The average household will see a property tax increase of $65.33. Pictured: Welland Mayor Frank Campion. Photo Credit: City of Welland.  Welland Mayor Frank Campion is proposing to raise property taxes by 3.54 per cent as part of his 2025 budget.  For a home with an average assessment value in Welland, which is $230,000, that […]

Last month, 539 homes were sold in Niagara Region. That compares to 377 homes in October 2023. Photo Credit: iStock. The Niagara Association of Realtors (NAR) released its October market update on the local housing market, noting that many more homes were sold last month than during the same month in 2023.  Last month, 539 […]

Crombie has yet to call on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to scrap his federal carbon tax. Pictured: Ontario Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie. Photo Credit: Bonnie Crombie/X.  Ontario Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie wants to make energy bills more affordable in Ontario, but only by a little bit. That’s because Crombie is pledging to remove the provincial […]

It’s time for politicians to focus on making choices that prioritize the needs of taxpayers. Photo Credit: iStock.  If the three most important words in real estate are “location, location, location,” the three most important words in politics are “affordability, affordability, affordability.” The fastest way to make sure more money stays in the pockets of […]

Officials estimate the average household will see a $7.40 increase in their water bill each month. Pictured: Niagara Regional Council. Photo Credit: Niagara Independent.  Niagara Region will be hitting taxpayers with significant water bill increase after the budget committee voted to approve a 12.27 per cent 2025 budget increase for water and wastewater. The increase […]

Henri Koning, who previously served as Director of Seniors Services, has officially assumed the role. Pictured: Henri Koning. Photo Credit: Niagara Region.  Niagara Regional Council has approved Henri Koning as its new permanent Commissioner of Community Services. She officially took the permanent post last week.  Koning has been with the Region since 2012 as the […]

Fordy is pitching a 15.1 per cent police budget increase for 2025. Pictured: Niagara Regional Police Chief Bill Fordy. Photo Credit: NRPS.  Niagara Regional Police Service Chief Bill Fordy is pitching a massive operating budget increase for 2025, seeking a jump in funding of over 15 per cent. The dollar value of Fordy’s requested budget […]

  Bethlenfalvy’s fall economic update offers a path to balance. Pictured: Premier Doug Ford and Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy. Photo Credit: Doug Ford/X.  Here’s some good news for taxpayers: the Ontario government stands on the cusp of balancing the books and there’s tax relief coming.  Those are great highlights in Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy’s fall […]

The proposed property tax increase is 0.25 percentage points higher than what city staff initially suggested. Pictured: St. Catharines Mayor Mat Siscoe. Photo Credit: Mat Siscoe/X.  St. Catharines Mayor Mat Siscoe is proposing a larger property tax increase in his 2025 budget than city staff recommended. In October, city staff suggested St. Catharines councillors approve […]

The proposed property tax increase is slightly above the anticipated rate of inflation.  Pictured: St. Catharines City Hall. Photo Credit: City of St. Catharines.  St. Catharines homeowners are looking at a 2.46 per cent increase in lower-tier residential property tax bills if city staff have their way.  That represents an average increase of $42.82. But […]

Corporate welfare is fueling government debt. And it’s time for it to stop. Photo Credit: Shutterstock. Canadians are worried about government debt and axing corporate welfare is the closest thing to a silver bullet politicians have to solve the problem. Canada’s politicians spent $89 billion handing out taxpayer cash to corporations in 2021, the last […]

Canada-wide rents experienced 2.1 per cent year-over-year increase in September. Photo Credit: iStock.  The average one-bedroom rent in St. Catharines was up 1.4 per cent month-over-month to $1,700 in September 2024, according to the latest Rentals.ca market update. One-bedroom rents are also up 1.6 per cent year-over-year from September 2023. Meanwhile, a two-bedroom unit in […]

Political welfare is the epitome of waste. Pictured: Premier Doug Ford. Photo Credit: Doug Ford/X.  Premier Doug Ford is weeks away from keeping a promise that’s six years old: Ontario’s political welfare regime is finally set to meet its demise on Jan. 1, 2025.  But taxpayers must stay vigilant to ensure Ford keeps his word, […]

Niagara Region’s budget committee voted to delay consideration of the proposed transit budget increase until November. Photo Credit: NRT/Facebook.  It’s Groundhog Day for the Niagara Transit Commission.  Last fall, the Niagara Transit Commission proposed a significant budget increase of 7.8 per cent. This proposed budget increase was endorsed by members of the Niagara Transit Commission, […]

Last month, 488 homes were sold in Niagara Region. That compares to 372 homes in September of 2023. Photo Credit: iStock. The Niagara Association of Realtors (NAR) released its September market update on the local housing market, noting that more homes were sold last month than during the same month in 2023.  Last month, 488 […]

Thomson capped off his 60 years of service by receiving the keys to Niagara Falls. Pictured: Former councillor and mayor Wayne Thomson. Photo Credit: Wayne Thomson/X.  After serving Niagara Falls for nearly 60 years, Wayne Thomson was given the keys to the city by Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati. Thomson has been involved in Niagara […]

The Trudeau government has torpedoed the legal rationale the Supreme Court used to allow Ottawa to impose a federal carbon tax in the first place. Pictured: Premier Doug Ford. Photo Credit: Doug Ford/X. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s carbon tax has never been more vulnerable. It’s time for Ontario Premier Doug Ford to step up to […]

Chris Dabrowski was appointed to council to fill a vacancy triggered by Wayne Thomson’s resignation. Pictured: Councillor Chris Dabrowski. Photo Credit: Revel Realty. Niagara Falls officially has its newest city councillor, although it’s a familiar face.  Chris Dabrowski was appointed to fill the vacant seat previously occupied by Wayne Thomson, who retired last month after […]

The devil is in the details. Pictured: Premier Doug Ford. Photo Credit: Doug Ford/X.  When it comes to Premier Doug Ford’s proposal to build a 55-kilometre tunnel to lessen congestion on Highway 401, the devil will be in the details. Ford presented his plan to build a tunnel from Mississauga to Scarborough as a bold […]

The changes to councillors’ pay would be implemented following the 2026 municipal election. Photo Credit: City of St. Catharines.  St. Catharines city councillors could soon be in line for a raise. A citizen-review task force is recommending a $9,235 pay hike for the city’s 12 city councillors.  The changes to councillors’ pay would be implemented […]

MPP Sam Oosterhoff made the announcement at Vineland Station late last month. Photo Credit: Niagara Falls Innovation Hub/X.  The Niagara Falls Innovation Hub is getting nearly $98,000 from the province to support its Niagara Innovation Cluster Helping Entrepreneurs Project. Niagara West MPP Sam Oosterhoff, who is also the Associate Minister of Energy-Intensive Industries, made the […]

Ford can build on his legacy by ensuring that his successors can’t raise taxes on a whim. Pictured: Premier Doug Ford. Photo Credit: Doug Ford/X.  Voters deserve a say before politicians hike their taxes.  Here’s how to do it. Premier Doug Ford should introduce legislation that makes sure taxpayers can vote in a referendum before […]

The new 2024 plan outlines several priorities to help strengthen the local economy. Pictured: St. Catharines City Council. Photo Credit: City of St. Catharines.  St. Catharines city staff have outlined a new five-year economic development and tourism strategy, which will shape the city’s approach to both public policy areas from this year until 2029.  The […]

