Author Archives: dougdraper

Region Launches “Here For You” Public Education Campaign

A News Release from Niagara’s Regional Government

Posted December 9^th, 2021 on Niagara At Large

“Since March 2020, much of the news cycle has been dedicated to covering COVID-19. While this is reasonable, I fear that some of the excellent work that has been completed by the Niagara Region has gone unnoticed.”                                                                   – Jim Bradley, Chair of Niagara Regional Council

Niagara, Ontario – After three years in office, Regional Council recently took an opportunity to reflect on what they have accomplished for the people of Niagara, and to refocus their efforts on what priorities remain for the future.

For the better part of two years, our community has dealt with the effects of a global pandemic.

Yet, despite the challenges of the pandemic, we have persevered and made progress on a significant number of important projects. 

Some of these accomplishments include:

Continue reading →

St. Catharines Mayor Walter Sendzik

“Tonight’s (December 8^th) decision (to support one regional transit system for Niagara) is an important signal that we take climate change mitigation seriously. Environmental sustainability is a core pillar of our strategic plan and this is one further step we can take to help reduce the rate of climate change. By creating a more efficient system, we can encourage more Niagara residents to utilize transit, helping reduce our carbon footprint, greenhouse gas emissions.”  – Walter Sendzik, Mayor of St. Catharines

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

Posted December 9^th, 2021 on Niagara At Large

Niagara, Ontario — With St. Catharines City Council’s approval, the pursuit of a single transit system serving all of Niagara took one step closer to completion Wednesday night.

This December 8^th, St. Catharines Council voted in favour of an integrated regional transit model, continuing years of effort to establish one public transit system to serve all of Niagara’s 12 municipalities.

The vote by Council to consolidate municipal transit systems into one regional entity follows a November vote by Niagara Region Council to begin consolidation efforts.

“This is a major step in bringing years of work to fruition. An integrated transit system will allow all of Niagara’s citizens the opportunity to benefit from the extensive experience of existing transit providers while better connecting our communities and fostering cooperation,” said St. Catharines Chief Administrative Officer David Oakes. Continue reading →

And as Always, Proceeds from the Sale of the Calendar go to Animal Assistance

By Doug Draper, Niagara At Large

Posted December 8th, 2021

Tigger the cat, in all his glory. Photo courtesy of Joe Krawchuk at Pet Valu Thorold in Niagara, Ontario.

“When the cat you love becomes a memory, that memory becomes a treasure.” – from the calendar in memory of Tigger.

He was one handsome cat – loaded from the tip of his note to the tip of his tail with charisma. Walk in to the Pet Valu store at the Pine Street Plaza in Thorold any time over the past many years and you sure couldn’t help but be impressed by a big caramel-colour tabby named Tigger.

Tigger became a celebrity for countless regular customers at the Pet Valu store over the years who often struck a regal pose on the desk near the cash register, waiting for a pet from his fans.

Tigger at Christmas time.
Photo courtesy of Joe Krawchuk at Pet Valu Thorold in Niagara, Ontario.

Sadly, Tigger died this past January, leaving condolences pouring in to his close friends at the store. Tributes also filled Tigger’s Facebook page, which is still up and running at https://www.facebook.com/Tigger-Thorold-Pet-Valu-318975011643143/  , and which you can read by scrolling down to a  January 14th, 2021 entry on the page.

All of these expression of love for this fabulous feline were enough to inspire the store’s staff to produce one more Tigger calendar for 2022, to follow up what, year’s ago, became a tradition of putting out Tigger calendars with all proceeds from their sale going to animal assistance group. Continue reading →

“It’s taken many, many years to get to where we are and I couldn’t be happier with the direction we are going. I am very hopeful the  other municipalities will also see the value in one single, integrated  transit system for Niagara.”                                    – Fort Erie Mayor Wayne Redekop.

A News Release from the Town of Fort Erie in Niagara, Ontario

Posted December 7^th, 2021 on Niagara At Large

Moving toward one single, seamless public transit system in Niagara

FORT ERIE/Niagara – This Monday, December 6th, Fort Erie Town Council voted unanimously in favour of combining all of Niagara’s existing services into one single, integrated transit commission serving all of Niagara.

Town Council sees the value of a consolidated system in Niagara. A regional system will not only benefit Fort Erie residents and businesses, but also the environment and the overall health and wellness of our community. Continue reading →

From a Survey conducted by Leger, the largest Canadian-owned market research and analytics company in the country

Posted December 7^th, 2021 on Niagara At Large

Just when border crossings like the Peace Bridge between Fort Erie, Ontario and Buffalo, New York have re-opened again for non-essential traffic, should they be closed again in wake of rising COVID counts and the Omicron variant. file photo by Doug Draper

On November 26, 2021, the World Health Organization designated the Omicron variant of COVID-19 a variant of concern. Cases of the Omicron variant have been detected on all continents excluding Antarctica.

Given the spread of Omicron, we (Legers) asked Canadians and Americans a series of questions about their perspectives on this new variant.

This survey is conducted in collaboration with the Association for Canadian Studies (ACS) and published in the Canadian Press. This series of surveys is available on Leger’s website. Continue reading →

A News Release from Brock University in Niagara, Ontario

Posted December 7th, 2021 on Niagara At Large

Across the Old Crow Flats in the northern Yukon, lakes are telling a story of climate-driven change.

The traditional territory of the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation (VGFN), the Old Crow Flats is recognized as a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance thanks to its more than 8,000 thermokarst lakes (up to 15 square kilometres) and ponds.

Brock University Associate Professor of Geography and Tourism Studies Kevin Turner collects water samples for analysis from a thermokarst lake in Old Crow Flats. (Photo courtesy of Luke Gray)

Thermokarst lakes are formed by thawed permafrost and can be prone to drainage if they expand into low-lying areas.

