Niagara Transit Commission proposes new low-income Transit Benefit Pass

by Jay Goldberg

The Niagara Transit Commission met on Tuesday, March 18 to greenlight a staff proposal to expand the Niagara Transit Benefit pass to more low-income riders.  The proposal being considered by the Commission is to expand the use of the Transit Benefit Pass to residents currently on Ontario Works and other low-income individuals and families.  Last […]

Pelham Town Council begins process of filling Regional Council seat

by Nick Redekop

Public applications to fill Huson’s seat were received between March 10 and March 19 and will be evaluated by Council at a March 26 meeting.  There is a new vacancy on Niagara Regional Council following the resignation of Pelham Councillor Diana Huson.  Huson, who was first elected in 2018 and re-elected in 2022, announced in […]

The federal government announced through its Housing Accelerator Fund $4.3 million for the City of Port Colborne to help build 128 homes over the next three years.  The announcement was made through a press release issued by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC).  The Housing Accelerator Fund requires action plans from local governments to […]

The City of Niagara Falls is currently exploring the possibility of allowing short-term rentals in residential locations within the municipality provided that the owner is present on the property during the rental period.  If the city chooses to amend by-laws to permit owner occupied short-term rentals, tourists would enjoy a wider range of accommodation options, […]

Local races heat up as Carney weighs snap election

by Nick Redekop

On Friday, March 14, Governor General Mary Simon will preside over the swearing-in of Mark Carney as Canada’s 24th Prime Minister.  Carney will succeed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau after winning the March 9 Liberal leadership election with an overwhelming 85.9 per cent of the vote.  The Carney government will take power nearly three-and-a-half years after […]

Rents in St. Catharines and Niagara Falls fall in February

by Jay Goldberg

The average one-bedroom rent in St. Catharines was down two per cent month-over-month to $1,655 in February, according to the latest Rentals.ca market update. One-bedroom rents in St. Catharines were up, however, by two per cent year-over-year from February 2024. Meanwhile, a two-bedroom unit in St. Catharines cost an average of $1,991 in February, which […]

Niagara could be an important bellwether on election night as both Carney and Poilievre seek to hold their own and make gains. Pictured: Liberal Leader Mark Carney. Photo Credit: Mark Carney/X.  On Sunday, March 9, the Liberal Party of Canada held their first leadership election in twelve years. Mark Carney won the contest in a […]

Bradley calls for civility in U.S. relationship amidst tariff battle

by Jay Goldberg

Regional Chair Jim Bradley argued that civility must prevail. Pictured: Regional Chair Jim Bradley. Photo Credit: Niagara Region.  In the wake of the Trump administration’s decision to impose tariffs on Canadian goods entering the U.S. market last week, Regional Chair Jim Bradley issued a lengthy statement, outlining his concerns about the tariffs, his relationships with […]

Niagara braces for impact as trade war begins

by Nick Redekop

Niagara is home to four Canada-U.S. border crossings that see a cumulative $100 billion worth of trade pass through each year. Pictured: Lewiston-Queenston Bridge. Photo Credit: Wikipedia.  On Tuesday, March 4, U.S. President Donald Trump instituted 25 per cent tariffs on nearly all Canadian exports to the United States. Some tariffs have since been delayed […]

Campbell had served on Niagara Falls City Council since 1985, with an eight-year hiatus in the 2010s. Pictured: Former Niagara Falls Councillor Wayne Campbell. Photo Credit: City of Niagara Falls/X.  Wayne Campbell, a long-time city councillor in Niagara Falls, passed away last week, just days after he resigned from Council for medical reasons. He was […]