Canada-wide rents experienced 3.3 per cent year-over-year increase in August. Photo Credit: iStock.  The average one-bedroom rent in St. Catharines was down 2.1 per cent month-over-month to $1,677 in August 2024, according to the latest Rentals.ca market update. However, one-bedroom rents are up three per cent year-over-year from August 2023. Meanwhile, a two-bedroom unit in […]

The average household in Ontario will pay $381 in carbon taxes on home heating this winter. Pictured: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Photo Credit: Justin Trudeau/X.  Taxpayers better brace themselves for the bruising impact of the Trudeau government’s carbon tax on home heating bills this winter. If you heat your home with natural gas, like more […]

The proposed budget is nearly six per cent higher than the 2024 budget. Photo Credit: NRT/Facebook.   Niagara Regional Transit’s budget is set to climb, which could drive taxes higher, if Niagara Regional Council doesn’t intervene and demand savings on behalf of taxpayers.  The Niagara Region Transit Commission is chaired by Regional Councillor and St. […]

Niagara Region’s 2025 Capital Budget comes in at $376 million.  Niagara Regional Council approved a $376-million capital budget for 2025 at a September committee-of-the-whole meeting overseen by Budget Committee Chair Wayne Redekop of Fort Erie. The capital budget deals with long-term infrastructure needs of Niagara Region and is separate from the operating budget, which will […]

Council voted on a full three-year extension of three development incentive programs, which was passed by a 14-7 margin.  Niagara Regional Council was sharply divided on whether to extend housing incentive programs, with costs for taxpayers piling up. At a Sept. 5 council meeting as a committee of the whole to deal with the budget, […]

Better test scores and saving taxpayer dollars is a win-win. Pictured: Ontario Education Minister Jill Dunlop. Photo Credit: Jill Dunlop/X.  Ontario taxpayers deserve choice and value-for-money when it comes to educating our kids. It’s unfair to force parents to keep their kids in failing government-run schools. And it’s unfair to force taxpayers to continue to […]

Last month, 488 homes were sold in Niagara Region. That compares to 523 homes in August of 2023. Photo Credit: iStock. The Niagara Association of Realtors (NAR) released its August market update on the local housing market, noting that fewer homes were sold last month than during the same month in 2023.  Last month, 488 […]

Higgs was able to put an HST cut on the table because his province’s finances are in such good shape. Pictured: New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs. Photo Credit: Blaine Higgs/X.  It’s a tale of two premiers. New Brunswick’s Blaine Higgs has been disciplined with managing his province’s finances, reducing debt and paving the way for […]

Officers issued 57 tickets for speeding across Niagara Region. Photo Credit: NRPS/X. The Niagara Regional Police Service launched its 24th Annual Back-to-School Traffic Safety and Awareness Day on Sept. 3, with more than 50 additional officers pulled in for duty.   The NRPS has been doing annual awareness days since 2000. Senior officers and officers not […]

The new shelter, based in Welland, will house up to 60 homeless adults. Photo Credit: Depositphotos.  Last week, Niagara Regional Council approved $2.8 million to help build a new temporary emergency shelter in Welland. According to the Region, this new site will expand overall adult shelter spaces and also increase services available to those in […]

Taxpayers deserve to see the real numbers and the Ontario’s politicians should have to be accountable for them. Pictured: Ontario Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy. Photo Credit: Peter Bethlenfalvy/X.  Remember that friend you had in school who would change his report card before taking it home to his parents?  It turns out premiers, mayors and prime […]

Canada-wide rents experienced a 0.2 per cent month-over-month increase and a rather modest 3.5 per cent year-over-year increase. Photo Credit: iStock.  The average one-bedroom rent in St. Catharines was down 0.9 per cent month-over-month to $1,713 in July 2024, according to the latest Rentals.ca market update. One-bedroom rents are also down 1.4 per cent year-over-year […]

A special award was given to The Citrus Twists stand, which raised $3,829. This was the second year in a row that stand raised the most money. Photo Credit: FACS Niagara.  The fundraising totals are in, and the Family and Children’s Services (FACS) Niagara Foundation raised over $90,000 through its Mountainview Lemonaid Day to help […]

Does anyone think their Toyota Highlander disappeared because there wasn’t a cabinet minister watching it? Pictured: Premier Doug Ford and Solicitor General Michael Kerzner. Photo Credit: MPPKerzner/X.  Premier Doug Ford’s cabinet was already excessively large. A surprise resignation should have been an opportunity to shed some extra weight. But somehow, Ford managed to add yet […]

The new tool can be used by a prospective investors and entrepreneurs at niagaracanada.com. Niagara Region has launched a new tool to promote economic development opportunities.  Launched on Aug. 15, “Niagara Signature Sites” is a new, innovative and interactive map that showcases industrial and commercial development opportunities throughout the Niagara region. The tool was rolled […]

Last month, 503 homes were sold in Niagara Region. That compares to 522 homes in July of 2023. Photo Credit: iStock. The Niagara Association of Realtors (NAR) released its July market update on the local housing market, noting that fewer homes were sold last month than during the same month in 2023.  Last month, 503 […]

Ontarians can’t afford to see gas taxes surge in the new year, so taxpayers must make that clear to provincial politicians well in advance of the currently scheduled tax hike. Pictured: Premier Doug Ford. Photo Credit: Doug Ford/X.  Premier Doug Ford’s gas tax cut saved Ontario families hundreds of dollars over the past two years.  […]

The government says that this move will save vehicle owners more than 900,000 hours every year. Pictured: MPP Donna Skelly and Ministers Todd McCarthy and Prabmeet Sarkaria. Photo Credit: Donna Skelly/X.  Automatic license plate renewal is now in effect for drivers across Ontario. The new process will impact eight million Ontario drivers. Ontario became the […]

Last week, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre visited St. Catharines, Niagara Falls, Welland, Stevensville and Niagara-on-the-Lake. Pictured: Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre. Photo Credit: Pierre Poilievre/X.   Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre was in Niagara last week, touting his plan to build more homes and tackle housing affordability for Canadians.  Poilievre visited St. Catharines, Niagara Falls, Welland, Stevensville and […]

An Ontario family filling up a Dodge Caravan and Honda Accord once every two weeks ends up paying just shy of two grand in gas taxes over the course of a year. Photo Credit: iStock. Two thousand dollars. That’s how much the typical two-car Ontario family spends on gas taxes every year.  Big numbers can […]

The new car accident fee is one of 13 new user fees approved by council in late July to try to increase city revenue. Photo Credit: iStock. St. Catharines councillors approved a raft of changes to city fees as part of a regular review of all city fees, which were originally set as part of […]

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow should implement common-sense construction contracting reforms to head off a massive property tax increase in 2025. Pictured: Mayor Olivia Chow. Photo Credit: Olivia Chow/X.  They say less is more, especially when it comes to budgeting. Apparently, Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow never got the memo.  Canada’s largest city keeps overpaying on construction […]

The report’s proposed changes to council rules and procedures were overwhelmingly adopted, with only St. Catharines Councillor Haley Bateman and Pelham Mayor Marvin Junkin voting against. Pictured: Councillor Haley Bateman. Photo Credit: Niagara Region.  After a clash over the Israel-Gaza conflict and the role Niagara Regional Council should, or should not, play in it, regional […]

Regional staff are proposing an 8.72 per cent property tax increase for 2025. Pictured: Niagara Regional Council Chair Jim Bradley. Photo Credit: Niagara Region.  Niagara Region residents are staring down an upper-tier property tax increase of 8.72 per cent in 2025 if city staff have their way.  That’s significantly higher than last year’s 7.02 per […]

