim Rossi about Mountainview president Mark Basciano the builder and she can speak volumes, without ever mentioning his successes in the construction industry. She references Mark Basciano the community builder, the man who learned from his father that creating […]

A homeless encampment in Centennial Gardens off Gale Crescent in St. Catharines. Photo credit: Julia McLaren  Homelessness is an urgent problem in Niagara.  A study conducted by the Region in March provided a snapshot of the dire situation. The third annual Niagara Counts homelessness Point-in-Time (PiT) determined there are at least 665 people (including 121 […]