Author Archives: dougdraper

“This project was a true community build. We did not receive government funding to build these homes. Instead, these homes were built by the generosity of people, community partners and organizations across Niagara.”                                                              – Habitat For Humanity Niagara CEO Mark Carl

A News Release from Habitat For Humanity Niagara

Posted July 27^th, 2026 on Niagara At Large

A Brief Foreword Note from Doug Draper at Niagara At Large – With the leadership of the late U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalyn, this is one of the greatest non-for-profit organizations founded and now operating in hundreds of communities across North America, including Niagara, to help put a roof over the heads of struggling families. Let’s do everything we can as individuals and communities to support it.

WELLAND, ONTARIO – Five local families are now homeowners thanks to Habitat for Humanity Niagara’s largest housing project to date.

Thanks to volunteers across Niagara. these folks will now have a home. Photo courtesy of Habitat For Humanity Niagara

At a key ceremony held today, Habitat Niagara officially handed over the keys to five families moving into new townhomes in Welland. The six-unit townhouse development was built on land purchased from the City of Welland, with three more townhouses planned for construction on the property in the coming months. Continue reading →

This is what People Power can do if enough people stand up against  bad government planning

Now how about putting a complete end to Ford’s plan to build a giant ferris wheel ride on Queen Victoria Park lands next to the Horseshoe Falls

A Statement from Tim Gray, Executive Director, Environmental Defence

Posted July 25th, 2026 on Niagara At Large

Toronto, Ontario –This weekend, we’re celebrating a monumental victory for Toronto, our waterfront, and the people that love it.

The federal government’s decision to ground the proposal (by Premier Doug Ford’s government) to expand the Toronto Island Airport to accommodate jets is a triumph for community power and democratic participation.

This wasn’t a consultation. It was a referendum. Eighty-seven per cent of people said no jets, and the federal government listened. You can’t buy our waterfront. We just proved it.

Over three months, thousands of lawn signs went up across the city, thousands of letters landed on the desks of Toronto MPs, and 87,000 people responded to the government’s survey with one clear message: No jets on our waterfront. Continue reading →

This Saturday, July 25^th, 2026 In St. Catharines  from 11 A.M Until Noon – See Details On Poster Below

Posted July 24^th, 2026 on Niagara At Large

For more on this upcoming rally, click on the following link- https://niagaraatlarge.com/2026/07/22/join-the-next-st-catharines-niagara-edition-of-a-province-wide-rally-against-the-policies-practices-of-doug-ford/

NIAGARA AT LARGE Encourages You To Join The Conversation By Sharing Your Views On This Post In The Space Following The Bernie Sanders Quote Below and by sharing the Niagara At Large site at www.niagaraatlarge.com with all of your friends and associates.

“A Politician Thinks Of The Next Election. A Leader Thinks Of The Next Generation.” – Bernie Sanders

With Courage, Vision, and Action, We Can Thrive!

A Message from the Green Party of Canada

Posted July 24^th, 2026 on Niagara At Large

The Green Party has a message for Donald Trump.

We can weather his trade war and attacks on our sovereignty. We can even become stronger for it. We just need vision and the courage to act.

Trump underestimates Canadians. In the wake of new tariffs and ‘51st State’ threats, he said that, without the U.S., there’s “no way” our country can survive.” Continue reading →

Years of rejected retirement solutions and inadequate government planning left captive whales with no truly humane option 

A News Release from the Whale Sanctuary Project in Port Hilford Bay, Nova Scotia 

Posted July 23rd^d, 2026 on Niagara At Large 

As (Niagara Falls, Ontario-based) Marineland Canada’s remaining 30 beluga whales begin their transfer to U.S. marine entertainment parks and aquariums, the Whale Sanctuary Project says the operation marks the latest chapter in the captive cetacean industry’s decades-long practice of moving whales between facilities rather than retiring them.

Rather than signalling a new model for animal welfare, the transfers perpetuate the same system of captivity that created the Marineland crisis in the first place.

“For years, we warned that this day was coming,” said Dr. Lori Marino, President and Founder of Whale Sanctuary Project. Continue reading →

Banning the bags could save the Canadian industry $10 Million a year and prevent harmful plastic waste and pollution

A Report from Environmental Defence Canada and the University of Toronto Trash Team

Posted July 23rd, 2026 on Niagara At Large

Toronto – A study from the University of Toronto Trash Team has found that grocery chains give out approximately 2,000 single-use plastic produce bags per store every day in Toronto.

These bags are virtually impossible to recycle and contribute to avoidable plastic waste and litter while costing one grocery brand more than $300,000 per year. 

“Our research revealed just how normalized single-use produce bags have become, with thousands used every day in grocery stores across Toronto,” said Diego Arreola Fernández, 2024 Pollution Prevention Project Fellow, U of T Trash Team, and Founder and President of Green Speaking. Continue reading →

Taking place Friday, July 24, Saturday, July 25, and Sunday, July 26 in St. Catharines, Niagara (See Details Below)

An Invite To All from Matter of Black in St. Catharines, Niagara

Posted July 23^rd, 2026 on Niagara At Large

St. Catharines, ON – Matter of Black invites the community to celebrate Emancipation Day STC 2026, a weekend of events taking place July 24, July 25, and July 26, bringing together comedy, history, culture, music and community while honouring the legacy of emancipation and the enduring contributions of African, Caribbean and Black communities in Niagara.

This year’s celebration begins with an exciting new partnership between Matter of Black and Spotlight Comedy, kicking off the weekend with an evening of laughter before commemorating the 175th anniversary of (the great Underground Railroad heroine) Harriet Tubman’s arrival in St. Catharines. Continue reading →

For whatever reason, Canada is a convenient punching back from the U.S. Trump administration

A Brief Commentary by Niagara At Large reporter/publisher Doug Draper

Posted July 22nd, 2026 on Niagara At Large

Donald Trump (left) and his sychophant of an ambassador to Canada, Pete Hoeksrat

And if the threats and insults are not coming from Trump himself, they are coming from Pete Hoekstra, the ambassador he has shipped up to Ottawa to toe the line for him in our country.

Earlier on in his time here, Hoekstra responded to expressions of anger from Canadians to the taunt from Trump that our country should become a “51^st state” with a figurative wave of his hand and the suggestion that we should just “move on” and get over it.

In the wake of Trump’s more recent threats that Canada should be punished with more crippling  tariffs because of the smoke drifting down in to the country he rules like a 17^th century king from wildfires up north, Hoekstra could hardly wait to echo his master’s threat with the line; “Canada must answer for wildlife smoke.”

What I would like to know is who is going to answer for the smoke coming out of Hoekstra’s mouth and how much more of this Trump-groveling creep do we have to take? Continue reading →

Deal will break down interprovincial trade barriers for alcoholic beverages, improving consumer choice and opening up new markets to Canadian manufacturers

“In the face of President Trump’s latest tariffs, it’s more important than ever that Team Canada work together to build a more united, resilient and self-reliant Canadian economy.”            – Ontario Premier Doug Ford. “

News from the Ontario Government

Posted July 22^nd, 2026 on Niagara At Large

CHARLOTTETOWN, PEI — This past July 21^st, 2026, Premier Doug Ford along with premiers of eight other Canadian provinces — British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador — signed a historic agreement that will allow direct-to-consumer (DTC) sales of alcoholic beverages between their individual jurisdictions for personal use.

This new agreement is building a more open and united Canadian economy by removing a major trade barrier within Canada. It was co-led by Ontario and Saskatchewan and reflects collaboration among all participating jurisdictions, building on the commitments made in the 2025 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on DTC sales of alcoholic beverages and is a major part of Ontario’s plan to remove barriers to free and open trade between Canadian provinces and territories. Negotiations on the agreement concluded earlier this year. Continue reading →

This Coming Saturday, July 25^th, from 11 A.M. To Noon In Front of the Pen Centre Mall at the Corner of Glendale and Tremont Drive in St. Catharines

 Posted July 22^nd, 2026 on Niagara At Large

A ‘Fight Ford’ rally of Niagara citizens  this past spring in front of the Pen Centre shopping mall. photo by Emily Spanton

Once every month since this past winter, even through cold, wet, not-very-pleasant weather, several hundred  citizens each time have gathered together from across Niagara – home-made signs in hand – to demonstrate their opposition to Ford’s policies and practices on every issue from health care, education, the environment, to his government’s ongoing disassembling of our democratic institutions at the municipal level, and more.