Higgs’ HST cut pledge is the first major policy proposal laid out ahead of this fall’s election. Pictured: New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs. Photo Credit: Blaine Higgs/X.  Premier Blaine Higgs made it a priority to pay down New Brunswick’s debt and that means there’s room for tax relief. And that’s exactly what Higgs is promising […]

A Ward 3 by-election will be held on Nov. 4 to replace Councillor Terry Bell, who vacated his seat by missing successive council meetings. Photo Credit: Township of West Lincoln.  West Lincoln Town Council has voted to hold a by-election to fill a vacancy created by the departure of Ward 3 representative Terry Bell, who […]

As a result of the investigation, NRPS announced two arrests on July 17. Both individuals arrested were from Stoney Creek. Photo Credit: X/Niagara Regional Police Service. In April 2024, a 45-year-old man was found dead in the Town of Pelham. As has been the case in so many communities across Ontario and Canada, the deceased […]

Twenty-eight of the approved convenience stores are in Niagara Falls, five are in Welland, two are in Niagara-on-the-Lake and one is in St. Catharines. Photo Credit: iStock.  As the province-wide LCBO union strike reaches its two-week mark, corner stores across Niagara are preparing to sell alcohol. Provincial rules will now permit corner stores to sell […]

The only reason selling alcohol in grocery stores is on the public agenda is because the LCBO union strike put it there. Pictured: Premier Doug Ford. Photo Credit: Doug Ford/X.  Decades ago, an aspiring politician once coined the term “it’s a time for choosing.” That would-be politician was talking about an election. But Ontario now […]

Canada-wide rents experienced a 0.8 per cent month-over-month increase and a rather significant 7.0 per cent year-over-year increase. Photo Credit: iStock.  The average one-bedroom rent in St. Catharines was up 2.9 per cent month-over-month to $1,728 in June 2024, according to the latest Rentals.ca market update. However, one-bedroom rents are up just 0.9 per cent […]

Last month, 541 homes were sold in Niagara Region. That compares to 609 homes in June of 2023. Photo Credit: iStock.  The Niagara Association of Realtors (NAR) released its June market update on the local housing market, noting that fewer homes were sold last month than during the same month in 2023.  Last month, 541 […]

Thirty per cent of youth between the ages of 15 and 19 tried vaping in 2022, at an age when they’re not allowed to legally purchase any tobacco products. Photo Credit: iStock. Major changes for Niagara Region’s schools are in the works while students are gone for the summer, as plans are underway to install […]

If political parties want to raise cash, they should do so by winning over taxpayers, not raiding their wallets. Pictured: Ontario Premier Doug Ford. Photo Credit: Doug Ford/X.  For Ontario’s political parties, the jig may finally be up. Premier Doug Ford is just six months away from scrapping Ontario’s political welfare system. Political welfare has […]

Lord Mayor Gary Zalepa was among those who voted in favour of the proposal both times. Pictured: Niagara-on-the-Lake council. Photo Credit: City of Niagara-on-the-Lake.  A major new development was approved by Niagara-on-the-Lake councillors despite councillors having recommended the rejection of the same application when meeting as the planning committee just two weeks prior.  When council met […]

If the 25-point swing in Toronto-St. Paul’s were to occur in Ontario in next year’s federal election, the Liberals would be left with no seats in the Niagara area or in Hamilton. Pictured: Liberal MPs Chris Bittle and Vance Badawey. Photo Credit: Vance Badawey/X.  In a stunning upset last week, Conservative candidate Don Stewart won […]

In the private sector, if a project manager was overseeing a multi-billion-dollar project and costs ballooned by 43 per cent in a single year, that project manager would be shown the door. Pictured: Premier Doug Ford. Photo Credit: Doug Ford/X.  It sure looks like Premier Doug Ford has been hoodwinking Ontarians by using one of […]

The average property tax levied on a home worth $500,000 in Niagara Region is $7,421. That’s nearly $1,000 more than nearby Waterloo and Kitchener. Photo Credit: Adobe Stock Images.  Niagara Region residents pay some of the highest property taxes in Canada, according to a new report by Zoocasa. The average property tax rate for a […]

St. Catharines is the 26th most expensive city to rent a one-bedroom unit out of the 35 Canadian cities examined. Photo Credit: iStock.  The average one-bedroom rent in St. Catharines was up 0.5 per cent month-over-month to $1,663 in May 2024, according to the latest Rentals.ca market update. However, one-bedroom rents are down 0.5 per […]

Recommended changes will be considered by council at a meeting next week, on June 28. Pictured: Regional Chair Jim Bradley. Photo Credit: Niagara Region.  Niagara Region’s Corporate Services Committee is recommending that Niagara Regional Council change its policies to prevent the flying of foreign flags after controversy broke out when an Israeli flag was raised […]

With 36 Progressive Conservatives now in cabinet out of a caucus of 80, no less than 45 per cent of the governing caucus gets a 42 per cent pay bump. Pictured: Ontario Premier Doug Ford. Photo Credit: Doug Ford/X.  Is Queen’s Park nearly twice as effective as it was six years ago? That’s a question […]

Over 70 arrests have been made over the past three years throughout the country for so-called grandparent scam crimes, including at least one in every Canadian province. Photo Credit: Facebook/Niagara Region Police Service.  The Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS) is warning local seniors about so-called “Grandparent Scams” after receiving a number of complaints throughout the […]

The benchmark price for May was $653,900. That’s up from April, but it’s also nearly $10,000 lower than the $663,800 benchmark price was in May of 2023.  The Niagara Association of Realtors (NAR) released its May market update on the local housing market, noting that fewer homes were sold last month than during the same […]

By the end of 2024, total payments from Ontario’s political welfare program will have crossed the $100-million mark. Pictured: Premier Doug Ford. Photo Credit: Doug Ford/X.  One hundred million dollars.  That’s how much Ontario’s political parties will have taken from taxpayers before its sunset clause sets in the new year. Eight years ago, former premier […]

The motion was in support of a policy change being advanced by the Association of Municipalities of Ontario. Pictured: Welland City Council. Photo Credit: City of Welland.  Welland councillors passed a motion last week calling on the Ford government to update the municipal code of conduct and strengthen enforcement measures.  The motion was in support […]

Over the past 24 months, taxpayers filling up two cars once a week have saved more than $1,000 thanks to Furey’s gas tax cut. Pictured: Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey. Photo Credit: Andrew Furey/X.  One hundred and fifty million dollars.  That’s how much money Premier Andrew Furey’s nearly three years of gas tax cuts […]

Social media use, so says the lawsuit, has altered students’ mental wiring and damaged their ability to learn and fully participate in school. Photo Credit: Adobe Stock Images. The District School Board of Niagara has joined with several other Ontario school boards in filing a lawsuit against a handful of social media giants. The lawsuit […]

Pearle Hospitality, an Ontario-based hospitality company, is pitching a $200-million plan to develop and restore Toronto Power. Photo Credit: Niagara Parks.  At last week’s Niagara Regional Council meeting, Niagara Parks Chair Bob Gale and CEO David Adames provided an update on the state of Niagara Parks as an organization and the plans it has for […]