Kevin Turner, an Associate Professor in Brock University’s Department of Geography and Tourism Studies and Fulbright Canada Research Chair in Arctic Studies at the University of Washington, has studied the area since 2007, says warmer temperatures, longer summers and more rain are “priming this important landscape for continued climate-driven landscape change.” Continue reading →

Young Canadians File Court Challenge to Lower Federal Voting Age

A News Release from Children First Canada, a national charitable organization committed to improving the health and well-being of young people across the country

Posted December 7^th, 2021 on Niagara At Large

A Brief Foreword by Niagara At Large reporter and publisher Doug Draper –

Should Canada lower the age that its citizens can vote in federal, provincial and municipal elections to 16?

This member of the Baby Boomer generation says absolutely, and I hope a group of 13 young Canadians prevail with a legal action they have in the courts to make it happen.

My main reason for feeling this way comes down to the fact that today’s young people are facing challenges – ones that are threatening to become insurmountable – when it comes to such matters as the cost of education, the cost of owning a home and finding jobs that offer some stability, a living wage and decent benefits.

Then, of course, there is the growing climate crisis that they will be around to suffer the worst consequences of if decisive action is not taken today. Continue reading →

“Seniors in Niagara who need the support of a long-term care home should be able to quickly find one in their own community.” – Wayne Gates, Niagara Falls MPP

A Statement from Niagara Falls NDP MPP Wayne Gates

Posted December 7^th, 2021 on Niagara At Large

106-yeaar-old Fort Erie, Ontario resident and Second World War veteran Burd Sisler

QUEEN’S PARK – In question period this past Monday, December 6^th, NDP MPP Wayne Gates (Niagara Falls) brought forward the story of Burd Sisler, a 106 year old Second World War veteran who has been waiting for a long-term care bed in Fort Erie for months. He released the following statement:

“Seniors in Niagara who need the support of a long-term care home should be able to quickly find one in their own community. That’s especially true for veterans like Burd, who has been trying to get into a long-term care home in Fort Erie for six months and still doesn’t know when a bed might open up. Continue reading →

Dave Upper named St. Catharines fire chief

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

Posted December 7^th, 2021 on Niagara At Large

St. Catharines, Ontario’s new Fire Chief, Dave Upper

With a proven track record of leadership and decades of service to the community under his belt, Dave Upper has been named as the new leader of St. Catharines Fire Services.

Upper will permanently take the reigns as Fire Chief following the departure of Jeff McCormick from the position in late October. Upper has been serving as acting chief since that time and brings with him decades of experience with St. Catharines Fire Services.

Upper first joined the service as a firefighter in 1991, working his way up through the ranks to deputy chief, a position he has served in since 2017. Beyond his familiarity with the community, and extensive leadership successes, he currently acts as the City’s backup Community Emergency Management Coordinator and has served as a board member with Community Care and as a volunteer hockey coach. Continue reading →

The IJC Great Lakes Water Quality Board is hosting a webinar on Thursday, December 9, 2021 to highlight results of their 2021 Great Lakes Regional Poll.

An Invite from the International Joint Commission’s (IJC) Great Lakes Water Quality Board Public Webinar

Posted December 7^th, 2021 on Niagara At Large

The Great Lakes Water Quality Board of the International Joint Commission (IJC) invites you to participate in a webinar about the board’s newly-published 2021 Great Lakes Regional Poll results.

See poll results at –  (https://ijc.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6f596332b572c1092ac6c20a3&id=8fe980dd1e&e=2df5acb1cf) .

Register today at: bit.ly/GLPoll2021 (https://ijc.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6f596332b572c1092ac6c20a3&id=8ff6671e31&e=2df5acb1cf) Continue reading →

“As you can imagine, (a parent and child) being told (during one incident at a vaccination clinic in Niagara) “…the government is experimenting on you” and “You are going to die” at 7 years old only causes immense anxiety on a child.”                                             – Jennie Stevens, NDP MPP for St. Catharines

An Open Letter to Premier Doug Ford from St. Catharines NDP MPP Jennie Stevens

Posted December 6^th, 2021 on Niagara At Large

A Brief Foreword from Niagara At Large reporter and publisher Doug Draper –

One of the many signs anti-vaxxers have been holding up at demonstrations across Ontario

As COVID-19 vaccines began rolling out in Ontario late this November for children age 5 to 11, members of the anti-vaxxer cult went straight to work, verbally harassing parents and children at vaccination clinics across the province.

During at least one recent incident reported to St. Catharines MPP Jennie Stevens at a clinic in Niagara, anti-vaxxers outside warned a mother going in with a seven-year old, that she was allowing her child to be experimented on and that the child will die from the vaccine.

In another egregious case of harassment in the North Bay, Ontario area, a mother taking her young son into a clinic was told by anti-vaxxer demonstrates that she was participating in an act of “genocide” by vaccinating her child because she was “murdering” him. Continue reading →

“(Ontario Premier Doug) Ford’s message (to anti-vaxxers) is: ‘It’s ok to wait it out instead of getting a vaccine.’”                                    – Andrea Horwath, Ontario NDP Leader

A Statement from Ontario NDP Opposition Leader Andrea Horwath

Posted December 6^th, 2021 on Niagara At Large

QUEEN’S PARK – Official Opposition Leader Andrea Horwath released the following statement in response to Doug Ford refusing during question period Monday to cancel his Jan. 17 end date for vaccine certificates:

“Vaccine certificates help to protect Ontarians and small businesses hard-hit by the pandemic — they’re a critical part of avoiding more lockdown measures.

“Doug Ford’s end date for vaccination certificates always was a dog whistle to anti-vaxxers. Mr. Ford’s message is: it’s ok to wait it out instead of getting a vaccine. Continue reading →

Forget About COVID-19 Vaccines. Eating or Bathing Yourself in this Dirt May be Just What You Need to Remain Virus Free, Say at least some Anti-Vaxxers

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

Posted December 5^th, 2021 on Niagara At Large

Who needs a vaccine when you can ingest or bathe yourself in “magic dirt”

For anti-vaxxers looking for anything but a vaccine to ward off COVID-19 and its growing number of variants, they’ve turned to everything from simply placing faith in their God-given immune systems to chemical concoctions like chloroquine phosphate (a drug used to combat malaria and sometimes use to clean fish tanks) and cleaning fluids like Lysol and bleach, and more recent favouites like a drug for de-worming horses and cows.