All of us across Niagara are invited to come join them again as similar rallies are held in communities across Ontario this coming July 25th.

Come out and join your fellow citizens across the region and show Ford and his government and those local parties in and out of local government who support them that, to use the line in an old movie, “we are mad as hell and we are not going to take it any more.”

NIAGARA AT LARGE Encourages You To Join The Conversation By Sharing Your Views On This Post In The Space  Below and by sharing the Niagara At Large site at www.niagaraatlarge.com with all of your friends and associates.

Visit us every day on www.niagaraat.arge.com and on Doug Draper’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/doug.draper.180 and encourage everyone else you know to do the same. Let’s build media outlets for local news and commentary!

Thanks To Trump And His Millions Of Supporters, Any Friendship We Had With The United States Is Over!

A Commentary by Niagara At Large reporter/publisher Doug Draper

Posted  July 21st, 2026 on Niagara At Large

“They (Canadians) need us to survive,” declared a puffed up Donald Trump shortly after he announced plans this week to hit Canada with even more punishing tariffs on a broad number of goods Canadian businesses sell to the United States.

“Without the United States,” tough-guy Trump continued, “there is no way they (Canadians) can survive.”

With that kind of schoolyard bully manner of talk, along with all of Trump’s previously threats to make Canada a “51^st state,” aimed at a country that long considered the U.S. a friendly, reliable neighbour, I think we Canadians need to double down on our determination to  make a go of it without Trump and the tens-of-millions of Americans he represents, and do our best to build a stronger bond with Europe and other regions around the world. Continue reading →

“There is a growing movement geared towards embracing nearby nature: your backyard, your local trail or the park down the street. … We’re starting to authentically reconnect with unplugged experiences and see first-hand that life is better without the constant sounds, badges, notifications and apps stealing attention and directing it to things that largely don’t matter.”                                                                                                         – Brock University Associate Professor of Recreation and Leisure Studies Garrett Hutson

A Report from Brock University in Niagara, Ontario

Posted July 21^st, 2026 on Niagara At Large

There’s a popular activity making its way onto Canadians’ to-do lists this summer: unplugging outdoors.

In a world saturated by screen time and technology, more people are putting down their devices and spending time outside, says Brock University Associate Professor of Recreation and Leisure Studies Garrett Hutson.

“There is a growing movement geared towards embracing nearby nature: your backyard, your local trail or the park down the street,” he says. Continue reading →

Breaking News and Commentary by Doug Draper on Niagara At Large

July 20^th, 2026, 2026

Two of the 30 surviving beluga whales  held in captivity at the now-shuttered Marineland amusement park in Niagara Falls, Ontario are now in the process of being moved to parks in the United States and Spain.

After many months of hand-wringing over the fate of 30 remaining beluga whales and four dolphins at the defunct Marineland amusement park in Niagara Falls, park operators have begun the delicate process of transporting them to marine parks in the United States and Spain, according to newly released reports.

The move draws an end to efforts by animal advocacy groups across Canada to have the whales re-located to a marine mammal sanctuary which is still under construction off the shores of Nova Scotia.

But on the positive side, the whales and dolphins will at least not be euthanized, which was the threat Marineland representatives first made last year after claiming that they could no longer afford to look after them after so many years of exploiting them for profit. Continue reading →

We Should Be Going For Gold In Renewables, Emergency Preparedness, And Protecting Nature

A Message from the Green Party of Canada

Posted July 20th, 2026 on Niagara At Large

Toronto and Niagara Falls this past week when the air quality from smoke drifting in was at its worst

First place doesn’t always mean you win.

Toronto (and the Niagara area) had the dubious honour of having the highest air quality index in the world last Wednesday, July, 15th, 2026. In other words, it had the worst, most polluted air.

This isn’t the kind of ‘award’ communities want. But global temperatures are continuing to rise as humans burn fossil fuels. And the risk of dangerous smoke and wildfires is rising along with it.

That is, unless we take action now. Continue reading →

See Details for this Nature Walk Below 

An Invite t to All from the Niagara Falls Nature Club 

Posted July 20^th, 2026 on Niagara At Large

A small porton of Gonder’s Flats, adjacent to the Niagara River in Fort Erie, Niagara

The Niagara Falls Nature Club welcomes you to participate in leisurely walks as we enjoy the flora and fauna of Niagara. The walks are rated from 1 to 10: 1 is easy and 10 is strenuous.

For more information or if you have any questions, please get in touch! 

• DATE: Wednesday July 22nd 2026TIME: 7:00PM
• LOCATION: Gonder’s Flats, Fort Erie
• DIFFICULTY RATING:  2/10 
• DESCRIPTION: This wetland adjacent to the Niagara River has undergone restoration of the shoreline habitat that will include wildlife habitat conservation work, trail upgrades and educational signage. 2919 Niagara Parkway, Fort Erie (Townline Rd & Niagara River Parkway) (free parking!) 

Continue reading →

But Those Wildfires In Northwestern Ontario Are Still Burning & Spewing Out Smoke With A Vengeance

A Brief Update from Environment Canada

Posted July 19th, 2026 on Niagara At Large

For the moment, at least, Niagara’s air quality is now down in the low risk range so enjoy some time outdoors.

Air quality in St. Catharines/Niagara today is at a Low Risk level, with an Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) of 2 to 3. The air is ideal for all outdoor activities, as the special air quality alerts caused by northwestern Ontario forest fire smoke have been lifted.

For the most up-to-date, hyper-local monitoring data throughout the day, you can check the live tracking on the Environment Canada St. Catharines AQHI page or view the provincial readings via Air Quality Ontario.

NIAGARA AT LARGE Encourages You To Join The Conversation By Sharing Your Views On This Post In The Space  Below and by sharing the Niagara At Large site at www.niagaraatlarge.com with all of your friends and associates.

Visit us every day on www.niagaraat.arge.com and on Doug Draper’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/doug.draper.180 and encourage everyone else you know to do the same. Let’s build media outlets for local news and commentary!

‘Big Oil’s obscene profits keep growing while the costs of climate disasters are shouldered by the rest of us.’

A News Release from the public interest group Canadians for Tax Fairness

Posted July 18^th, 2026 on Niagara At Large

Dozens of wildfires are raging across Canada, destroying communities, forcing families from their homes, and blanketing cities like Toronto with some of the worst air quality in the world.

Meanwhile, as Canadians choke on wildfire smoke and face skyrocketing costs, Big Oil keeps cashing in.

If you’ve followed our work recently, you know Canada’s largest fossil fuel companies are majority foreign-owned —and 60% owned by Americans. If current trends continue, Big Oil and its U.S. investors are on track to collect as much as $90 billion in windfall profits by the end of 2026. Continue reading →

“A s our air becomes unbreathable, Prime Minister Carney boasts about the “lasting benefits” of expanding fossil fuel production and claims that previous climate targets are “too expensive” to meet while allocating billions of public dollars for pipelines.”  

A Message from Liisa Schofield, Director of Organizing, Canada’s New Democratic Party 

Posted July 17th, 2026 on Niagara At Large

Earlier this week, I woke up in Toronto to a red sun, smoky skies and a burning at the back of my throat.

As I was walking my son to camp, wearing facemasks we dug out of the drawer, he said to me “I just wish we had the sky back”.

It is heartbreaking to explain the climate catastrophe to our kids. 