Niagara Region received a D grade, only marginally better than the F received by Hamilton, London and Windsor. Pictured: Niagara Region Chair Jim Bradley. Photo Credit: Niagara Region.  A major Canadian think tank gave Niagara Region a D grade when it comes to its 2023 budget process, criticizing the budget’s lack of transparency and lateness. […]

Politicians should be focusing on creating the right environment for any company, large or small, to grow without a government handout. Pictured: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Photo Credit: Justin Trudeau/X.  Politicians are rolling the dice on the electric vehicle industry with your money. If they bet wrong, and there’s a good chance they have, hardworking […]

At Diodati’s behest, Niagara Falls City Council will discuss the idea of dynamic parking pricing at its May 28 meeting. Photo Credit: iStock.  Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati is leading a new push to implement dynamic pricing in public parking areas. Diodati says that after hundreds of thousands flocked to Niagara Falls to watch and […]

There were 602 sales in Niagara Region last month. That’s up from 560 sales in April of 2023.  The Niagara Association of Realtors (NAR) released its April market update on the local housing market, noting that more homes were on the market last month than a year prior. In April, 1,396 residential properties were on […]

DiMarco ultimately left the meeting partway through, having participated virtually. Pictured: Welland Mayor Frank Campion and Councillor Tony DiMarco. Photo Credit: Niagara Region/City of Welland.  Fireworks were flying at an April 23 council meeting in Welland as Mayor Frank Campion clashed with Councillor Tony DiMarco (Ward 4). This followed a tiff between the two at […]

Ford’s claim that Crombie is a tax-and-spend Liberal holds water. But here’s Ford’s problem: he’s a tax-and-spend politician too. Pictured: Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie. Photo Credit: Bonnie Crombie/X.  Premier Doug Ford desperately wants Ontarians to believe Bonnie Crombie is a tax-and-spend Liberal who can’t be trusted with Ontario’s finances.   He’s spent millions of dollars on […]

The CRA said it made the decision to delay these new rules because the change had “an unintended impact on Canadians.” Photo Credit: Adobe Stock Images.  The Canada Revenue Agency’s new rules for bare trust reporting cost Canadians more than $900 million, according to a survey of Canadian accounting firms. The irony is that these […]

The announcement means the higher 110 km/h speed limit will cover 36 per cent of the 860 kilometers of Ontario’s highway network, according to the Ontario government. Pictured: Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria and Premier Doug Ford. Photo Credit: Prabmeet Sarkaria/X.  The Ontario government has announced plans to increase speed limits on several highways across southern […]

The bottom line is that six years into Ford’s time on the job, any excuses for his fiscal fiasco fall flat. Pictured: Ontario Premier Doug Ford. Photo Credit: Doug Ford/X.  Ontario’s debt has erupted like a volcano under Premier Doug Ford’s watch and he has no one to blame but himself.  Ford rode into office […]

Crime in Niagara Region remains a concern for many. Photo Credit: Facebook/NRPS. On Monday, the Niagara Region Police Service put out two news releases dealing with theft: in one case, an ATV was stolen, while in another, a suspect was charged with breaking and entering. The ATV incident occurred on Saturday, April 20. At just […]

New Brunswick is clearly moving in the right direction and has emerged as one of the most fiscally responsible provinces in the nation. Pictured: New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs. Photo Credit: Blaine Higgs/X.  Lower taxes. Less debt. Balanced budgets.   That’s Premier Blaine Higgs’ secret sauce in crafting the New Brunswick Advantage.  Back in the days […]

Tim Hortons’ smile week will run from April 29 to May 5 this year. Smile Cookies cost $1.50 and proceeds are given to local charities across the country. Photo Credit: Tim Hortons.  Tim Hortons launched its Smile Cookie program back in 1996 as a way of raising funds for charities. It started with raising funds […]

Combined, the Sir Adam Beck dams provide about nine per cent of the province’s electricity, which is the equivalent of powering 1.7 million homes. Pictured: Ontario Energy Minister Todd Smith. Photo Credit: Todd Smith/X.  The government of Ontario has announced it is spending $1 billion to extend the lifecycle of the province’s largest hydroelectric dams, […]

Given the federal requirement for funds, more municipalities may choose to embrace fourplexes in the months to come. Pictured: Ontario Premier Doug Ford. Photo Credit: Doug Ford/X.  Premier Doug Ford has been in a recent back-and-forth with the Trudeau government in Ottawa about whether the province should force all municipalities to allow for the construction […]

Many of the Trudeau government’s critics suggest that all this announcement will do is lead to Canadians taking on even more debt and does nothing to solve the housing crisis. Pictured: Minister of Small Business Rechie Valdez and MP Vance Badawey. Photo Credit: Vance Badawey/X.  Canada’s Minister of Small Business, Rechie Valdez, was in Niagara […]

The Ford government is raking in $5 billion through the province’s health tax. The tax is charged on top of income taxes, so most Ontarians don’t even realize they’re paying it. Pictured: Ontario Premier Doug Ford. Photo Credit: Doug Ford/X.  There’s one statistic in Ontario budget that should raise the ire of taxpayers: a record […]

Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati noted that Regional Chair Jim Bradley’s emergency declaration made tourists nervous about coming to Niagara Falls. Pictured:  Mayor Jim Diodati (left) Niagara Region Chair Jim Bradley (right). Photo Credit: Niagara Regional Municipality.  The number of visitors to Niagara Falls for the eclipse was less than expected, and Niagara Falls Mayor […]

In March, 1,167 residential properties were on the market, compared to 1,046 in 2023. The average sale time was 43 days last month, slightly longer than it was one year ago. Photo Credit: Adobe Stock Images.  The Niagara Association of Realtors (NAR) released its March market update on the local housing market, noting that more […]

Ford’s practice of giving nearly everyone in his caucus pay bumps reflects his free spending approach to the province’s budget. Pictured: Ontario Premier Doug Ford. Photo Credit: Doug Ford/X.  It’s like a bad joke. How many politicians does it take to screw in a light blub? Nobody knows for sure, but apparently it takes more […]

Across the province of Ontario, 300,570 government employees were on the sunshine list for 2023, which is an increase of more than 10 per cent from the total in 2022. Pictured: Former Niagara Region Police Chief Bryan MacCulloch. Photo Credit: NRPS.  Ontario’s sunshine list of government employees earning more than $100,000 was released last month […]

After significant debate, Councillor Diana Huson’s motion was narrowly defeated in a 14 to 12 vote. Pictured: Regional Councillor Diana Huson. Photo Credit: Diana Huson/X.    Niagara Regional Council is narrowly divided over whether to publicly side with the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) and against the Ford government over a disagreement about whether subsidies for […]

To truly save money for taxpayers, Ford needs to both cut taxes and shrink the debt burden for future taxpayers. Pictured: Ontario Premier Doug Ford, Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy and Health Minister Sylvia Jones. Photo Credit: Doug Ford/LinkedIn.  It was a week of ups and downs for Premier Doug Ford’s government.  Last Monday, Ford announced […]

Overall, Newfoundland and Labrador’s 2024 budget is good news for taxpayers. It focuses on lowering taxes, trimming the deficit and setting the province up well for the future. Photo Credit: Andrew Furey/X.  Newfoundland and Labrador Finance Minister Siobhán Coady presented a budget that includes another year of gas tax relief, a cut to the province’s […]

In February, 1,073 residential properties were on the market, compared to 817 in 2023. The average sale time was 48 days last month, the exact same as it was one year ago. Photo Credit: Adobe Stock Images. The Niagara Association of Realtors (NAR) released its February market update on the local housing market, noting that […]