Then there is “magic dirt” – something fringe members of the anti-vaxxer movement also refers to as BOO, which is short for “Black Oxygen Organics.” Continue reading →

‘Ontario is at a critical juncture. …The Ford government is on the cusp of privatizing an entire new generation of long-term care beds unless public outrage stops them.’

A New Report from the Ontario Health Coalition, a citizens group advocating for quality health care across the province

Posted December 4th, 2021 on Niagara At Large

Toronto— The Ford government has been awarding tens of thousands of long-term care beds to for-profit operators and 30-year licenses paid by Ontario taxpayers. The Ontario Health Coalition warned the Ford government is on the cusp of privatizing an entire new generation of long-term care beds unless public outrage stops them.

The Ontario Health Coalition was joined by families members of loved ones in for-profit long-term care in a press conference late this November to release a new report, Public Money Private Profit: The Ford Government & the Privatization of the Next Generation of Ontario’s Long-Term Care.

They are launching a province-wide virtual tour to issue a call to action. Continue reading →

“I’ve spent my career in public service working to build better communities. As an Indigenous Member of Parliament, I am honoured the Prime Minister has entrusted me to work with Minister (of Indigenous Services Patty) Hajdu to bring real progress to Indigenous communities across Canada and ensure they are given the same opportunities every Canadian enjoys.”                                                                          – Niagara Centre Liberal MP Vance Badawey

A News Release from the Constituency Office of Niagara Centre Liberal MP Vance Badawey

Posted December 4^th, 2021 on Niagara At Large

Ottawa, Ontario – Niagara Centre Member of Parliament Vance Badawey has been chosen by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to serve as Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Indigenous Services, Patty Hajdu.

Niagara Centre MPP Vance Badawey, a former Mayor of Port Colborne and former Niagara Regional Councillor, is also a proud member of the Métis Nation,

The Prime Minister said the new team of Parliamentary Secretaries will be focused on working closely with the Liberal team to find real solutions to the challenges that Canadians face as the country finishes the fight against COVID-19 and builds a better future for everyone. Continue reading →

Call on the Government to Take Action to Protect Ontario’s Most Vulnerable Species.

An Important Message to All of Us from Ontario Nature, a citizens group advocating for the province’s wildlife

Posted December 3rd, 2021 on Niagara At Large

The November 2021 report of the Auditor General of Ontario (Bonnie Lysyk), Protecting and Recovering Species at Risk, lays bare the provincial government’s utter failure to do what is needed to improve the outlook for Ontario’s most vulnerable plants and animals.

The audit’s biggest eye-opener is the government’s slipshod approach to implementing the law.

For example, approvals for harmful activities have gone up by 6,262 percent; the government has never inspected any of these approved projects to ensure compliance; and enforcement has been almost non-existent since 2018. Continue reading →

Doug Ford’s Conservatives vote down NDP bid for buck-a-year raise in minimum wage, Ontario Liberals also refuse to vote in support NDP bid

“It’s not enough to call the people who clean our hospitals heroes, or to say thank you to the workers who stock our grocery shelves. We need to show them respect by paying them a wage that pays the bills.”          – Andrea Horwath, Ontario NDP Leader

News from the Office of Ontaro NDP Opposition Leader Andrea Horwath

Posted December 3^rd, 2021 on Niagara At Large

Ontario NDP Official Opposition Leader Andrea Horwath

QUEEN’S PARK — On Friday (this December 3^rd), Doug Ford’s Conservatives denied workers better pay by voting down an NDP amendment that would have put Ontarians on the path to a $20 minimum wage.

Andrea Horwath and Ontario’s New Democrats have committed to a schedule of stable, predictable $1-an-hour increases to the minimum wage over each of the next five years.

Ford’s Conservatives rejected that schedule, defeating an amendment to replace the low-wage policy set out in the Fall Economic Statement, while the lone Liberal in attendance, MPP Amanda Simard (Glengarry—Prescott—Russell) refused to take a position, abstaining from the vote. That means the minimum wage will stagnate at $15 an hour as the cost of everything goes up. Continue reading →

A News Release from the Niagara Health Foundation, the fund-raising arm for Niagara Health, the region’s amalgamated system of hospitals

Posted December 2nd, 2021 on Niagara At Large

Niagara, Ontario  – The Niagara Health Foundation is excited to announce the launch of the It’s Our Future campaign for the new South Niagara Site of Niagara Health. 

The Foundation is honoured to announce that the campaign will be led by co-chairs Jim Diodati, Mayor of Niagara Falls and Mr. Harry Oakes.

The long-standing billboard sign off the QEW at the southwest corner of Niagara Falls where the so-called “South Niagara” hospital will go.

The Foundation held its campaign kick-off event on December 1, 2021, at Arpad Park Hall in Niagara Falls.  Community members, provincial, regional and local elected officials and a group of Founding Donors were in attendance.  Continue reading →

Public Health Issues Instructions To Indoor Sports & Recreational Facilities

A News Release from Niagara Region Public Health

Posted December 2^nd, 2021 on Niagara At Large

Niagara, Ontario – As COVID-19 infections increase across Ontario, with school-age children now having the highest risk of COVID-19, Niagara Region Public Health has issued a letter of instructions to reduce the spread of COVID-19 infections in sporting and recreational fitness facilities. Niagara joins 26 other local public health jurisdictions in Ontario to have issued a letter of instructions to these facilities.

A letter of instruction is issued under Section 2, Schedule 1 of Ontario Regulation 364/20 under the Reopening Ontario (A Flexible Response to COVID-19) Act. This letter of instruction creates legally binding requirements for anyone responsible for a business or organization that operates indoor areas of facilities within the Niagara Region that are used for sports, athletic and recreational fitness activities.