Our hearts and solidarity are with the people of Collins, Namaygoosisagagun First Nation which has been burned beyond recognition with people narrowly escaping by boat. Armstrong, Whitesand First Nation, and many others are now being evacuated as well.  Too many of our neighbours are struggling to breathe. Continue reading →

‘Peter Asher: Everywhere Man’, Playing At the Film House In Downtown St. Catharines, Niagara  on Tuesday, July 21st At 2 P.M.

A Brief One from Niagara At Large reporter/publisher Doug Draper

Posted July 17^th, 2026 on Niagara At Large

If you are a lover of music going back to the 1960s and also enjoy watching film documentaries about key figures in the world of music going back to that time, I highly recommend this  one focusing on the musical career of Peter Asher, who began as a performer (of singing duo Peter & Gordon fame) in the 1960s and who went on the produce best-selling records for James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt and other great artists from the 1970s and on.

And to all of you younger people out there, if you love great music, you don’t have to be a member of the baby boomer generation to dig this film.

I want to stress that I am not getting a penny from the Film House for promoting the screening of this film and I don’t mind giving the Film House a plug every once in a while. We are lucky to have this great independent film theatre here and it certainly deserves as much support as we can give it – Doug Draper

A Film House presentation
Peter Asher: Everywhere Man

Tuesday, July 21nd, 2026, 2 P.M.

US, UK, 2025. Directed by Daniel Geller & Dayna Goldfine. 118 min. NR. Starring: Peter Asher, Eric Idle, Jane Asher 

Peter Asher’s extraordinary life has intersected with some of the greatest artists and musical moments of the last six decades. A child actor who became a pop star and then a manager and producer to the likes of James Taylor and Linda Ronstadt, he is a Zelig-like figure who remains a vital creative force to this day. Featuring interviews with Paul McCartney, Carole King, and many more.  Continue reading →

An Update By City of St. Catharines on its response to Air Quality Concerns

Posted July 17^th, 2026 on Niagara At Large

Outdoor City programs will also resume as scheduled at 3 p.m. July 17, including:

•   *   The Lakeside Park Carousel
•   *   City outdoor swimming lessons and aquatics programs
•   *   City outdoor recreation programs
•   *   Permits for outdoor spaces

Residents are encouraged to monitor weather and air quality reports and use City outdoor pools and sports fields at their own discretion.

The City will continue to monitor the situation and respond as needed.

A Footnote from Niagara At Large – As of the posting, during the noon hour of July 17th,  of this update from the City of St. Catharines, air quality alerts from Environment Canada still remain in place, so to everyone out there, I would say use your own judgement and keep safe.

NIAGARA AT LARGE Encourages You To Join The Conversation By Sharing Your Views On This Post In The Space  Below and by sharing the Niagara At Large site at www.niagaraatlarge.com with all of your friends and associates.

Visit us every day on www.niagaraat.arge.com and on Doug Draper’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/doug.draper.180 and encourage everyone else you know to do the same. Let’s build media outlets for local news and commentary!

A Public Service Announcement from the Town of Lincoln

Posted July 16^th, 2026 on Niagara At Large

Lincoln, ON –– Please be advised that the Allan F. Gretsinger and Jordan Lions outdoor pools are closed as of 3 p.m. Wednesday, July 15, 2026 (and forward) due to poor air quality.

The pools will remain closed until the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) lowers from the current very high health risk to a moderate health risk. Continue reading →

A Statement from Mat Siscoe

Posted July 16^th, 2026 on Niagara At Large

St. Catharines Mayor Mat Siscoe

ST. CATHARINES, ON. — “Today (this July 16^th) I’m proud to announce that I’ve filed my nomination papers for re-election as Mayor of St. Catharines for another four years.

“At the start of my first term we laid out an ambitious agenda with the goal of establishing a strong foundation for the future of our community.

“Collectively, we met those goals. Our community has faced adversity, overcome significant challenges, and celebrated many successes in four short years. As we look ahead to the future, I have a vision that will build upon the foundation to create an even stronger community where we can all thrive – together. Continue reading →

From the Town of Fort Erie in Niagara, Ontario

Posted July 16^th, 2026 on Niagara At Large

Popular Bay Beach in Town of Fort Erie, temporarily closed due to poor air quality.

Due to poor air quality caused by wildfire smoke, the Town of Fort Erie has temporarily closed or cancelled the following programs and facilities for today (Thursday, July 16) until further notice:

• Bay Beach is closed.
  • Splash pads are closed.
  • The Tennis Club is closed.
  • Recreation programs are cancelled.
  • The Supper Market scheduled for this evening has been cancelled.

The Town will continue to monitor conditions and provide updates as they become available. Continue reading →

So You Say You Still Don’t Believe We Are In A Climate Crisis?

Posted by Niagara At Large reporter/publisher Doug Draper

July 16th, 2026

Smoke blanketing Lady Liberty in New York during an earlier episode of smoke drifting in from Canadian wildfires in 2023

In case we need reminding of how wide-ranging the impacts of climate-related wildfires can be – and at least some of us out there seem to need reminding – the smoke from wildfires in northern Ontario and other regions of Canada has now drifted as far away as New York City, Boston and Washington, D.C where the quality of the air is being declared “hazardous.”

One report from ABC News  begins as follows –

‘Canadian wildfire smoke descends on parts of US, including New York City

‘More than 830 wildfires were burning in Canada, along with more than a dozen in northern Minnesota, forcing mandatory evacuations and spreading unhealthy smoke down to the Lower 48. A cloudy orange haze was seen blanketing the spires of buildings that make up New York City’s iconic skyline on Wednesday, with poor air quality expected to continue through Thursday.’ Continue reading →

A Notice to Public from the City of St. Catharines

Posted July 16^th, 2026 on Niagara At Large

Due to the Air Quality Warning issued by Environment Canada, the City is closing its outdoor pools and sports fields and cancelling its outdoor activities and events, including:

• City outdoor swimming lessons and aquatic programs
• The Lakeside Park Carousel
• City outdoor recreation programs
• Permits for outdoor spaces

The City welcomes anyone looking to beat the heat to the St. Catharines Kiwanis Aquatics Centre and other select City facilities. City splash pads will remain open until 9 p.m. The St. Catharines Museum and Welland Canals Centre is open until 8 p.m. tonight.

To read a related post on this air quality crisis, click on – https://niagaraatlarge.com/2026/07/15/environment-canada-issues-high-risk-air-quality-alert-for-niagara-region/ 

NIAGARA AT LARGE Encourages You To Join The Conversation By Sharing Your Views On This Post In The Space  Below and by sharing the Niagara At Large site at www.niagaraatlarge.com with all of your friends and associates.

Visit us every day on www.niagaraat.arge.com and on Doug Draper’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/doug.draper.180 and encourage everyone else you know to do the same. Let’s build media outlets for local news and commentary!

“It (this oil pipline) would add to the pollution burden facing local communities while fuelling the climate conditions that make dangerous wildfire-smoke days like today more frequent and severe.”

A Statement by Emily Hunter, Senior Program Manager, Ontario Climate, Environmental Defence

Posted July 15^th, 2026 on Niagara At Large

Toronto – It is darkly ironic that on a day when wildfire smoke turned Ontario’s sky orange and Toronto ranked among the worst cities in the world for air quality, the Ontario government (of Premier Doug Ford) chose to make a sales pitch for more oil refining and a massive new pipeline.

It’s clear that the provincial government is completely out of touch with the climate crisis unfolding outside our windows.

Continue reading →

A Commentary by Niagara At Large publisher/reporter Doug Draper

Posted July 15th, 2026 on Niagara At Large

It was earlier this July when I had someone doing some work on the outside of my house.

Within a matter of minutes of him beginning that work, it grew menacingly  dark and a sudden violent windstorm set in.

That someone looked up at the skies and said; “My God. What is that?”

I replied; “I think they call it climate change,” to which he responded; “I don’t believe in climate change.” Continue reading →

A Brief Tribute from a life-long fan, Doug Draper

Posted July 15^th, 2026 on Niagara At Large

That Stone Poneys album with a young, upcoming Linda Ronstadt featured on the cover.

