‘I bleed Niagara Falls’: Diodati reflects on 16 years as mayor

Jim Diodati’s time as mayor will end before the doors open at the new South Niagara Hospital, a project he spent years championing.

That unfinished chapter offers a fitting starting point for looking back at his 16 years leading Niagara Falls. Some of the changes associated with his mayoralty already form part of everyday life. Others will arrive after he leaves office.

For Diodati, however, his first message following the election centred on the people who had entrusted him with the job.

“Being your mayor has been the honour of my life,” he said in a recent Facebook video.

Voters elected Lori Lococo on Oct. 26, giving her 14,058 votes to Diodati’s 11,401. The result ended his pursuit of a fifth consecutive term and the opportunity to become the city’s longest-serving mayor. It also brought an end to a mayoralty that began in 2010, after two terms on city council.

Over those years, Diodati made his personality part of the office. An entrepreneur before becoming mayor, he embraced an approach his official biography calls “politainment.” Community appearances and social media helped make the mayor a familiar presence beyond the council chamber.

His farewell reflected that personal connection. He recalled his children growing up in front of the community and residents treating them like their own. The message moved between photographs of public life and family moments, capturing how closely the two had become intertwined.

Behind that visibility were projects that required years of advocacy and cooperation with other governments.

The South Niagara Hospital stands among the most consequential. Construction began in July 2023 at Montrose and Biggar roads, with opening scheduled for summer 2028. The 1.3-million-square-foot facility will expand hospital services for southern Niagara, including emergency care and specialized services.

Diodati consistently made the hospital central to his vision for the city. Niagara Health and provincial partners will deliver it, but his sustained advocacy remains a significant part of his municipal record. Its opening will now take place with someone else wearing the chain of office.

Downtown, another long-standing ambition became tangible when the University of Niagara Falls Canada welcomed its first students in April 2024.

Classes began in the renovated Hatch building on Queen Street, establishing a university presence in the historic downtown. Diodati championed the institution as an anchor for renewed activity, bringing students and staff into an area where revitalization has long been a municipal priority.

Transportation also changed during his tenure. Regular weekday GO train service began in January 2019, providing a morning connection from Niagara Falls to Toronto and an evening return. The introduction marked an important step in the longer effort to improve connections between Niagara and the Greater Toronto Area.

Other changes reached residents closer to home.

The Niagara Falls Exchange opened in February 2024, creating a new home for the farmers’ market alongside spaces for local arts and cultural activity. A new casino revenue agreement took effect in 2013, establishing payments tied to gaming revenue that became an important source of municipal funding. Both became part of the city’s development during his years as mayor.

His community work also extended beyond council business. His 2026 campaign pointed to 21 years of Sleep Cheap and nearly $3 million raised for local charities, connecting the city’s hotel industry with fundraising close to home. The campaign also highlighted playground rehabilitation and the completion of the Millennium Trail among the accomplishments of his tenure.

The years brought personal challenges alongside the public responsibilities. Diodati underwent extensive chemotherapy following a Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosis before his third term. He subsequently led the city through the COVID-19 pandemic.

In his farewell, he recalled the support residents offered his family during his cancer treatment. He also reflected on neighbours helping one another through the uncertainty of the pandemic.

His thanks extended to the family and friends who had shared him with the city throughout his mayoralty.

He then turned to his successor.

“And I truly wish you every success because your success is Niagara Falls’ success,” Diodati said.

“Please carry on with the major projects that we’ve started and keep the momentum going.”

Those words connect the record he leaves behind with the work that continues. The hospital still needs to open. The university’s place in the downtown will continue to develop. Decisions made during his four terms will remain part of the city long after the transition at city hall.

What comes next for Diodati is less certain. His video announced no new position or another campaign, leaving the shape of his future involvement open.

It did make clear that he sees his relationship with Niagara Falls continuing beyond elected office.

“I bleed Niagara Falls,” he said. “I always have, and I always will.”

The election has settled who will lead the city next. Diodati’s own next chapter remains unwritten, even as parts of his mayoral legacy are still being built.