The instructions require the following:

Continue reading →

After Many Months of Council Debate and Lobbying by Citizens Across Niagara, “Option 3C” – Offering More Robust Protection for Niagara’s Natural Environment – Is Approved

“I think (passing Option 3C) really represents putting our environment first in terms of our planning. What an amazing legacy we can leave for generations to come.”                                    – Diana Husson, Regional Councillor for Pelham and Chair of Niagara Region’s Planning and Economic Development Committee

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

Posted December 1^st, 2021 on Niagara At Large

St. Catharines Regional Councillor George Darte

“We don’t want to be singing; ‘They paved paradise, put up a parking lot’,” said St. Catharines Regional Councillor George Darte as he tabled a motion at the Region’s December 1^st’ Committee of the Whole meeting in support of including Option 3C – a stronger set of measures for protecting Niagara’s natural environment – in an Official Plan that will guide urban growth for years to come.

“What we are about to vote on tonight is forever, it is for eternity,” continued Darte. “What we are being asked to do tonight is to help decide the fate of our dear Mother Earth.”

“We need to give the next hundreds of generations ….and our successors a chance to survive on this planet. We owe it to them and that can be our legacy as one seemingly significant bunch of councillors,” Darte said. Continue reading →

“Today’s (December 1^st) audit of Land-Use Planning in the Greater Golden Horseshoe confirms that this (Doug Ford) government has simply abandoned the goal of curbing suburban sprawl in southern Ontario. … with full knowledge they would undermine the long-term vision of (Ontario’s) Growth Plan, (and would) lead to widespread loss of farmland and natural areas, put stress on water resources and increase car-dependency that fuels climate change.”

A Statement from Environmental Defence, one of Canada’s top public advocates for protecting and preserving our environment

Posted December 1^st, 2021 on Niagara At Large

A Statement from Phil Pothen, Ontario Environment Program Manager, Environmental Defence, on the Ontario Auditor General’s finding that government’s 2020 Amendments and Sprawl MZOs and have “undermined” the Growth Plan’s “long-term vision” – 

Toronto | Traditional territories of the Huron-Wendat, the Anishnaabeg, Haudenosaunee, Chippewas and the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation – Today (this December 1^st, 2021), Ontario’s Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk lent her authoritative voice to the chorus of citizens, Environmental NGOs, land use planning experts, and non-partisan civil servants who have sounded the alarm about the government’s approach to land-use planning in Ontario.

Ontario Auditor General has released a scathing report on, among other things, the Ford government’s awful environmental record

According to Lysik, the government’s changes to Growth Plan policies, together with its unprecedented overuse of Minister’s Zoning Orders (MZOs) have “undermined” the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe’s “long-term vision” of reining-in sprawl in the region. She notes that Minister Clark ignored warnings from within the provincial civil service itself, regarding the risks his approach to land-use would create. Continue reading →

“Niagara families deserve to know that if they need emergency medical services, it will be available to them. Right now in Niagara, there aren’t enough ambulances or paramedics to help people experiencing medical emergencies.”                                            – Jeff Burch, NDP MPP for the Niagara, Ontario Riding of Niagara Centre

A News Release from the Constituency Office of Niagara Centre NDP MPP Jeff Burch

Posted November 30th, 2021 on Niagara At Large

Niagara Centre NDP MPP Jeff Burch

Niagara, Ontario – As Niagara Region faces a critical shortage in ambulance and EMS services, MPP Jeff Burch (Niagara Centre) called on Doug Ford to take action and make sure families in Niagara can access the timely care they need.

“Niagara families deserve to know that if they need emergency medical services, it will be available to them,” said Burch.

“Right now in Niagara, there aren’t enough ambulances or paramedics to help people experiencing medical emergencies. Families should not have to face the anguish of waiting for long periods of time by their sick or injured loved ones, wondering when the ambulance will finally arrive.”

Niagara Region Public Health and Social Services Committee has said the current situation is critical. There are often not enough ambulances to provide emergency coverage for all of Niagara, or to meet response times for critical patients. CUPE 911, the union that represents Niagara paramedics, state that they are understaffed, under-resourced and burnt-out as the demand for emergency services continues to rise. Continue reading →

NDP lays out a predictable, stable increase schedule for first term in office

A News Release from the New Democratic Party of Ontario

Posted November 30^th, 2021 on Niagara At Large

TORONTO — Official Opposition NDP Leader Andrea Horwath announced Tuesday her plan for a $20 minimum wage, reached within her first term through steady, stable increases.

“Whether you are stocking grocery store shelves or cleaning a hospital you deserve respect. All workers deserve respect.

“Respect is not just saying thank you and calling someone a hero. Respect means paying people a wage that pays the bills,” said Horwath.

Continue reading →

Urge Them to Vote ‘YES’ This Wednesday, December 1st for the Measures in ‘Option 3C’ – the Measures We Need to Protect What is Left of Niagara’s Natural Heritage

“We (in Niagara) have a pretty unique area …. and it is incumbent on us to protect it. …. I think (Option) 3C is best for the environment and the future.”                                                                          – Niagara Regional Chair Jim Bradley at a council meeting earlier this year.

“Our natural heritage is Niagara’s brand. … Our watershed is our brand. That’s how we are known internationally. We should be embracing that.”                                                                                   – Pelham Regional Councillor and Chair of Niagara Region’s Planning and Economic Development Committee Diana Huson at a council meeting earlier this year.

A Call-Out from Doug Draper, reporter and publisher of Niagara At Large

Posted November 29th on Niagara At Large

Places like this in Niagara are not only good for our soul, they are necessary havens for other living species and they help biodiversity and they are protective zones in the battle against the destructive impacts of climate change. photo by Doug Draper

This coming Wednesday, December 1st, our Regional Council is expected to make a decision that could determine the fate of what’s left of our natural heritage in Niagara for generations to come.