Way back in 1968, when I was still a kid in grade school, I went to one of my favourite record stores and spotted an album with a picture of this beautiful  young lady with big brown eyes on the cover.

It that made my teenage heart melt.

The album was by a group called Stone Poneys and the young lady was Linda Ronstadt who had a big hit with the group that year called ‘Different Drum’.

Linda soon went on to pursue a solo career with records that sold tens-of-millions and earned her an amazing 11 Grammy Awards and so many other honours, including induction in to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

As for this guy, I still love her and my wife has had to get used to it.

And I can’t believe  that Linda Ronstadt has turned 80 today, but our journey on this earth is shorter than we want it to be and here we are.

I will leave you with one of her first great solo hits, from 1970, called ‘Long, Long Time.’ You will enjoy hearing and watching her perform it by clicking on the screen immediately below –

• Have a Great 80^th Birthday Linda. Doug Draper

NIAGARA AT LARGE Encourages You To Join The Conversation By Sharing Your Views On This Post In The Space  Below and by sharing the Niagara At Large site at www.niagaraatlarge.com with all of your friends and associates.

Visit us every day on www.niagaraat.arge.com and on Doug Draper’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/doug.draper.180 and encourage everyone else you know to do the same. Let’s build media outlets for local news and commentary!

Due to smoke from distant wildfires, air quality in Niagara area & throughout the Greater Toronto Area is now ranked ‘worst in the world’

A Public Warning from Environment Canada

Posted July 15^th, 2026 on Niagara At Large

• Orange Warning – Air Quality

• Impact Level: High

• Forecast Confidence: High

Air quality is expected to deteriorate later today (this July 15th, 2026) as smoke from wildfires in northwestern Ontario moves into the area.

Poor air quality may persist into Friday.

During heavy smoke conditions, everyone’s health is at risk regardless of their age or health status. Limit time outdoors. Reschedule or cancel outdoor sports, activities and events. You may experience mild and common symptoms such as eye, nose and throat irritation, headaches or a mild cough. Continue reading →

See Details for Next Walk Below

An Invited To All from the Niagara Falls Nature Club

Posted July 14th, 2026 on Niagara At Large

WEDNESDAY WEEKLY WALKS SEASON IS BACK!

WE INVITE YOU TO JOIN US FOR OUR NEXT OUTING!

The Niagara Falls Nature Club welcomes you to participate in leisurely walks as we enjoy the flora and fauna of Niagara. The walks are rated from 1 to 10: 1 is easy and 10 is strenuous. For more information or if you have any questions, please get in touch!

DATE: Wednesday July 15th 2026
TIME: 7:00PM
LOCATION: Heartland Forest, Niagara Falls
DIFFICULTY RATING:  1/10

DESCRIPTION: Join us for an easy walk while discovering the flora and fauna. We’ll keep an eye out for butterflies as well. They are graciously keeping the park open late for us so we can enjoy our evening. Meet at the front of the visitor Centre. Free parking!

8215 Heartland Forest Rd, Niagara Falls, ON L2H 0L5 Continue reading →

Students Will Benefit from New, Modern Classrooms that Prepare Them for Good-Paying Stable Careers

“We are building the schools students need, and we are making sure they get built quickly and on schedule.”                                          – Paul Calandra, Ontario Minister of Education

NEWS from the Government of Ontario

Posted July 14th, 2026 on Niagara At Large

Paul Calandra, Ontario Minister of Education

THOROLD – The Ontario government is continuing to deliver on its plan to protect Ontario and ensure students have access to modern classrooms by investing $1.6 billion in seventy-nine school construction projects across Ontario. 

The investments will support growing communities by creating over 29,000 new student spaces and over 1,900 licensed child care spaces so students have the modern learning spaces they need to succeed in their studies and prepare for in-demand careers.

In Niagara, the province is investing $28.1 million to build a new school in Thorold and $4.5 million to expand Saint Michael Catholic High School in Niagara Falls, creating more student spaces and child care spaces in growing communities.  Continue reading →

Posted by Doug Draper on Niagara At Large

July 13thl 2026, 2026

George Carlin – Where are you when we need you.

I don’t know how many times in this age of Trump that I have said or I have heard others say; “Too bad George Carlin isn’t isn’t here. We sure could use him now.”

There is no doubt that the late, great comedian/social critic – so fearless, insightful and outspoken, could have had a field day with what is going on in this mad, mad world we are living in these days.

Here are just a few words from George that are more relevant now than they were when he first said them many years ago –

And those of us living in Canada find ourselves in the unfortunate situation of sitting in the row right behind. – Doug Draper

NIAGARA AT LARGE Encourages You To Join The Conversation By Sharing Your Views On This Post In The Space  Below and by sharing the Niagara At Large site at www.niagaraatlarge.com with all of your friends and associates.

Visit us every day on www.niagaraat.arge.com and on Doug Draper’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/doug.draper.180 and encourage everyone else you know to do the same. Let’s build media outlets for local news and commentary!

A News Commentary by Niagara At Large reporter/publisher Doug Draper

Posted July 10^th, 2026 on Niagara At Large

I would bet every drop of water rushing over the Horseshoe Falls every single second of the day that there was at least one Niagara Parks Commission representative at the town hall Niagara Falls NDP MPP Wayne Gates hosted this past Monday, July 6^th at the Club Italia to address Doug Ford’s controversial plan to have a giant ferris wheel built on Queen Victoria Park lands near the brink of the Horseshoe Falls.

One amazing turn out at a town hall. photo courtesy of the Constitiuency Office of Niagara Falls MPP Wayne Gates

And if I am right, I am also willing to bet that this same Niagara Parks representative would have gone right back and told the Doug Ford-appointed Chair of Niagara Park’s board, Graham Coveney, something like; “Wow, you should have seen it. There were more than 700, if not a thousand people packing that town hall meeting and they don’t want a huge ferris wheel built on greenspace near the Falls. …

“And they are angry as all hell that Niagara Parks has not consulted with the public on this grotesque plan and that it has not already come out and made it clear to Ford that it violates everything the Parks Commission is supposed to be standing for since its founding in 1885 – to protect and preserve the Falls and the natural beauty of the greenspace along the Niagara River corridor.” Continue reading →

“Our government is making historic investments in Ontario’s shipbuilding industry to ensure the sector’s long-term prosperity and generate good-paying jobs that drive economic growth for years to come.”                                                                                            – Prabmeet Sarkaria, Ontario Minister of Transportation

News from the Government of Ontario

Posted July 10^th, 2026 on Niagara At Large

Port Weller Dry Docks of Ontario Shipyards in St. Catharines

ST. CATHARINES, Ontario –  Earlier this week, Hon. Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario, was in St. Catharines to announce that the Ontario government is investing over $90 million through the Ontario Shipbuilding Grant Program to increase capacity in the province’s shipbuilding industry as part of its plan to protect Ontario.

The investment will help meet the growing demand for Ontario-made vessels, help Ontario shipbuilders support Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy and boost the economic competitiveness of Ontario’s shipbuilding and its supply chain while creating thousands of good-paying jobs across the marine sector. Continue reading →

“Migrant workers have been coming to Niagara for sixty years. The Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program began here in 1966. In six decades, Canada, Ontario and Niagara have used this program to drive the growth of large-scale farms and profits. Yet in all that time they have not built the road infrastructure, the transit, or the protections that would keep workers safe.”

A Call-Out from the Migrant Workers Alliance for Change

Posted July 9^th, 2026 on Niagara At Large

NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE — The Migrant Workers Alliance for Change has launched a petition, also endorsed by the Niagara Community Legal Clinic, demanding a response to the death of Sinhue Garcia, a migrant farmworker killed while cycling home in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

The petition, at migrantworkersalliance.org/sinhue, calls on local MPPs, MP, the provincial and federal government, and every councilor and candidate in the town’s October municipal election, to unite to take action. Two weeks since Sinhue’s death, not one elected official at any level of government has publicly said a word. Continue reading →

A Call-Out to All of Us from the Green Party of Ontario 

Posted July 9^th, 2026 on Niagara At Large 

Every day, Ontario loses 319 acres of farmland. The Ford government wants to add 2,000 more to that number. Permanently. 