Top-up funding for municipalities through the More Homes Built Faster Fund will amount to $1.2 billion over three years. Pictured: Welland Mayor Frank Campion. Photo Credit: City of Welland.   The city of Welland received $1.72 million through the province of Ontario’s More Homes Built Faster top-up fund for far exceeding its housing targets for […]

If taxpayers think the carbon tax is unaffordable now, things will get a whole lot more expensive unless the carbon tax is frozen or scrapped. Pictured: Energy and Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson. Photo Credit: Jonathan Wilkinson/X.   In a visit to Thorold earlier this month, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson defended the […]

The reality is no politician – Tory, Chow, or anyone else – should have saddled Toronto taxpayers with this burden. Pictured: Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow. Photo Credit: Olivia Chow/X. Toronto taxpayers recently received news as predictable as the sun rising in the east: the price tag for hosting a handful of 2026 World Cup games […]

Ford’s gas tax cut has meant real relief for Ontario families. The typical two-car Ontario family has saved about $8 per week at the pumps since July 2022. Pictured: Premier Doug Ford. Photo Credit: The Canadian Press/Spencer Colby.  Premier Doug Ford has delivered real relief to Ontario families through his temporary 6.4 cent per litre […]

Lord Mayor Gary Zalepa argued that any additional pay raise should be considered at committee as an earlier part of the budget process, “not on the floor of a committee budget meeting.” Photo Credit: Don Mitchell/Global News.    Councillors in Niagara-on-the-Lake have iced a proposal to give themselves a 4.9 per cent pay raise, which […]

  This single move will save Nova Scotia taxpayers a huge chunk of change –  one-year savings will amount to $160 million by 2028. Photo Credit: Communications Nova Scotia. Premier Tim Houston made one very important –and positive – move in Budget 2024: he’s finally putting an end to bracket creep. This single move will […]

These two appointments mean the Niagara Regional Police Service’s new leadership team is finally in place. All three top roles changed hands this winter. Photo Credit: Facebook/Niagara Regional Police Service. Niagara Region officially has two new Deputy Chiefs of Police. Both men, Superintendents Todd Waselovich and Luigi Greco, have served with the Niagara Regional Police […]

Niagara Region needs 81 new family doctors in order to fill the region’s shortage. Niagara’s population is also growing and is projected to hit 694,000 by 2051, making the need for more family doctors even more acute. Photo Credit: Chris Young/The Canadian Press.    Experts estimate that there are currently 147,000 residents in the Niagara […]

Council endorsed a spending plan that includes $30.6 million in gross operating expenditures and a $17.8 million net levy. Photo Credit: Town of Grimsby.    The Town of Grimsby has passed its budget plan for 2024. Council endorsed a spending plan that includes $30.6 million in gross operating expenditures and a $17.8 million net levy. […]

If the Ford government addresses three key points – spending control, tax relief and structural change – it will begin to earn back the trust of disappointed Ontario taxpayers. Pictured: Ontario Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy. Photo Credit: The Canadian Press/Chirstopher Katsarov.    Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy has a chance to turn the page on six […]

Councillor Diana Huson, who proposed the motion, says her goal is to have council better address how to interact with the public and how to best ensure the public can participate in debates at council in the future. Photo Credit: The Niagara Independent. Niagara’s regional council is bringing in the integrity commissioner to review what […]

The average price of a home in Niagara Region increased from $229,800 in 2013 to $629,700 in 2023. That’s an increase of 174 per cent over just a ten-year span. Photo Credit: The Canadian Press/Nathan Denette.   Zoocasa recently released a report showing that Niagara Region has seen some of the highest increases in the […]

The truth is that Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston is using health care as an excuse to continue profiting off inflation at taxpayers’ expense. Photo Credit: X/Tim Houston. Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston is the only first minister in all of Canada deliberately profiting off inflation at taxpayers’ expense.  By refusing to adjust income tax […]

Instead of having non-profits or charities make presentations and jump through a number of hoops just to see if council is willing to waive fees on a case-by-case basis, non-profits and charities will now have certainty about municipal costs before proposing or moving forward with an affordable housing project. Photo Credit: City of St. Catharines.  […]

According to the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA), Niagara is one of the epicentres of human trafficking and sexual exploitation in all of Canada. Its location near the Canada-United States border plays a major role, as does easy accessibility to major highways. Photo Credit: NRPS.  A case of human trafficking made waves in Niagara Falls […]

When it comes to affordability, Ford has shown he understands what families are going through. Trudeau, on the other hand, has shown just how out of touch he is with the lives of everyday Canadians. Photo Credit: Reuters/Cole Burston.    When it comes to making life more affordable for struggling families, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau […]

Council approved the 2024 operating levy unanimously, with some minor amendments, at the end of the council meeting, which lasted nearly four hours. The budget and its by-laws will see a final vote on Feb. 20. Photo Credit: Town of Grimsby.    The Town of Grimsby has released its budget plan for 2024. Mayor Jeff […]

Looking at making real and transformative changes to Ontario’s approach to education is long overdue. It’s time to shake up the system, facilitate school choice and end the province’s one-size-fits-all government-run education system. Pictured: Education Minister Stephen Lecce. Photo Credit: Stephen Lecce/Facebook. Ontario is pouring more money than ever into government-run schools. In fact, spending […]

The bridge will cost an estimated $14 million to replace, with costs shared equally between the Region and CN Rail. The divestment would occur after reconstruction is complete. Photo Credit: The Niagara Independent.    Niagara Region’s Public Works Committee met last week to begin to determine the fate of the St. Paul Street West Canadian […]

Ford encouraged Progressive Conservative members to continue to be optimistic and focus on an agenda of optimism in seeking to maintain strong support from Ontario voters as the Tories look ahead to the next general election cycle in 2026. Pictured: Ontario Premier Doug Ford. Photo Credit: Doug Ford/X.    Premier Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservatives flocked […]

The Tax Increment Grant (TIG) Program, which was used to approve the property tax deferral for these two sites, can be used for new housing projects for up to 10 years following the project’s completion. Photo Credit: City of Port Colborne.    The city of Port Colborne will provide tax deferral grants to two new […]

If Toronto really is broke, as Chow keeps telling taxpayers, she should insist the salaries of city employees are frozen in all future contract negotiations until the city gets back on sound financial footing. Pictured: Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow. Photo Credit: The Canadian Press/Tjana Martin.   Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow says the city is broke. […]

A swearing-in ceremony has not yet been announced, but there will be a formal ceremony. Now that Fordy has been selected as chief, the search begins for a replacement for now-retired Deputy Chief Brett Flynn and a replacement for Fordy in his former role. The Police Services Board expects to select a candidate by the […]

Niagara Region is set to get a new police chief as Bryan MacCulloch prepares to retire after decades of service. He will officially retire on Feb. 1. MacCulloch has been serving as Niagara Region’s chief of police since September 2017. Photo Credit: NRPS.    Niagara Region is set to get a new police chief as […]

Ford has made his fair share of mistakes over the past six years. But with two years left in his mandate, Ford still has a chance to right his wrongs. That starts with this year’s budget. Pictured: Ontario Premier Doug Ford. Photo Credit: Twitter/Doug Ford.    Premier Doug Ford created a financial mess over the […]