Will our municipal leaders vote in favour of the strongest measures possible (in Option 3C) to protect and preserve what is left of the irreplaceable natural places in Niagara or will they opt for weaker measures (in Option 3B) that  see even more of our green places covered over in asphalt?

For the sake of our own health, the health of our communities, and the nature systems we need to help combat the climate crisis we face today, we cannot allow the same-old, same-old, business-as-usual asphalt option to continue into the indefinite future. Not if we want to have a future that is livable and survivable for our kids!

Continue reading →

“The facts are staggering. The number of species at risk in Ontario has grown by 22 percent since 2009. The number of approvals for harmful activities has gone up by more than 6,000 percent.” – Caroline Schultz, Executive Director of Ontario Nature

A Statement from Ontario Nature, one of the province’s most respected advocacy groups for protecting our natural heritage

Posted November 27^th, 2021 on Niagara At Large

Queen’s Park, Ontario – The Government of Ontario is failing Ontario’s most vulnerable plants and animals, according to a report released this week by Ontario’s Auditor General.

The Blanding Turtle. One of many species at risk in Ontario under assault by a Ford government more interested in pandering to greedy developers than to protecting what’s left of our natural heritage

The report, Protecting and Recovering Species at Risk, reveals the abysmal record of misdirection and mismanagement by a government prepared to undermine environmental protections at every turn. Continue reading →

“I’m very proud to represent the people of Niagara Falls, Niagara-on-the-Lake and Fort Erie at Queen’s park, and I’m grateful for the trust families in the riding have placed in me.”       – Niagara Falls NDP MPP Wayne Gates

A News Release from the Campaign to Re-Elect Niagara Falls NDP MPP Wayne Gates

Posted November 26^th, 2021 on Niagara At Large

Niagara Falls NDP MPP Wayne Gates

NIAGARA — (This November 25^th) New Democrats in Niagara Falls have selected incumbent MPP Wayne Gates to be their NDP candidate in the 2022 provincial election.

He has represented Niagara Falls, Fort Erie and Niagara-on-the-Lake at Queen’s Park since 2014. Gates currently serves as a key voice for workers in the party where he is the NDP’s critic for Workplace Health and Safety, Training, Trades and Apprenticeships, and Auto Strategy.

Gates’ nominators included Burdett Sisler, a 106 year old Second World War veteran living in the riding (see video (https://vimeo.com/649224238/31548d951c) ). Continue reading →

“Regional council made an historic, progressive and courageous decision this afternoon which will set into motion that process that will hopefully strengthen public transit across Niagara for generations to come.”                                                                                    – Jim Bradley, Niagara Regional Chair

Support Is Still Needed from a Majority of Niagara’s Local Municipalities

A News Release from Niagara’s Regional Government

Posted November 25^th, 2021 on Niagara At Large

At its November 25^th meeting, Niagara Regional Council made an historic move to improve and modernize public transit, voting in favour of combining all of Niagara’s existing services into one single, integrated transit commission serving all of Niagara.

The Moving Transit Forward <http://www.movingtransitforward.ca/>proposal would bring together independently operating local transit systems in Fort Erie, St. Catharines, Welland, and Niagara Falls, as well as Niagara Region Transit and NRT OnDemand, in order to offer consistent operating hours and fares, new digital payment technology, and better connections for riders across Niagara. Continue reading →

“We must work to address the social norms and power imbalances that, in-part, allow gender-based violence to occur. Finally, we need to ensure our law enforcement agencies and judicial system holds perpetrators accountable.”                                  – Jim Bradley, Niagara Regional Chair

A Statement from Niagara Regional Chair Jim Bradley on behalf of Niagara’s Regional Council

Posted November 25^th, 2021 on Niagara At Large

“Today (this November 25^th) marks the start of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence. This is an international campaign that starts on November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and runs until 10 December, Human Rights Day.

Based on a motion passed by the Region’s Women’s Advisory Committee, and endorsed by Regional Council, Niagara Region will be formally supporting this year’s campaign. Just this morning, I joined other community leaders from around Niagara to raise flags that are designed to build awareness of gender-based violence, as well as the epidemic of missing and murdered Indigenous women across Canada. Continue reading →

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

Posted November 25^th, 2021 on Niagara At Large

Niagara Falls NDP MPP Wayne Gates

QUEEN’S PARK — NDP MPP Wayne Gates (Niagara Falls) has re-tabled a motion calling on the government to provide OHIP coverage for prostate specific antigen (PSA) testing for prostate cancer as November comes to an end.

“We know that early detection of prostate cancer saves lives. When detected early, the survival rate for prostate cancer is close to 100%, when it is caught at stage 4, the survival rate is 28%,” said Wayne Gates.

“We have universal healthcare coverage but somehow don’t cover this test which can save lives. Now, more than ever, we see the importance of access to healthcare. When people cannot spare the money they choose not to be tested. We can stop that from happening and we can save lives.”

Continue reading →

An Article submitted to Niagara At Large by Lynda Goodridge

Posted November 24th, 2021 on Niagara At Large

Niagara, Ontario – This past October, Deb Sherk (a fellow Fort Erie resident and President of the Fort Erie-based Bert Miller Nature Club) and I made a presentation to our local Fort Erie Town Council (in Niagara, Ontario) asking them to consider working towards becoming a Bird Friendly City.

The Great Egret and the Great Blue Heron are able to co-exist with one another, but will they be able to continue to exist in waterways which are increasingly congested by human traffic and polluted by human activities? Photo by Ron Goodridge

At a council meeting this November 22nd, we were pleased to see Fort Erie Council approve a motion, directing the town’s staff to “provide a memorandum offering suggestions on how staff can investigate and provide recommendations on becoming a Bird Friendly Municipality.”

This initiative is actually a process that leads to certification, under guidelines developed by Nature Canada.  It recognizes the efforts made by cities to save birds and to acknowledge the important role that they play in maintaining our ecosystems.