Highway 413 is a $14 to $18 billion project that will pave over prime agricultural land, 400 acres of the Greenbelt, and 75 vulnerable wetlands. The benefit to drivers? An average of 30 to 60 seconds off their commute. 

This isn’t a transit plan. It’s a handout to wealthy developers, paid for by you.  Continue reading →

A Statement by Ontario NDP Official Opposition Leader Marit Stiles

Posted July 8^th, 2026 on Niagara At Large

A Brief Foreword by Niagara At Large reporter/publisher Doug Draper – When news was released that the RCMP would investigate charges that senior staff in the Ontario Government of Doug Ford were working with Ford-friendly developers to pave over parcels of our precious Greenbelt lands, there were many at the time who seemed excited to hear this. But I must admit that this journalist was not one of them.

After many years of following federal, provincial and municipal police, I have almost completely lost confidence in any of them getting to the bottom of white collar crime, especially where suspects in government are working in collusion with private business interests.

So here we are, more than 1,000 days in and still no charges slapped on anyone allegedly involved in the Greenbelt scandal. Will there ever be? The RCMP may yet surprize me, but I would not hold my breath.

QUEEN’S PARK — Marit Stiles, Leader of the Official Opposition Ontario NDP, is marking over a thousand days of Doug Ford being under RCMP criminal investigation for the Greenbelt scandal. Continue reading →

A News Release from Niagara Geopark

Posted July 8^th, 2026 on Niagara At Large

NIAGARA, ON — Niagara Geopark has launched a new website and Friends of the Geopark fundraising program to support its growing education, outreach, and stewardship work as the organization continues its path toward UNESCO Global Geopark designation.

The new website, available at www.niagarageopark.com, gives Niagara Geopark a stronger digital home and a clearer way to share its work across Niagara and beyond. Built around three pathways – Engage, Educate, and Explore – the site connects residents, students, visitors, educators, partners, and donors to Niagara’s geosites, education programs, events, online learning, and community stories. Continue reading →

“We are greatly pleased to see the Government of Ontario taking this important step in advancing the Grimsby GO Station. Efficient transportation networks are fundamental to economic prosperity. This investment will strengthen connections between Niagara and the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, improve workforce mobility, and create new opportunities for businesses, residents, and visitors alike.” – Mishka Balsom
CEO, Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce

News from the Government of Ontario and Go Transit

Posted July 8^th, 2026 on Niagara At Large

GRIMSBY — The Ontario government has started construction on the Grimsby GO Station as part of its plan to fight gridlock, decrease travel times and support increased GO service to the Niagara Region. The province is using a new standardized design for the station to help reduce construction costs and speed up timelines. The new station will include one platform, 220 parking spaces, a bus loop and pick-up/drop-off areas.

“Under the leadership of Premier Ford, our government is making historic investments in public transit to build a stronger, more resilient and self-reliant economy,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation. “Grimsby GO is a game-changer for Niagara; it will get people where they’re going faster and safely, support good-paying jobs during construction and unlock increased service on the Lakeshore West line.” Continue reading →

News from the Constituency Office of Niagara Falls NDP MPP Wayne Gates whose Riding includes Niagara Falls, Niagara-on-the-Lake and Fort Erie

Posted July 7th, 2026 on Niagara At Large

Niagara Falls NDP MPP Wayne Gates speaking at super packed town hall he hjosted over Ford government plan to build amusement ride on Queen Victoria Park lands near Horseshoe Falls.

NIAGARA FALLS — MPP Wayne Gates (Niagara Falls) hosted a standing-room only town hall at Club Italia last night (Monday, July 6th, 2026) to hear the communities’ concerns and to push back against Doug Ford’s proposed Ferris wheel in Queen Victoria Park.

“Last night (Monday, July 6th, 2026), we packed Club Italia,” said Gates. “I’ve done a lot of town halls, and I have never seen a crowd like that. This room was the public consultation Niagara residents deserved before a RFP (request for proposal) ever went out and put in jeopardy Queen Victoria Park, a beautiful greenspace next to one of the greatest natural wonders in the world. Continue reading →

“It is difficult to characterize this (amusement ride) project as anything other than a preposterous violation of one of the most historically, culturally, and environmentally significant landscapes within Canada.”

A Statement by Tim Johnson, President of the Niagara Academy for Indigenous Relations at Town Hall meeting called by MPP Wayne Gates on July 6, 2026 at Club Italia, Niagara Falls

Posted July 7^th, 2026 on Niagara At Large

Tim Johnson speaking at Town Hall meeting on plans for controversial amusement park ride on Niagara Parks’ Queen Victoria Park lands near the brink of the Horseshoe Falls

“I want to begin by expressing my gratitude to MPP Wayne Gates for his invitation to speak today. Wayne’s is often, not only and often a voice for justice, but a voice for integrity and common sense.

“The action to erect a giant Ferris wheel within the natural green space of Queen Victoria Park, directly overlooking Niagara Falls and along the Niagara River corridor, represents a profound failure of historical understanding, curatorial judgment, and ethical responsibility.

“It is difficult to characterize this project as anything other than a preposterous violation of one of the most historically, culturally, and environmentally significant landscapes within Canada. Continue reading →

“If private investors are unwilling to finance a pipeline to the West Coast, Premiers Ford and Smith need to explain how an even longer pipeline to Ontario could possibly make economic sense.”

A Statement by Emily Hunter, Senior Program Manager, Ontario Climate, Environmental Defence

Posted July 6^th, 2026 on Niagara At Large

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, and Ontario Premier Doug Ford at the Calgary Stampede and hot to trot to barbecue our planet with more carbon emissions and a multi-billion-dollar pipeline, paid for by the taxpayers, between their two provinces

Toronto – The proposed 3,300- kilometre pipeline is a divisive distraction from the infrastructure Canadians actually need. Ontario does not have an oil-supply shortage. This is clearly about expanding oil production and exports, not protecting Ontario families.

If private investors are unwilling to finance a pipeline to the West Coast, Premiers Ford and Smith need to explain how an even longer pipeline to Ontario could possibly make economic sense.

Canadians should not be forced to bankroll another speculative fossil-fuel megaproject. Real energy security means investing in renewable power, an east-west clean electricity grid, public transit and electric transportation—not pillaging the public purse to expand oil exports. Continue reading →

WE INVITE YOU TO JOIN US FOR OUR NEXT OUTING At ST. JOHNS CONCERSERVATION AREA IN FONTHILL

A Message to All from the Niagara Falls Nature Club

Posted July 7^th, 2026 on Niagara At Large

The Niagara Falls Nature Club welcomes you to participate in leisurely walks as we enjoy the flora and fauna of Niagara. The walks are rated from 1 to 10: 1 is easy and 10 is strenuous. For more information or if you have any questions, please get in touch!

• DATE: Wednesday July 8th 2026
  TIME: 7:00PM
  LOCATION: St Johns Conservation Area, Fonthill
  DIFFICULTY RATING:  6/10

DESCRIPTION:

Located within the Niagara Escarpment and Twelve Mile Creek valley, this natural area provides a tranquil setting for wildlife and visitors. Continue reading →

News from the City of St. Catharines in Niagara, Ontario

Posted July 6^th, 2026 on Niagara At Large

Montebello Park, off Lake and Ontario Streets near downtown St. Catharines

The City’s free outdoor Summer Concert Series returns this year with six concerts on Wednesday nights at Montebello Park.

This year’s concert series features local and touring Canadian musicians, including headliners like LMT Connection, School House, and The Vaudevillian.

