Last week, staff told St. Catharines councillors that leftover money from previous years would enable the city to move forward with additional road resurfacing this year, vastly expanding St. Catharines’ 2026 road resurfacing budget. The city’s original road resurfacing budget was just under $800,000 for 2026, but councillors voted to approve the transfer of over […]
The Ontario Legislature has officially passed Bill 100, the Better Regional Governance Act, 2026, which will change the way local government works in Niagara Region. The bill that passed included amendments that allow Niagara-on-the-Lake, Port Colborne, and Thorold to reduce the size of their respective councils. All three municipalities had asked Queen’s Park for permission […]
On May 1, those interested in running for municipal offices in Niagara gained access to register. There will be no openings at the regional level because the Ford government is eliminating those positions. As a result, 19 regional councillor seats will disappear, and these councillors must seek jobs in their communities to continue serving as […]
Niagara College is expanding its applied research into dementia care through a project exploring the therapeutic impact of robotic animals in long-term care settings. The College’s “Fins, Feathers and Fur” initiative, led through its new Healthy Aging and Wellness Innovation Centre (HAWIC), is focused on helping staff in long-term care homes use robotic companion animals […]
The provincial government is investing just over $1 million through the Experience Ontario Program to support 19 local festivals and events across Niagara. The announcement was made earlier this month by Niagara West MPP Sam Oosterhoff. The Experience Ontario Program provides financial support for festivals and events with a tourism impact, which helps both municipalities […]
In a good news story for St. Catharines, General Motors has announced plans to spend $691 million in its St. Catharines Propulsion Plant. The investment will help support the production of the sixth generation of GM’s V-8 engine, which will power GM’s full-size trucks and SUVs. According to GM, equipment has already begun arriving on […]
Thorold will have a new mayor later this year, as Mayor Terry Ugulini announced last week that he does not plan to seek a third straight term as head of council. Before serving as mayor, Ugulini spent a single term serving on council. “I am proud of what we have accomplished together and optimistic about […]
Editor’s Update: Ann-Marie Zammit has officially declared her candidacy and is currently the only registered candidate in the mayoral race. Mat Siscoe has not formally announced whether he will seek re-election. Any references to his potential candidacy are based on the assumption that he may choose to enter the race. In Pelham, former Mayor Dave […]
On May 1, those interested in running for municipal offices in Niagara will gain access to register. There will be no openings at the regional level because the Ford government is eliminating those positions. As a result, 19 regional councillor seats will disappear, and these councillors must seek jobs in their communities to continue serving […]
The findings of an inquest jury into treatment delays that played a role in the death of 24-year-old Heather Winterstein, an Indigenous woman, at a St. Catharines hospital in December 2021 have led to calls for change within the healthcare system. In their findings released last week, the jury ruled that Winterstein died from septic […]