A major study done by Cornell University, specifically the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, shows a cumulative loss of nearly *three billion* birds since 1970, across most North American biomes (aquatic, grassland, forest, desert, tundra).

This new study finds steep, long-term losses in virtually all groups of birds in Canada and the U.S.  Another way to phrase this is from the Audubon Society which states that North America has lost more than 1 in 4 birds in the last 50 years.

About 90 percent of the missing birds came from 12 distinct and widespread bird families – including warblers, sparrows, blackbirds and finches. Grasslands in particular posted the biggest losses, with more than 700 million breeding individuals lost across 31 species since 1970. Continue reading →

“Creating a new electric vehicle incentive program is a win-win for Ontario families. It will advance the fight against climate change, create good paying jobs and deliver needed pocketbook relief.” – Ontario Liberal Leader, Steven Del Duca.

A News Release from the Liberal Party of Ontario

Posted November 24^th, 2021 on Niagara At Large

TORONTO – Ontario Liberals will give families an incentive of $8,000 on the purchase or lease of eligible electric vehicles and $1,500 on charging equipment. Ontario Liberals will end Doug Ford’s stubborn fight against climate action.

“Creating a new electric vehicle incentive program is a win-win for Ontario families,” said Ontario Liberal Leader, Steven Del Duca. “It will advance the fight against climate change, create good paying jobs and deliver needed pocketbook relief.” Continue reading →

“The need for urgent action to address the climate crisis was front and centre in the 2021 Speech from the Throne. Now we need to see that same urgency in plans for implementation – concrete and swift measures to reduce carbon emissions, end plastic pollution and remove toxic chemicals from our daily lives.”                                                                         – Tim Gray, Executive Director of the citizens advocacy group, Environmental Defence Canada

A News Release from Environmental Defence Canada, a national network of advocates for protecting and preserving our environment

Posted November 23^rd, 2021 on Niagara At Large

“While the Speech from the Throne made nods to both reconciliation and fighting the climate crisis, the government continues to support oil and gas projects which violate Indigenous rights, including the Coastal Gas Link pipeline, where the RCMP just arrested Wet’suwet’en land defenders to protect corporate interests, and the Trans Mountain pipeline. We’re also compelled to note the huge levels of public spending the government continues to provide to climate culprits, including for false solutions like carbon capture and fossil hydrogen.” – Julia Levin, Senior Climate and Energy Program Manager Continue reading →

“Now we must go further, faster. …. We cannot afford to wait.”    – From the Speech from the Throne, Tuesday, November 23^rd, 2021

From a Statement by Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada

Posted November 23^rd, 2021 on Niagara At Large

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, speaking earlier this November at the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland

(A Brief Note from NAL reporter and publisher Doug Draper –

What follows is an excerpt that deals with climate change from a Statement Prime Minister Justin circulated this November 23^rd following the reading of the Speech from the Throne.

You can click on links to review the whole statement and the Speech from the Throne at the bottom of this post.)

“To create a more resilient economy, create jobs, and grow the middle class, Canada must take strong and bold climate action.

“That’s why we’re moving forward to cap and cut oil and gas sector emissions, investing in public transit, and mandating the sale of zero-emissions vehicles. Continue reading →

“At the root of the current (COVID-19) crisis, and fundamental to the solution, are our relationships with the other species that share our planet.”

Something Our Niagara Regional Councillors Should Consider Before Voting on New Measures to Protect What is Left of our Region’s Precious Natural Heritage

An Article by Dan Krause for the Nature Conservancy of Canada (with permission from the Nature Conservancy to share it on Niagara At Large)

Posted November 23rd^d, 2021 on Niagara At Large

A Brief Foreword by Niagara At Large reporter and publisher Doug Draper – 

As our Niagara Regional Council, including the mayors of Niagara’s 12 municipalities, prepare to decide how far our Regional government should go in protecting and preserving what is left of our natural heritage, all of our municipal leaders should take what scientists around the world have to say about the bond between healthy natural heritage systems and the health of you and I, our families, our friends and our communities.

What is at stake? Why do we need new measures to protect our remaining woodlands, wetlands and other natural places from predatory developers? It is for places like this -Waverly Woods, now a target for condos, along the Lake Erie shores in Fort Erie, Ontario. File photo by Doug Draper

Our Regional Councillors, including Niagara’s local mayors, are scheduled to consider how far they should go in protecting what is left of our natural heritage at a special meeting of the Region’s council this coming December 1^st. Continue reading →

A News Release from Ontario’s Green Party

Posted November 23^rd, 2021 on Niagara At Large

Ontario Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk releases damming report on Ford government’s environment record

This November 22^nd,  Ontario’s Auditor General released the Annual Report of Environmental Audits, and unsurprisingly, Doug Ford got an ‘F’ on his report card.

The damning report said that for the third year in a row the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (Environment Ministry), has not provided leadership on protecting and restoring the environment.

Not only has Ford failed to protect the environment, he’s actually making the situation worse. Continue reading →

Ford Government has Deliberately Ignored Public’s Right to be Heard on Significant Environmental Issues – Ontario Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk

A News Release from the Office of the Auditor General of Ontario

Posted November 22nd, 2021 on Niagara At Large

Ontario Auditor-General Bonnie Lysyk

TORONTO – Some Ontario ministries – including the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks – deliberately avoided consulting the public on environmentally significant decisions in 2020/21, bypassing the Environmental Bill of Rights, Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk says in her Annual Report of Environment Audits.

“The Environment Ministry’s actions amount to undermining the Environmental Bill of Rights, a law that we would expect the Ministry to be championing,” Lysyk said.

“This has been consistent over the last three years.”

The law provides Ontarians with rights to information and public consultation on environmentally significant decisions, and the right to ask for a review or to appeal environmental decisions.

These rights are enshrined in law, similar to human rights, employment rights and French language rights.