The six-concert series runs consecutive Wednesday nights 6 p.m. to dusk from July 8 through Aug. 19. No concert is scheduled on July 29.  Continue reading →

A Brief Commentary by Niagara At Large reporter/publisher Doug Draper 

Posted July 3^rd, 2026 on Niagara At Large

As much as we Canadians have every right to feel angry and to boycott products made in the U.S.A. and travel to the U.S. in response to all of the insults and threats the monster currently occupying what’s left of the White House has hurled against country, let’s remember at least two thing.

There are still many Americans who don’t buy that poison and who  want to remain friends with us.

Indeed, I have heard from fellow Canadians who have ventured across the boarder for one reason or another that Americans have repeatedly thank them for coming over and have offer their apologies to them for all of the ill-will their leader has caused between the two countries right up to this day.

So with that in mind, I want to wish our friends and neighbours in the United States a Happy Fourth of July on this 250^th year of their country’s independence and I also want to share my hope with them that this ‘long day’s journey into night’ or nightmare, to put it more bluntly, that we have all been suffering through thanks to the orange-faced hellion in the Oval Office and his band of MAGA followers will soon be over.

In that spirit, I am re-posting a video that I shared here a few months ago of a large stadium full of  our American neighbhours singing ‘O Canada’ at a Buffalo Sabres hockey game. It happened when a young pop star, Buffalo-borne Cami Clune’s mike cut out during the beginning of singing our anthem and the mostly American crowd decided to take over singing it.

It was a heart-warming moment that received attention on cable news channels across Canada and the United States at the time and it serves as a reminder that, in spite of the current administration in the U.S., there is still a strong bond of friendship that crosses both sides of the Canada-U. S. Border.

PLEASE watch the video by clicking on the screen immediately below –

Here is to our American friends and neighbours and here is to supporting the best that we can all be when we stand together on both sides of the border for peace, prosperity, freedom and democracy for everyone.

• Doug Draper, Niagara At Large

To read a statement from Canada’s Prime Minister on the United States’ 250th birthday, click on –  https://www.pm.gc.ca/en/news/statements/2026/07/04/statement-prime-minister-carney-united-states-semiquincentennial

NIAGARA AT LARGE Encourages You To Join The Conversation By Sharing Your Views On This Post In The Space  Below and by sharing the Niagara At Large site at www.niagaraatlarge.com with all of your friends and associates.

Visit us every day on www.niagaraat.arge.com and on Doug Draper’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/doug.draper.180 and encourage everyone else you know to do the same. Let’s build media outlets for local news and commentary!

“Doubling down on pipelines reveals a lack of vision and leadership. Prime Minister Carney must reject Premier Smith’s pipeline pipedream before we all pay the price.”

A Statement from Environmental Defence Canada

Posted July 3^rd, 2026 on Niagara At Large

Emilia Belliveau, Program Manager, Energy Transition at Environmental Defence, made the following statement in response to Alberta’s submission of a new one-million-barrel-a-day pipeline project to the federal Major Projects Office.

Alberta Premiere Danielle Smitth and Prime Minister Mark Carney just sign multi-billion-dollar tar sands pipeline deal, paid for mostly by taxpayers across Canada and at a time when much of the rest of the world is shifting to renewable energy.

“(Alberta) Premier (Danielle) Smith’s pipeline proposal will be a failure. Trying to build another pipeline to the West Coast is a colossal waste of time and money. The fossil fuel industry only wants this pipeline if it comes as a handout from our governments. But Canadians, including Albertans, do not want to pay for another pipeline – especially when the cost estimates range from $35 to $100 billion dollars. There are better things for our governments to do with that money. Continue reading →

You Are Invited To Join In A Town Hall Meeting Over An Amusement Ride Plan For Queen Victoria Park Lands That Has Become A Growing Source Of Public Controversy

Town Hall Will Take Place At Club Italia on 2525 Montrose Road in Niagara Falls on Monday, July 6th. Doors Open at 6 P.M. and Town Hall Runs from 6:30 P.M. to 8 P.M.

Posted by Doug Draper, July 2nd, 2026 on Niagara At Large

Please join the growing number of citizens saying no to plans to erect this amusement park ride on the beautiful Queen Victoria Park lands near the Horseshoe Falls. Tell Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati to scrap this plan NOW

If you want to join the growing number of Niagara area citizens opposed to Ontario Doug Ford’s plan to build a second giant ferris wheel in Niagara Falls – this one on Niagara Park’s beautiful Queen Victoria Park lands near the Horseshoe Falls – you are urged to attend this upcoming Town Hall, hosted by Niagara Falls NDP MPP Wayne Gates –

Please attend this town hall and help send a message to Ford that we don’t want green space around one of the great natural wonders of the world junked up and possibily lost forever with a giant ride that belongs at a carnival or in amusement park.

NIAGARA AT LARGE Encourages You To Join The Conversation By Sharing Your Views On This Post In The Space  Below and by sharing the Niagara At Large site at www.niagaraatlarge.com with all of your friends and associates.

Visit us every day on www.niagaraat.arge.com and on Doug Draper’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/doug.draper.180 and encourage everyone else you know to do the same. Let’s build media outlets for local news and commentary!

A Message from Niagara Region’s Public Health Department

Posted July 2^nd, 2026 on Niagara At Large

Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) has issued an orange alert for extreme temperatures in our region over the next few days. With the holiday happening tomorrow and many people planning to spend time outdoors, Niagara Region Public Health (NRPH) is reminding people to take precautions to protect themselves, their families, and their community during the extended heat event. Continue reading →

“There will always be forces that want to divide us. They forget this country’s founding insight: that unity is not uniformity, that our differences are strengths to nurture rather than risks to manage, and that our values serve as an unshakeable foundation.”

Posted on Canada Day, July 1^st, 2026 on Niagara At Large

“Today, we celebrate each other. We are a nation of kind, compassionate, hardworking people, as remarkable and diverse as the places we call home all across Canada. Ours is a country that spans three oceans, six time zones, and ten million square kilometres of breathtaking landscape, built and bound by a great conviction: that we are strongest when we are united. Continue reading →

A Call-Out To All Of Us, from Coast to Coast to Coast from a Group of Grassroots Citizens In British Columba who launched what they are calling All Together, Canada

Posted by Doug Draper on June 30^th, 2026 on Niagara At Large

The time for alll of us to to sing our anthem, where ever you are, at home or in a park or at the beach or at a Canada Day gathering of any size,  is –

• 10:00 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time
• 11:00 a.m. Mountain Daylight Time
• 11:00 a.m. Central Standard Time (Saskatchewan)
• 12:00 p.m. Central Daylight Time
• 1:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time
• 2:00 p.m. Atlantic Daylight Time
• 2:30 p.m. Newfoundland Daylight Time

Let’s sing it loud enough for the whole world to hear!

For more information on this cross-Canada sing-a-long and the group that launched it, click on – All Together, Canada / Tous en chœur, Canada

NIAGARA AT LARGE Encourages You To Join The Conversation By Sharing Your Views On This Post In The Space  Below and by sharing the Niagara At Large site at www.niagaraatlarge.com with all of your friends and associates.

Visit us every day on www.niagaraat.arge.com and on Doug Draper’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/doug.draper.180 and encourage everyone else you know to do the same. Let’s build media outlets for local news and commentary!

Let’s Also Continue To Boycott The United States And As Much As We Can Of What Is Produced There As Long As Trump Is In Power

A Brief Canada Day Message from Doug Draper

Posted June 29^th, 2026 on Niagara At Large

A year ago on Canada Day, I mentioned here that I never saw so many Canadians expressing so much pride in our country since I remember experiencing as a young kid when our country turned 100 in 1967.

I also said that this may be the only things we can thank Trump and all of the threats and insults he has continued to hurl against Canada for, that he has brought us, as a country, closer together.

Trump has also caused more Canadians than I can ever remember to boycott travel to the United States and to do all we can to stop buying products made in America.

More of us than ever are staying in Canada and discovering all the wonderful places we have to visit here.