The budget reflects the priorities of Mayor Jim Diodati, who is required to formally present a budget plan to council under Ontario’s strong mayor legislation no later than Feb. 1. Photo Credit: City of Niagara Falls.    Niagara Falls city staff are recommending a 3.5 per cent property tax increase for the 2024 tax year. […]

Putting the health tax on the chopping block would be a boon for taxpayers and show Ontarians that Ford is serious about helping families make ends meet. Pictured: Premier Doug Ford and Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy Photo Credit: The Canadian Press/Frank Gunn.    There’s one tax in particular Ontario taxpayers want to see on the […]

Siscoe says his budget exercised considerable spending restraint because he heard from taxpayers that council needs “to do more with less” and try “new ways of doing things to see if there are savings to be had.” Pictured is St. Catharines Mayor Mat Siscoe. Photo Credit: Mat Siscoe/Twitter.   St. Catharines Mayor Mat Siscoe has […]

The Conference Board of Canada expects the St. Catharines-Niagara economy will grow by an estimated 1.5 per cent in 2024, which is roughly on pace with what is anticipated for the overall national economy. Growth is expected to accelerate to 2.5 per cent by 2025, as inflation pressures begin to ease and interest rates begin […]

When Chow was asked if she was prepared to commit to Carroll’s property tax hike plans, Chow responded by saying she needed to consult with and hear from Toronto taxpayers first. Toronto taxpayers need to give Chow exactly what she’s asked for. Photo Credit: Twitter/Olivia Chow.    Toronto taxpayers were barely given time to enjoy […]

Homeowners in Niagara are feeling the pinch. Higher rates have led to more houses being put on the market, as some homeowners simply cannot afford to renew. Photo Credit: The Canadian Press/Evan Buhler.    Like much of Ontario and Canada, the Niagara region is facing a mortgage and debt crisis spurred on by over-borrowing and […]

Niagara Region residents won’t be facing a fare increase when using transit in 2024, despite attempts by the Niagara Transit Commission to increase fares. Photo Credit: CPTDB Wiki.   Niagara Region residents won’t be facing a fare increase when using transit in 2024, despite attempts by the Niagara Transit Commission to increase fares.  The Region’s […]

Without action from the province, the combined impact of the end of the gas tax cut and the increase in the federal carbon tax would be a stunning 11.8 cents per litre. That would drive up the cost of filling up a minivan by nine dollars overnight. Photo Credit: The Canadian Press/Andrew Vaughan.    Forty […]

Last Updated: Friday, January, 5, 2024, 10:32am Niagara’s regional government is increasing its property tax burden at a faster rate than any other regional council in Ontario. Pictured is Niagara Regional Chair Jim Bradley. Photo Credit: Niagara Region.   Niagara Regional Council is imposing the highest regional property tax increase in all of Ontario in […]

Ford should seize the moment and end political welfare now. Photo Credit: Twitter/Doug Ford.    Ontario’s political welfare system will finally be relegated to the ash heap of history a year from now. But that’s not nearly soon enough. Political parties in Ontario have gotten millions of taxpayer dollars four times a year with no […]

Trudeau’s 2024 tax hikes, including increased payroll taxes and higher CPP contributions, will cost the average $80,000 earner an extra $507 annually. Meanwhile, Ontario’s promised income tax cut by Premier Doug Ford remains undelivered, leaving taxpayers grappling with increased financial strain amid rising expenses. Photo credit: The Canadian Press/Tara Walton   Prime Minister Justin Trudeau […]

P.E.I. residents set to benefit from Premier Dennis King’s 2024 tax relief, potentially saving households $400 in provincial taxes, but concerns arise over bracket creep’s long-term impact Photo Credit: Facebook/Dennis King   Imagine what your family could do with an extra $400. Thanks to Prince Edward Island Premier Dennis King, Islanders won’t be imagining what […]

 Photo credit: Twitter/Doug Ford It’s time to grade Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s record after half a decade in office.  No matter how you slice it, Ford isn’t coming anywhere close to the taxpayer honour roll.  Ford deserves a failing grade on taxes, deficits and debt.   But with more than two years left in his term, […]

Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston’s spending surge raises concerns over future taxpayer burden as deficits soar. Photo credit: Twitter/Tim Houston   Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston is driving his province towards a fiscal cliff. If he doesn’t change course soon, taxpayers will be in for a world of hurt. Houston didn’t inherit a rosy financial […]

Gudie Hutchings, Liberal Minister for Rural Economic Development, comments surrounding Trudeau’s carbon tax reversal sparks controversy and questions about priorities. Photo Credit: Twitter/ctvqp   Ironically, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s divisive carbon tax carve-out has united the majority of provinces. Last month, Trudeau announced his government’s plan to suspend the federal carbon tax on furnace oil. […]

Fiscal update highlights shifts in debt, corporate aid, and government size. Photo credit: Twitter/Doug Ford   The Ford government tabled its fall economic update earlier this month. If anyone doubted that Ford and Trudeau were cut from the same cloth, the numbers extinguish that doubt.   It’s become clear that Ford has adopted the Trudeau government’s […]

Photo Credit: Facebook/FordNation   More than $800. That’s how much the Ford government’s gas tax cuts will save the average two-car Ontario family by the end of June 2024. Premier Doug Ford announced last week that his government is extending its 6.4 cent per litre gas tax cut until June 30, 2024. That is music […]

Ontario NDP Leader could learn from Manitoba Premier Kinew’s affordability strategies. Photo Credit: Kevin King/Winnipeg Sun   Ontario NDP leader Marit Stiles could learn a thing or two about affordability from newly-elected Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew. The first move Stiles could make in emulating Kinew is to support gas tax relief. Premier Doug Ford cut […]

Until recently no one in the Trudeau government’s Liberal caucus was willing to stand up and tell the truth on carbon taxes. Newfoundland and Labrador MP Ken McDonald (pictured) finally broke that trend. Photo credit: Facebook/Ken McDonald   The dam has finally broken in the Liberal caucus with some MPs starting to admit the federal […]

Those who argue for higher taxes to solve Toronto’s budget woes continuously claim Torontonians are undertaxed, because property tax rates are lower than in neighbouring municipalities. That argument deserves two separate responses. Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons   It’s time to finally bust a myth: Torontonians do not have a lower tax burden than taxpayers in […]

Doug Ford’s government is anything but the lean, efficient administration he promised taxpayers. Photo credit: Twitter/Doug Ford   The man who once promised a leaner, more efficient and effective government at Queen’s Park has instead allowed it to balloon larger than any other Ontario premier in the 21st century.   In Premier Doug Ford’s first throne […]

Thanks to Trudeau’s carbon tax, if you heat your home with furnace oil, propane, or natural gas, you will be paying a lot more just to stay warm this winter. Photo credit: Getty Images/iStock   As Ontarians continue to struggle with soaring living costs, taxpayers better brace themselves for the bruising impact of the Trudeau […]

Based on the limited financial information the city has released, Toronto taxpayers are facing a raw deal. City bureaucrats estimate taxpayers will be on the hook for $290 million to bring five World Cup games to Toronto in 2026. Pictured is former mayor John Tory. Photo credit: The Canadian Press/Christopher Katsarov   Toronto is out […]

Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston. In the span of just two years, Houston managed to increase government spending by a stunning 19 per cent. Photo credit: Twitter/Tim Houston   Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston is slamming his foot on the gas pedal and driving the province toward a fiscal cliff. For the sake of future […]