Continue reading →

A Brief Remembrance by Doug Draper

Posted November 22^nd, 2021 on Niagara At Large

U.S. President John F. Kennedy and his wife Jackie arrive in Dallas, Texas on Friday, November 22nd, 193 where within about an hour, he would be assassinated.

I was going to grade school at the time in my hometown of Welland in Niagara, Ontario. It was Friday, November 22^nd, 1963 and my classmates and I had just come in from the lunch break.

A few minutes later, the schools vice principal arrived at our classroom door, his voice shaking and his eyes wet. “They shot President Kennedy,” he said. “We are asking you to go home.”

That was it. Our school, like so many others across Canada and the United States, were shut down for the rest of the day, and home we went to our grieving parents, watching the bulletins coming in on TV.

That is how well regarded U.S. President John F. Kennedy and Jackie were regarded on both sides of the border at that time. We felt like we had lost a great, youthful future who inspired so many to have hope for the future.

I doubt anyone who was old enough and still alive today forgets where they were when Kennedy was shot and killed on that autumn day.

To watch a brief video, featuring the eye witness account of  Clint Hill, a retired secret service officer, who was closer to Kennedy than any other officer at the assassination scene, click on –

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.

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

Anti-Maskers and Anti-Vaxxers Unite for “Choice” and “Freedom” in Niagara Falls, Ontario

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

Posted November 22nd. 2021 on Niagara At Large

Signs like this began appearing earlier on, as governments and health authorities moved to limit travel from our homes during periods of high case counts

Some people in Niagara and other regions across Canada and the United States seem determined to keep liberating the virus.

That may not be their intention.

From what comes out in their rhetoric, their mission is to liberate themselves from any more lockdowns and from all of the mandates around mask wearing and taking the vaccine.

So it was that hundreds gathered at Oakes Garden in Niagara Falls, Ontario this November 20^th to, in so many words, let their freedom flags fly.

They marched up Clifton Hill where, with a statue of King Kong waving and a Ripley’s Believe It Or Not sign looming in the background, they chanted; “Together united. We’ll never be divided.” They carried  signs reading (just to quote a few); ‘No Vax Mandates, ‘My Body, My Choice’, ‘Freedom is Mandatory’, ‘Hands Off’ and ‘The Lying Media is the Virus’. Continue reading →

“Hamilton’s decision will have positive ripple effects across the Greater Golden Horseshoe and should embolden citizens who also are fighting to save their natural heritage from the big sprawl.”

A News Release from Environmental Defence, Environment Hamilton, Stop Sprawl Hamont

Posted December 20^th, 2021 on Niagara At Large

If we don’t say NO to more sprawl, everything we have left in the way of farmland and green space for woodlands, wetlands and other wildlife will be lost under pavement for every. Sure that is not what we want.

A Brief Foreword from Niagara At Large reporter and publisher Doug Draper –

Let’s urge our municipal leaders in Niagara to take note of what City of Hamilton concillors (as outlined in the news release immediately below) were brave enough to do – even in the face of intense lobby pressure from the plunderers of green space still driving this province’s development industry.

This coming December 1^st, our Niagara Regional Councillors are scheduled to hold a special meeting to decide whether or not to support something called Option 3C, which is code for a higher level of protection we need to save what is left of our region’s natural heritage, including its woodlands and wetlands. Continue reading →

Buffalo, New York Area Congressman  Responds to Canada’s Announcements Related to Border COVID-19 Testing Measures

A News Release from the Buffalo, New York Office of U.S. Democratic Congressman Brian Higgins

Posted November 19^th, 2021 on Niagara At Large

Buffalo/Niagara Falls, New York area Congressman Brian Higgins

Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-26) provided the following statement in response to announcements made by the Canadian government related to planned changes to border management policies.

Higgins said, “Of course we welcome action that removes obstacles to cross border travel for those fully vaccinated, but changes from both the U.S. and Canadian governments, have come at a frustratingly slow pace, in a disjointed manner, and with puzzling reasoning that doesn’t follow the science.

“Today’s (November 19th) announcement is no different. The public is again left confused and waiting for more information. The same standard should be applied to all vaccinated travelers regardless of which side of the border you are crossing into or where you live.” Continue reading →

“In the coming days we will learn the timeline of receiving the vaccine in Niagara, and will be sharing when bookings will open and our clinic schedule.”

News from the Niagara Regional Government’s Public Health Department

Posted November 19, 2021 on Niagara At Large

Niagara Region Public Health is excited that Health Canada has approved a vaccine for age 5-11 year olds.

This age group currently has by far the highest rate of COVID-19 infection in Niagara, and the vaccine will provide them with very welcome protection.

The age 5-11 version of Pfizer-BioNTech’s Comirnaty vaccine approved today is a different formulation to the vaccine used in adults and children age 12 and older. The version approved for younger children is just as effective as the previous version, but with fewer side effects, ensuring children will have a great vaccination experience. Continue reading →

A Commentary by Niagara At Large reporter and publisher Doug Draper

Posted November 19th, 2021 on Niagara At Large

Niagara’s acting Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Mustafa Hirji

Niagara’s acting Medical Officer of Health, Mustafa Hirji,  appears to be  having a Dr. Fauci moment.

Dr. Anthony Fauci – most of us by now would know – is an American medical doctor, recognized as one of the world’s foremost experts on infectious disease. Throughout the past, almost two years of this COVID-19 pandemic, he has also been a rock-solid presence, recommending the most up-to-date measures we need to take to protect ourselves and our communities against this deadly virus, based on science.

For his efforts, Dr. Fauci found himself being vilified as “Dr. Gloom and Doom” and other negative titles by a segment of the population who wanted government to fire him from whatever positions he was holding for recommending precautionary measures they viewed as an assault on their freedoms. Continue reading →

“Our fragile planet is hanging by a thread. We are still knocking on the door of climate catastrophe.” – United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres

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

Posted November 14th, 2021 on Niagara At Large

Even before the COP26 global climate summit (what one of NAL’s readers took to calling COP Out 26) was drawing to a close in Glasgow, Scotland this November 13th, climate activists around the world – young and old – expressed concern that the pact agreed to by almost 200 nations around the world, including Canada, would not be enough to avert a planetary disaster.