It was heartening to turn on a CBC Radio program called “Cross Country Check-Up” this past Sunday, June 28th and hear so manyCanadians call in and say they have stopped crossing the border to the U.S. and have stopped buyig American goods. Some of them said they have sold winter homes they owned in Florida.

How amazing to hear that!

This Canada Day I hope we show the same spirit – that we will never be the “51^st state” and that we will continue to stand up with pride for one of the greatest countries in the world

Now finally, here is a revised version of an old song with a video that I still love and I hope you do to. You can hear and watch it by clicking on the screen immediately below –

NIAGARA AT LARGE Encourages You To Join The Conversation By Sharing Your Views On This Post In The Space  Below and by sharing the Niagara At Large site at www.niagaraatlarge.com with all of your friends and associates.

Visit us every day on www.niagaraat.arge.com and on Doug Draper’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/doug.draper.180 and encourage everyone else you know to do the same. Let’s build media outlets for local news and commentary!

“This is a victory for the Fort Erie Race Track and for the hundreds of local jobs it supports.”                                                         – Wayne Gates, MPP for the Riding of Niagara Falls that includes Fort Erie and Niagara-on-the-Lake

A  News Release from the Constituency Office of Niagara Falls NDP MPP Wayne Gates

Posted June 29^th, 2026 on Niagara At Large

Niagara Falls NDP MPP Wayne Gates, representing Niagara Falls, Niagara-on-the-Lake and Fort Erie

FORT ERIE in Niagara, Ontario –– Ontario NDP MPP Wayne Gates (Niagara Falls) released the following statement after Ontario Racing confirmed the Ford government has finalized the funding agreement   that has been stalled over the last few months, and will infuse the horse racing industry with $35 million annually for the next five years:

“This is good news for Fort Erie, good news for rural Ontario, and more than anything, it is great news for the workers and all the communities who depend on this industry,” said Gates.  “This is a win-win-win for everyone involved.” Continue reading →

“The appointment of regional chairs with “strong chair” powers is fundamentally undemocratic.” – Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO)

A Call-Out to the Ford Government from the Association of Of Municpalities Of Ontario

Posted June 26^th, 2026 on Niatara At Large

Doug Draper , during my earlier years as a newspaper reporter in Niagara.

A Brief Foreword by Doug Draper at Niagara At Large – How good it is to have the Association of Ontario Municipalities  come out with a call for protecting our democratic freedoms at the municipal government level  and how shameful it is that our own Niagara’s Regional Council (with the exception of a few on that council) has not come out with something anywhere near as strong on behalf of the people it is supposed to represent.

To add to the shame, we have a Niagara Regional council with three key members – St. Catharines Mayor Mat Siscoe, Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati and Welland Mayor Frank Campion – who openly endorsed Doug Ford during last year’s provincial election and a handful of significant others on the council who don’t mind licking Ford’s boots for whatever “rewards” they hope to receive, including the possibility that Ford might appoint them to the position of Regional Chair. Continue reading →

News from the Government of Ontario Premier Doug Ford

With A Brief Foreword by Doug Draper at Niagara At Large

Posted June 25th, 2026 on Niagara At Large

Did Doug Ford ever hear the line, based on a good deal of reliable evidence gathered for decades all over North America, that “speed kills”?

Did Ford ever hear that driving cars and trucks at higher speeds that run on gas and diesel fuel burns far more of that fuel too.

I guess with his addiction for car and trucks and for  building more roads and highways and bridges to accommodate them well in to the future, Ford either didn’t get that memo or didn’t want to read it. Continue reading →

“The Niagara Region is its own worst enemy. Our term (of regional council) is not over, and we need to be actively engaged until the end of our term”.                                                                        – Haley Bateman, St. Catharines Regional Councillor

A News Release from St. Catharnes Niagara Regional Councillor Haley Bateman

Posted June 25^th, 2026 on Niagara At Large

St. Catharines Regional Councillor Haley Bateman

ST. CATHARINES, ON– A motion drafted by St. Catharines Regional Councillor Haley Bateman and calling for Niagara Region Public Health to actively participate in the environmental assessment, cleanup, and redevelopment planning of the former General Motors site on Ontario Street will not be heard by Niagara Regional Council (at its meeting this June 25^th) after Regional staff determined the matter falls outside the Region’s core jurisdiction.

The motion sought to direct Niagara Region Public Health’s Environmental Division to engage in the review of environmental studies, health risk assessments, remediation plans, and community consultation activities related to the redevelopment of the former General Motors property at 282–285 Ontario Street in St. Catharines. Continue reading →

“I’m not scared of dying
And I don’t really care
If it’s peace you find in dying
Well, then let the time be near.”  – Lyrics from the song ‘And When I Die’ as sung by David Clayton-Thomas and as written by Laura Nyro

A Brief Tribute by Doug Draper

Posted June 25^th, 2026 on Niagara At Large

David Clayton-Thomas in his prime

Way back in the late 1960s during my final years of high school, a friend called me over to his house to listen to a new album by a group I had hardly heard much of before.

They were Blood, Sweat and Tears featuring Canadian singer David Clayton-Thomas, who had replace Al Kooper who founded the group.

My friend put the album on his turntable, cranked the sound up, and the first song I heard was; ‘You’ve Made Me So Very Happy’ which would soon become a big hit. After that one, came another huge hit in Clayton-Thomas’s self-penned  ‘Spinning Wheel’, then Laura Nyro’s ‘And When I Die’, Billie Holiday’s ‘God Bless The Child’, Carole King’s ‘Hi-De-Ho’ and the great music from this and future album just kept coming. Continue reading →

On Glendale Avenue, In Front Of The Pen Centre Shopping Centre, From 11 A.M. To Noon

A Brief Message from Doug Draper at Niagara At Large

Posted June 24^th, 2026

Hundreds of Niagara residents gathered at rally along Glendale Avenue near Pen Centre.earlier this spring. Photo by Emily Spanton

Since this past March and often through weather that has not been that inviting for people to stand outside, literally hundreds of Niagara citizens, and growing have taken the last Saturday of the month to collectively show their disdain for what Ontario Premier Doug Ford is doing to wreak havoc on our democracy and our public services, including health care, education, affordable housing, renewable energy, transit  and environmental protection.

If you have not yet joined a rally to show your concern for what the Ford government is doing to dishevel precious service that took decades since the 1950s to build for everyday Ontario people, here is another chance.

Let’s all be there at the rally in St. Catharines this June 27^th. You will be joining countless thousands of others who will be rallying in communities across Ontario on the same day.

Put your shoes on the ground and show Doug Ford and his lackeys that we are not going to take it any more!

NIAGARA AT LARGE Encourages You To Join The Conversation By Sharing Your Views On This Post In The Space  Below and by sharing the Niagara At Large site at www.niagaraatlarge.com with all of your friends and associates.

Visit us every day on www.niagaraat.arge.com and on Doug Draper’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/doug.draper.180 and encourage everyone else you know to do the same. Let’s build media outlets for local news and commentary!

“Ontarians deserve transparency when governments make massive, expensive decisions about essentials like electricity. The evidence is clear: there is a cleaner, more affordable alternative to the nuclear-heavy path the province is currently pursuing.”      – Keith Brooks, Programs Director at Environmental Defence

News from the Canada-wide citizens group, Environmental Defence

Posted June 24^th, 2026 on Niagara At Large

A very costly gamble compared to wind and solar where so many other advanced regions of the world are going

Toronto – New analysis, commissioned by Environmental Defence, reveals that the province’s plan to build new nuclear power plants could cost ratepayers $117 billion more than a renewable energy alternative by 2050.

