Consultants recommend changes to Welland’s ward boundaries

by Jay Goldberg

Consultants hired by the City of Welland are recommending changes to ward boundaries to ensure more equal representation given the city’s recent and projected population changes. Welland currently has a six-ward system, with two councillors elected in each ward. The system was adopted 20 years ago, back in 2005. StrategyCorp, the firm hired by Welland, […]

The combination of demographic, economic, and geopolitical crises has been a catalyst for Canada to undertake major projects on a scale and scope unseen in generations.  In Ontario, specifically, the need to increase transportation efficiency throughout the population-rich regions surrounding the GTA has never been greater.  It is for this reason that the Ontario government […]

Niagara City Cruises 2025 season underway

by Nick Redekop

Local entrepreneur Mory DiMaurizio serves as the Chief Operating Officer for Niagara City Cruises.  Despite less-than-ideal spring weather conditions, as well as ongoing geopolitical challenges, DiMaurizio says that Niagara City Cruises is looking forward to another successful year.  “We’re excited,” DiMaurizio shared in a recent interview with The Niagara Independent. “It’s been a great start […]

Niagara Falls rents keep rising, defying national trends: Report

by Jay Goldberg

Rents in Niagara Falls continue to defy national trends, with rents there rising year-over-year in May despite steep declines across the country.  However, rents in both St. Catharines and Welland continue to follow national trends, up slightly month-over-month but down significantly year-over-year.  That’s all according to a new Rentals.ca report.  Overall Canadian rents fell by […]

Region kicks off 2026 budget process

by Jay Goldberg

Niagara Region has officially kicked off its 2026 budget process, with the first of a dozen content-specific budget meetings having been held last week. The budget process is starting much earlier this year, as Councillors want to ensure that this year’s budget is completed ahead of the 2026 calendar year, which also happens to be […]

Mayor wants Welland to own historic former post office

by Nick Redekop

The City of Welland has a rich heritage that can be traced back well over a hundred years. One of the vintage structures, which has presided over various eras of the municipality’s storied history, is a former post office, located at 3438 King Street.  The building was constructed at the dawn of the 20th century […]

City of St. Catharines prepares to revise sign by-law

by Nick Redekop

St. Catharines City Council has directed City employees to complete a report that will provide context regarding the state of the municipality’s sign by-law and outline how it can be amended to reflect changes to the way organizations are conducting their marketing operations.  The last sign by-law amendment, which was implemented more than a decade […]

Port Colborne set to appoint Davies’ replacement to Regional Council

by Jay Goldberg

Port Colborne is set to appoint a new Regional Councillor to fill the shoes of Fred Davies, who left his role to become the new Member of Parliament for Niagara South following April’s federal election. The federal election was the second time Davies sought to run for higher office, having lost his bid to become […]

The City of Niagara Falls and the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake recently considered whether to add an online voting option ahead of the 2026 municipal and school board elections cycle.  Ultimately, Niagara-on-the-Lake determined that now is the time to adopt online voting. Niagara Falls, however, decided against approving online voting as an option for next year’s […]

Region appoints new corporate services commissioner

by Jay Goldberg

The Niagara Region has a new Commissioner of Corporate Services. Tim Ellis was hired for the role following what the Region calls “an extensive and competitive recruitment process.”  “The Commissioner of Corporate Services is a key role at the Region,” said Regional Chair Jim Bradley. “In addition to overseeing over 265 staff in multiple lines […]