The political leaders of many countries that signed this pact tried to explain that this pact comes a long way, but you can’t move the needle to something approximating zero use of climate-ravaging fossil fuels that fast.

This excuse for doing less than what is now necessary to defuse a bomb ticking ever closer to midnight for our future ignores the fact that one generation of political leaders after another, including the people they represent, have been warned for decades that the severe droughts, windstorms and wildfires, not to mention the devastating flooding and mudslides on Canada’s west coast that are playing out now, were coming if we did not change our ways.

At least as far back as the first Earth Day in 1970, an ‘Environmental Handbook’, prepared by Friends of the Earth for the event said; “Scientists are becoming worried about increasing CO2 levels because of the greenhouse effect, with its possible repercussions on the world climate.” Continue reading →

Buffalo, New York area Congressman Brian Higgins Meets with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Responds to Changes to Canadian Government Testing Policy at Northern Border

“Testing is not only unnecessary, it is prohibiting a cross-border exchange critical to fostering economic recovery in both nations.” – Buffalo, New York area Congressman Brian Higgins

A News Release from the Buffalo, New York Office of U.S. Democratic Congressman Brian Higgins

Posted November 17^th, 2021 on Niagara Atl Large

Buffalo, New York area Congressman Brian Higgins has been a leader in pushing for the end of the testing requirements for fully vaccinated people crossing the Canada-U.S. border

Buffalo, New York – Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-26) was among a bipartisan group of approximately a dozen members of the House of Representatives meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, November 17.

Prime Minister Trudeau is visiting the United States Capitol for North American Leaders meetings with U.S. President Joe Biden and Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

Last week Higgins sent a letter to President Biden suggesting priorities for U.S. – Canada discussion and collaboration should include: trade, dropping the border testing requirement, passenger rail, and the exemption of Americans from the non-citizen property tax increase.

According to published reports, the Canadian government is planning to drop the PCR COVID testing requirement for fully vaccinated Canadians returning to Canada after a trip abroad for less than 72-hours. Continue reading →

Every Time The Mainstream Media Shines Light on the West Lincoln Mayor’s Controversial Conduct, One  Suspects That He Loves It. It Plays To His Ultra-Right-Wing, Christian Heritage Party Base

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

Posted November 17^th, 2021 on Niagara At Large

So here we go again.

Niagara Regional Councillor and West Lincoln Mayor David Bylsma.His screwball conduct has wasted enough of the precious time that should be dedicated to addressing issues that should be of  concern to all of us.

Dave Bylsma, who serves on Niagara’s Regional Council by virtue of his current position as Mayor of West Lincoln, openly engages in another episode that is controversial or insulting to others, and he makes front page news in daily newspapers.

In the past, I have posted commentary on such episodes on Niagara At Large, with calls for Bylsma’s resignation from elected office or failing that, my hope that he might be turfed out of office in next year’s municipal elections.

But no more.

Like however many others in Niagara who sent me emails reading; “Have you seen this,” I most certainly saw the front-page story in Niagara’s daily newspapers this November 16^th about Bylsma – this time talking about some highly objectionable language he used to discuss employment at his family business. Continue reading →

A Statement by Canada’s Prime Minister on Louis Riel Day

Posted November 16^th, 2021 on Niagara At Large

While Louis Riel’s stature is now such that a national day of tribute for him is now on the calendar, the stature of John A. Macdonland, Canada’s first prime minister who oversaw Riel’s execution is such that statues of him like this one, in his hometown of Kingston, Ontario, are being removed from public spaces across the country.

(A Brief Foreword by Niagara At Large reporter and publisher Doug Draper – As Canada observes Louis Riel Day this November 16^th, I think back on some of the crap (to paraphrase Paul Simon) we have been taught in high school.

Among the crap I was taught when I was going to high school in Ontario back in the 1960s was that Louis Riel was a treasonous, murderous rebel who had to be hung, which he was on November 16^th, 1885 with the blessing of Canada’s great ‘Father of Confederation, then Prime Minister John A. Macdonald.

Now Louis Riel is portrayed in official circles as a bonafide Canadian champion for social justice and equality, while statues of Macdonald, including one this past September in his hometown of Kingston, Ontario, are being removed from public places in response to his role as a supporter of residential schools engaged in the cultural genocide of our country’s indigenous peoples. Continue reading →

“Doug Ford seems to be doing nothing to stop yet another deadly, but preventable fifth wave of COVID-19.”- Ontario Liberal Leader, Steven Del Duca

News from Ontario’s Liberal Party

Posted November 15^th, 2021 on Niagara At Large

TORONTO, Ontario – COVID-19 case counts have been on the rise in Ontario and the Science Advisory Table projects that this will likely result in increased ICU occupancy.

Several jurisdictions around the world are already experiencing deadly resurgences, with many European countries having to re-impose restrictions as they try to deal with the surge of cases, hospitalizations and deaths. Continue reading →

Niagara Regional Chair Jim Bradley

“Everyone in Niagara has the right to live in a safe, welcoming and respectful community. Listening to the lived experiences of our community members is the first step in making that happen, and we want as many individuals as possible to speak up and have their voice heard. This information will be invaluable as we work to create Niagara’s first-ever Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Action Plan.”                     ~ Niagara Regional Chair Jim Bradley

News from Niagara’s Regional Government in Niagara, Ontario

Posted November 15th, 2021 on Niagara At Large

Individuals from all backgrounds across Niagara are being asked for their input to help make Niagara a more welcoming and inclusive community for everyone.

From now until Dec. 1, Niagara residents can take a short online survey to share experiences of discrimination they have witnessed or experienced in Niagara, and their ideas to eliminate that discrimination. Continue reading →