This would cost the average household up to $456 more a year in electricity costs.
The report, The Real Costs of Ontario’s Nuclear Gamble, with technical analysis conducted by Power Advisory LLC, compares Ontario’s plans to build new nuclear facilities at Wesleyville and on the Bruce Peninsula against a renewable energy pathway built around wind, solar, and battery storage. Continue reading →

A Statement from Ontario’s NPD Official Opposition Leader Marit Sitles

Posted June 24th, 2026 on Niagara At Large

QUEEN’S PARK — Official Opposition Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles has issued the following statement, after Freedom of Information (FOI) requests from The Trillium (https://www.thetrillium.ca/news/politics/protect-ontario-ads-cost-one-ministry-nearly-10m-last-year-records-12432912)  revealed that Doug Ford spent nearly $10 million on his “Protect Ontario” advertising campaign in 2025:

“This is not Doug Ford’s personal piggy bank; it’s the people’s money,” said Stiles. “Money that could build homes, hire doctors, fix our roads. Instead, Ford wants to light tax dollars on fire to gaslight the people of Ontario. Continue reading →

“Victoria Park is a treasure. It’s hard to believe anyone, least of all the Niagara Parks Commission, is facilitating the destruction of a part of this beautiful and well-loved local park for the benefit of a private company (the owner of the ferris wheel).”                             – Liz Benneian, chair of the Niagara-wide citizens coalition Biodiversity and Climate Action (BCAC)

A News Release from Liz Benneian, chair of the Niagara-wide citizens coalition, Biodiversity and Climate Action

Posted June 23^rd, 2026 on Niagara At Large

Please join the growing number of citizens saying no to plans to erect this amusement park ride on the beautiful Queen Victoria Park lands near the Horseshoe Falls. Tell Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati to scrap this plan NOW

Should a substantial section of Niagara Falls’ much-loved Queen Victoria Park, directly across from the falls, be destroyed for a second ferris wheel? A group of Niagara Falls residents and a regional environmental advocacy group don’t think so.

Today (this June 22^nd), they are calling on Mayor Jim Diodati to speak up publicly, and in the halls of Queen’s Park, to make it clear that neither the city’s citizens nor his own Council are in favour of the plan. As the community’s mayor, Diodati has an obligation to represent his citizens and the will of his Council. Continue reading →

The Musical Icon Clive Davis Dies This June 22nd, 2026 At Age 94

A Brief Tribute by Doug Draper

Posted June 22nd, 2026 on Niagara At Large

Carlos Santana (left) and Clive Davis, sharing the joy in a treasure trove of Grammy Awards in 2000 for the song Smooth and the Santana album it was a track on.

Santana, Chicago, Blood, sweat & Tears, Janis Joplin, Donovan, Whitney Houston, Bruce Springsteen, Earth, Wind & Fire, Billy Joel, Pink Floyd, Jennifer Hudson, Alicia Keys. … the list goes on and on and on.

As a record executive and producer at Columbia Records going back to the 1960s, then at Arista Records, Clive Davis, a Grammy Award winner himself and an inductee in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, played a major role in advancing all of their careers.

I am taking a little rest from posting news and commentary right now, but I cannot help but post this wee little bit on this giant in popular music who played such a huge role in filling our lives with some of the best much from the past 60 years.

With that here is a short video on him that you can watch by clicking on the screen immediately below –

• R.I.P Clive Davis

Doug Draper, Niagara At Large

NIAGARA AT LARGE Encourages You To Join The Conversation By Sharing Your Views On This Post In The Space  Below and by sharing the Niagara At Large site at www.niagaraatlarge.com with all of your friends and associates.

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A Brief Note  from Doug Draper at Niagara At Large

Posted on the First Day of Summer, June 21^st. 2026

Finally, finally, finally!

After one hell of a cold winter and a spring that was pretty chilly and wet too, summertime is finally here.

It is a good day for this song by one of the funkiest bands ever – Sly & The Family Stone. To hear and watch them perform a bit of ‘Hot Fun In The Summertime’, click on the screen immediately below –

Niagara At Large is still taking a bit of a rest from all of the bad and ugly that has been going down in this world today. So, once again, we will take a few more days before we start posting news and commentary here.

My recent message on taking a little time off – https://niagaraatlarge.com/2026/06/15/niagara-at-large-is-off-for-a-few-days/

NIAGARA AT LARGE Encourages You To Join The Conversation By Sharing Your Views On This Post In The Space  Below and by sharing the Niagara At Large site at www.niagaraatlarge.com with all of your friends and associates.

Visit us every day on www.niagaraat.arge.com and on Doug Draper’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/doug.draper.180 and encourage everyone else you know to do the same. Let’s build media outlets for local news and commentary!

A Message from Doug Draper

Posted June 15^th, 2026 on Niagara At Large

Unless something comes up that we simply can’t ignore, Niagara At Large is taking a few days off.

Meanwhile, please continue to visi t our site at www.niagaraatlarge.com and Doug Draper’s facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/doug.draper.180 to review news and commentary we have already posed and certainly feel free to share your comments to our posts and pass on news about our site to your friends and associates.

Thanks for supporting this independent news and commentary outlet with your visits.

• Doug Draper, Nagara At Large

NIAGARA AT LARGE Encourages You To Join The Conversation By Sharing Your Views On This Post In The Space  Below and by sharing the Niagara At Large site at www.niagaraatlarge.com with all of your friends and associates.

Visit us every day on www.niagaraat.arge.com and on Doug Draper’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/doug.draper.180 and encourage everyone else you know to do the same. Let’s build media outlets for local news and commentary!

Polling Results from the Angus Reid Institute

Posted June 12^th, 2026 on Niagara At Large

(A Brief Foreword Note from Doug Draper at Niagara At Large – It does not surprise this journalist and Ontario resident that, according to the latest numbers by the reputable Angus Reid polling institute, Premier Doug Ford’s approval rating is now lower than any other premier in Canada and the approval numbers his political kin Donald Trump is receiving in many polls in the United States. What does make me wonder is that Angus Reid does not also mention Ford’s attack on our democratic and environmental protection institutions, including his recent move to exempt himself and his cabinet from Ontaro’s Freedom of Information legislation) among the reasons for his extraordinarily low rating.)

From Angus Reid – 

In Ontario, Doug Ford falls to a personal low after a quarter marked by both economic pressure and self-inflicted wounds. His government has continued to frame its agenda around protecting Ontario from U.S. tariffs, but that message has competed with a budget that is projecting year of deficits, as well as persistent affordability and health-care challenges.

Most damaging may have been the brief purchase of a $28.9-million government jet, which Ford announced was being sold back to Bombardier after significant backlash.

Ford is approved of by 21 per cent of residents, the worst assessment during his (eight years and counting) tenure as premier.

About the Angus Reid Institute – The Angus Reid Institute was founded in October 2014 by pollster & sociologist, Dr. Angus Reid.It has the status of a registered charity in Canada.

Our Mandate – The Angus Reid Institute is a national, not-for-profit, non-partisan public opinion research foundation established to enhance and encourage better understanding of issues and trends affecting economic, social, governance, philanthropy, public administration, domestic and foreign policy in Canada and its world.

NIAGARA AT LARGE Encourages You To Join The Conversation By Sharing Your Views On This Post In The Space Following The Bernie Sanders Quote Below and by sharing the Niagara At Large site at www.niagaraatlarge.com with all of your friends and associates.

“A Politician Thinks Of The Next Election. A Leader Thinks Of The Next Generation.” – Bernie Sanders

“Canada’s first-ever National Food Security Strategy will help grow and process more food here and put more Canada on Canadian plates – lowering costs, creating jobs, and building a food system that is more resilient, more competitive, and more our own.”   – Prime Minister Mark Carney

News from the Office of Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney

Posted June 11th, 2026 on Niagara At Large

The world is changing rapidly. Trade shifts, global conflicts, and climate change are all putting growing pressure on our food and energy systems, driving up prices at home and abroad. In response, Canada’s new government is focused on what we can control: building a stronger, more independent, more resilient Canadian economy. Central to this mission is a stronger, more affordable food system.

While Canada is one of the largest exporters of agri-food products in the world, Canadians continue to face some of the highest grocery costs in the G7. There is not enough competition between grocery retailers, we are not harnessing enough technology in our agri-food sectors, and our food chains rely too heavily on foreign suppliers. We need a new strategy – for more choice, more control, and more Canada. Continue reading →