Ontario spends more now than it ever has and leads the pack per student among large provinces across the country. Plus, remember those supposed cuts you heard about? The opposite is true. Pictured is Minister of Education Stephen Lecce. Photo credit: Facebook/Stephen Lecce   As Ontario families face the possibility of a looming teachers strike […]

Spending on government-run schools has reached record highs, yet performance has worsened. Photo credit: Pexels/RDNE Stock Project   Here’s something Ontario’s education establishment doesn’t want you to hear: improving school choice would improve students’ outcomes and the province’s bottom line. Ontario students get to pick what post-secondary schools to apply for, tutors to hire and […]

More money – the proposed solution of choice for virtually all provincial governments past and present – simply won’t get the job done. Pictured is Ontario’s Minister of Health Sylvia Jones. Photo credit: Twitter/Sylvia Jones   Here’s a truth most politicians will never admit: throwing money at Ontario’s health-care system won’t solve its fundamental problems. […]

If the Australian state of Victoria can withdraw from being the sole host of the 2026 Commonwealth Games, Toronto can pull out from hosting less than 10 per cent of the 2026 World Cup games. Pictured is an artist rendering of a FIFA-ready expanded BMO Field. Photo credit: BMO Field   It’s time for the […]

Now that Stellantis and Volkswagen have negotiated a collective $31-billion handout from the feds and Ontario, no doubt other automakers will follow. Photo credit: Bloomberg/Emily Elconin   Thirty-one billion dollars. That’s how much of your money Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier Doug Ford are handing over to two of the world’s largest and most […]

There’s plenty the newly elected mayor can do, from pulling the plug on the city’s costly privilege of hosting a handful of FIFA World Cup games in 2026 to opening up the tendering process. Photo credit: Twitter/Olivia Chow   Olivia Chow won Toronto’s mayoral by-election promising to spend hundreds of millions of dollars the city […]

Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston. From coast to coast, every other government outside of Nova Scotia has acknowledged it is wrong to punish taxpayers simply for receiving a cost-of-living pay raise. Photo credit: CBC/Robert Short   Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston stands alone by deliberately profiting off of inflation. By failing to index income tax […]

Toronto has what’s called a closed tendering approach to awarding contracts for some of the city’s most expensive construction projects. That means that only certain construction companies affiliated with a handful of unions can bid to take on those jobs. Photo credit: Archinect   Canada’s largest city has been overpaying on construction projects to the […]

Provincial government expected to bring in over $200 billion in tax revenue for 2023. According to the FAO, Ontario is positioned to run a surplus of $3 billion this year, $7.4 billion next year and $10 billion the year after that. Photo credit: Twitter/Doug Ford   Despite increasing government spending rapidly, the Ford government has […]

In total, data from the finance ministry shows Premier Doug Ford’s gas tax cut has left over a billion dollars in taxpayers’ wallets, and that tab will continue to grow for the next several months. Photo credit: Twitter/Doug Ford   Eight dollars every week. That’s how much Premier Doug Ford’s gas tax cuts have saved […]

Thanks in large part to inflation, provincial government set to collect nearly $25 billion more in tax revenue this year versus last. If he’s truly a man of and for the people, the premier would share some of that windfall with the wider population by lowering Ontario’s sales tax. Photo credit: Twitter/Doug Ford   It’s […]

Filling up the tank at the pumps and paying the home heating bill is set to get a whole lot more painful, with Trudeau’s second carbon tax ready to come into effect July 1. Photo credit: The Canadian Press/Ryan Remiorz   We now know how much the Trudeau government’s carbon taxes will cost Ontario families […]

Taxpayer-funded quarterly allowances haven’t been awarded since last spring, when Premier Ford gave Ontario’s political parties three payments in advance, allowing them to spend the funds on attack ads during last year’s election campaign. Come June, the political welfare payments are set to resume. Photo credit: The Canadian Press/Chris Young   Ontario’s political party slush […]

The Prime Minister and Premier of Ontario have found common ground in recent years as keen proponents of corporate welfare, shelling out billions of taxpayer dollars to companies like Stellantis and Volkswagen. Photo credit: The Canadian Press/Tara Walton   Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Ontario Premier Doug Ford used to be political enemies. Yet, their […]

Toronto is the only municipality in Ontario that charges a land transfer tax. Mayoral candidate Anthony Furey (pictured, right) wants to change that by phasing out the additional tax in the years ahead. Photo credit: Twitter/Anthony Furey   Here’s a novel idea: if you want to bring the price of housing down, try taxing less. […]

Rather than fix the present Science Centre, the Ford government is planning to build a brand-new facility on the grounds of the old Ontario Place. But building a new facility will take time and a lot of taxpayer dough. Photo credit: Twitter/Doug Ford   In trying to rationalize moving the Ontario Science Centre to the […]

In March, the governments of Canada and Ontario jointly announced what could turn out to be the largest corporate welfare handout in the country’s history. Experts say the governments collectively gave some $10 billion to Volkswagen to build its new electric car battery plant in St. Thomas. Photo credit: AP/Michael Sohn   Here’s a sad […]

Ontario’s premier fought hard against Kathleen Wynne’s carbon tax scheme and won. Now, he continues to fight the forces that be in Ottawa. Photo credit: Twitter/Doug Ford   Ontario Premier Doug Ford has a penchant for recognizing a wolf in sheep’s clothing. When it comes to carbon taxes, Ford wasn’t fooled for a moment. Scrapping […]

The 2023 budget presented by the Newfoundlander and Labrador premier demonstrates clear fiscal prudence. In contrast, Trudeau’s budget spends $20 billion more this year than last. Pictured is Premier Andrew Furey. Photo credit: The Canadian Press/Andrew Vaughan   The premier and prime minister might be young Liberal pals with a lot of star power, but […]

In 2021-22, Ontario finished the fiscal year with a $2.1 billion surplus – but instead of building on that surplus for budget 2023, Premier Ford (left) and Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy (right) tore it down. Photo credit: Twitter/Peter Bethlenfalvy   Ontario Premier Doug Ford was like a rookie at a blackjack table during this budget […]

As Atlantic Canadians felt the crunch from inflation last year, the region’s premiers responded in one of two ways. Three premiers chose to deliver tax relief. Only Nova Scotia’s Tim Houston failed to offer any kind of meaningful relief to taxpayers. Photo credit: Communications Nova Scotia    Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston was Atlantic Canada’s […]

Going forward, the P.E.I. premier can’t count on massive revenue windfalls. His election platform should show prudence and outline a plan to stay in the black. Photo credit: The Canadian Press/Brian McInnis   Rather than present a budget, Prince Edward Island Premier Dennis King has plunged his province into an election. While the election call […]

With the Trudeau government’s online ‘censorship’ bill heading back to the House of Commons this week, now is the time for Liberal MPs to decide what they want their legacies to be. Photo credit: The Canadian Press/Adrian Wyld   Liberal backbenchers have a first-rate opportunity to prove that MPs are more than trained seals by […]

Instead of dreaming up new taxes to hammer Canadians, Trudeau could start looking at areas to save. Photo credit: Bloomberg/David Kawai   If you hear the sound of water about to crash ashore, that’s the sound of the Trudeau government’s tidal wave of new taxes set to wash over taxpayers in this winter’s federal budget.  […]

Former mayor of Toronto John Tory’s time in office was marked by a level of financial imprudence that rivals that of even Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Photo credit: CBC/Evan Mitsui   It’s time to dispel a yearslong myth: former mayor John Tory was no friend to Toronto taxpayers. He shouldn’t let the door hit him […]

Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston (left) and P.E.I. Premier Dennis King. Their respective provincial governments are stubbornly refusing to adjust their tax brackets to account for soaring inflation. Photo credit: Twitter and Facebook   Two Atlantic Canadian governments are cashing in on inflation and it’s time for taxpayers to stand up and demand better.  When […]

Although the premier has made a series of bad financial decisions of late, he has a fresh mandate and a new opportunity to return to his pro-taxpayer roots. Photo credit: Twitter/Doug Ford   Premier Doug Ford is facing a moment of truth in the next budget. After years of runaway spending, will he finally embrace […]

It’s time for the premier to make good on his 2018 promise to nix the per-vote subsidy. Photo credit: Twitter/Doug Ford   Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s excuses for maintaining a taxpayer slush fund are wearing thin.  A decade ago, former premier Kathleen Wynne thought it would be a bright idea to give Ontario’s political parties […]

While political leaders around the country used the pandemic as an excuse to increase spending across the board, New Brunswick’s Blaine Higgs took a different approach. Photo credit: The Canadian Press/Stephen MacGillivray   If anyone is looking for an instructor to teach a masterclass on defending the public purse, New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs should […]

Photo credit: The Globe and Mail/Fred Lum   Imagine you’ve hired contractors to do a home renovation project. You’ve finally saved up enough money to add that second bathroom you’ve always wanted. What would you do if, halfway through the job, the contractors came to you and said that costs had suddenly doubled, and the […]

Premier Doug Ford. Photo credit: Twitter/Doug Ford   It’s time for Premier Doug Ford to be bold. The cost of living is soaring for Ontario families. To deliver relief to every Ontarian across the province, Ford should cut the provincial sales tax. Ford owes Ontarians relief. Four years ago, he promised to cut income taxes for the […]

After failing to receive Senate approval before the last federal election, Canada’s so-called ‘online censorship bill’ was reintroduced by Minister of Canadian Heritage Pablo Rodriguez (pictured) in February of this year. Photo credit: The Canadian Press/Justin Tang   Prime Minister Justin Trudeau doesn’t care about Canadian content creators. When Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriquez first tabled […]

After a temporary six-month pause, the provincial gas excise tax is set to be reinstituted at the end of the year. Photo credit: Twitter/Doug Ford   If Ontario Premier Doug Ford doesn’t want to be the grinch who stole Christmas, he’ll start working on a plan to make Ontario’s temporary gas tax cut permanent. Ontario […]

Bill C-11 would hand the CRTC, a government agency, the power to control what Canadians are exposed to online through filtering our news and streaming feeds. Photo credit: Twitter/Justin Trudeau   Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is taking Canada on a headfirst dive toward government censorship, with the Senate the only obstacle standing between Canadians and […]

Minister of Canadian Heritage Pablo Rodriguez. Photo credit: The Canadian Press/Patrick Doyle    Sign first, then we’ll discuss the details. Nobody would trust a real estate agent or used car dealership with that approach, but that’s how the Trudeau government is trying to sell its plan to regulate the internet. The government is currently trying […]

This year, Ontario is set to spend over $13 billion simply servicing the provincial debt. That’s money that comes from Main Street and heads into the pockets of bondholders on Bay Street. If Ontarians didn’t have to pay interest on the $440-billion provincial debt, more money would be free for other priorities. Photo credit: Flickr/Jonathan […]

Photo credit: The Canadian Press/Chad Hipolito   Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is eyeing a wealth tax to pay for his government’s spending spree. Heavily redacted documents obtained by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation show Trudeau asked for analysis of a $60-billion wealth tax. With indefinite deficits looming, it must be tempting to grab that cash. But a wealth […]

Premier of Ontario Doug Ford announces the removal of tolls on Highway 412 and 418, Feb. 18, 2022. Ford has revealed several cost-saving initiatives for taxpayers over the last few weeks. Photo credit: Twitter/Doug Ford   License plate stickers in Ontario are destined for the ash heap of history, thanks to the Ford government’s commitment […]

Photo credit: Reuters/Patrick Doyle    As the federal budget approaches, taxpayers are holding on to their wallets a little tighter. Even though Prime Minister Justin Trudeau declared less than two years ago that “the last thing Canadians need is to see a rise in taxes,” the government will likely have to win the support of the NDP […]

Premier Doug Ford and Minister of Finance Peter Bethlenfalvy (back). In March, Bethlenfalvy will present the Ford government’s last budget before the provincial election. Photo credit: The Canadian Press/Frank Gunn   After fifteen years of governments pursuing high spending, run-away deficits, and no meaningful tax relief, it’s time for Ontario Premier Doug Ford to think […]

Photo credit: The Niagara Independent/Nicholas Tibollo   The collective blood pressure of Ontario taxpayers surged over the weekend as gas prices hit record levels across the province. In large part, hardworking taxpayers can blame the federal government for soaring costs. For the first time ever, gas prices in Ontario crossed the $1.50 per litre threshold. […]

Bureaucrats are getting raises, while average Ontarians are undergoing endless pay cuts and closures. Photo credit: Associated Press/Wilfredo Lee   Ontario has been experiencing a tale of two pandemics. One is a fairy tale for bureaucrats and the other is a grim story for the rest of us. Bureaucrats working for the province and its […]

Photo credit: Getty Images/Jose Luis Pelaez   In case Premier Doug Ford is one of those last-minute holiday shoppers who doesn’t like the mall, Ontario taxpayers have some stocking stuffer ideas the Ontario government needs to deliver. The best gift ideas are presents that Ford should be very familiar with, since they were in his […]

Trudeau’s newly appointed Minister of Canadian Heritage Pablo Rodriquez. Photo credit: The Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick   Rarely, in the history of Confederation, have so many, from so many points on the political spectrum, been so unified in opposition to one specific policy. Before the last election, the Trudeau government’s proposed internet regulations provoked opposition from journalists, academics, civil […]

Protesters hold a rally over motion M-103, the Liberals’ so-called ‘anti-Islamophobia motion’, on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on March 21, 2017. Photo credit: The Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick   Free speech ensures that Canadians have the right to tell governments when they’re wrong. While this may be unpleasant for governments, it is absolutely vital in a […]

Ontario Liberal Party leader Steven Del Duca. Del Duca recently announced that, if elected, he would add several billion more to the province’s already bloated education budget. Photo credit: Postmedia Network/John Lappa

While thousands of Ontario teachers are receiving six-figure salaries, a budget crunch at the Ministry of Education means it’s time to bring their sky-high pay down to earth.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford promised to end the party with taxpayers’ money. Instead, he’s replaced the iPod playlist and chip dip with the booming beats of a live DJ and a laser light show.

When he was campaigning across the province during the 2018 election, Ford promised to end the government’s free-spending ways and restore fiscal responsibility to Queen’s Park.

It’s a bad idea to keep adding water to a leaky bucket. Millions of dollars have been gushing out of Laurentian University for years. And it’s not right to plug the holes with taxpayers’ cash.

Laurentian University is facing a debt crisis of its own making, and Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s political opponents are calling on the government to come to its rescue.

Going for a drive is one of the few things families can do to get out of the house, but now they’re being hit with gas prices that have spiked to their highest point in two years. Filling up a minivan now costs $95.

As Ontario’s finance minister rose in the legislature to present the government’s 2021 budget, it became painfully clear that the Ford government is acting like an ostrich with its head firmly buried in the sand.