Author Archives: dougdraper

Using Trump’s tariff threats as an excuse for “rushing headlong into major projects without knowing the costs, means the governments are playing a dangerous game with our lands and futures.” – Ontario First Nations lawyer Kate Kemptom

Posted by Doug Draper on Niagara At Large

July 18^th, 2025

Ontario First Nations representatives held a press conference this past July 16^th to announce their plans to legally challenge federal and provincial bills that, in their view, promote economic growth at the cost of protecting and preserving our environment.

The two bills include the Ontario Ford government’s highly controversial Bill 5 and Canada’s Mark Carney’s Liberal government’s Bill C-5.

In challenging these bills, Ontario First Nations lawyer Kate Kempton stressed at the news conference that First Nations people support economic growth, but not at the cost of doing more damage or destruction to what is left of our province’s and country’s precious natural resources.

If you did not have a chance to hear  Kempton speak about this at the press conference, which was broadcast live on CBC this past July 16^th, I urge you to click on the screen immediately below to listen to what she has to say and judge for yourself –

For a related news report, click on – https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/first-nations-legal-challenge-against-ontario-bill-five-1.7585361

NIAGARA AT LARGE Encourages You To Join The Conversation By Sharing Your Views O 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

“For far too long, families in Niagara Falls have struggled to find a family doctor or access timely, consistent health care. This funding is an important step toward closing that gap and making sure no one in our community is left behind.”                     – Niagara Falls NDP MPP Wayne Gates

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

Posted July 18^th, 2025 on Niagara At Large

Niagara Falls MPP Wayne Gates speaking at funding announcement

Niagara Falls, Ontario – This past July 14^th, the Niagara Falls Community Health Centre (NFCHC) announced $2.696 million in new funding from the Government of Ontario.

The funding will expand its staffing to provide primary care and wrap around services to attach an additional 3,800 people with a focus on equity deserving individuals.

It will also work closely with the Niagara Ontario Health Team – Équipe Sante Niagara (NOHT-ÉSON) and its partners the Niagara Medical Group Family Health Team and Niagara North Family Health Team to attach an additional 2,500 residents in the first 12 months. Continue reading →

Province Adding Fifty New Beds At Thorold Facility Through Modular Build

News from the Constituency Office of Niagara West Ford Government MPP Sam Oosterhoff

Posted July 18^th, 2025 on Niagara At Large

The Niagara Regional Detention Centre in the Niagara municipality of Thorold, Ontario

THOROLD, Ontario – As part of its plan to protect Ontario and keep communities safe, the Ontario government is investing more than $180 million to increase capacity at correctional facilities across the province, including the Niagara Detention Centre in Thorold.

The expansion in Thorold will lead to fifty new local beds, providing frontline staff the space they need to do their jobs safely.

“This significant investment in public safety – including the plans to increase correctional capacity at the Niagara Detention Centre in Thorold – is another example of how our government is protecting communities and protecting Ontario,” said Sam Oosterhoff, MPP for Niagara West. Continue reading →

A Message from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA & Film Actor Ron Perlman

Posted July 17th, 2025 on Niagara At Large

A Foreword by Niagara At Large reporter/publisher Doug Draper –

If more proof is needed that many people can’t simply enjoy a natural wonder without turning it into some version of Disney World  and Las Vegas all rolled into one, look no further than Niagara Falls.

After thousands of years of Indigenous peoples living in harmony with the ‘Great Falls’ of Niagara, European settlers moved in and just look at what we’ve got there now.

Roaring rapids and one of the world’s most spectacular water falls doesn’t seem to do it for us without surrounding them with amusement park attractions, casinos, and high-rise hotels with fireworks lighting up the skies above.  Continue reading →

An Invite to All from  Matter of Black, a not-for-profit organization founded in 2020 and based in Niagara, Ontario

Posted July 17^th, 2025 on Niagara At Large

St. Catharines, Ontario – This Sunday, July 20^th to Friday, August 1st 2025. join us for Emancipation Day STC, a vibrant celebration of freedom and community spirit.

This year’s events promise an exciting array of activities for everyone to enjoy, culminating at the “Big Picnic” at Lakeside Park in Port Dalhousie on Sunday, July 27th.

Kick-off on Sunday, July 20th: The festivities begin on July 20th with a “Walk to Freedom.” Continue reading →

“We could be facing the biggest budget cuts (at the federal government level) in recent history.”

News from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives

Posted July 17th, 2025 on Niagara At Large

When Canada went “elbows up” we didn’t think it meant sticking it to public services.

It’s been just over two months since the federal election, and Canadians are watching the new prime minister navigate a rapidly shifting policy landscape. Some of the uncertainty is fueled by the events south of the border.

But this July, domestic politics took centre stage. And CCPA’s experts were on top of the headlines—and making our own! Continue reading →

“Our steel industry will be central to Canada’s competitiveness, our security, and our prosperity. As Canada moves from reliance to resilience, Canada’s new government is taking a series of major measures to support, reinforce, and transform the industry to be more resilient in the face of profound shifts in global trade and supply chains.”                                                             – Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada

News from Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney

Posted July 16th, 2025 on Niagara At Large

Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney

Hamilton, Ontario – Canada is one of the countries most exposed to the fundamental restructuring of the global steel industry, with substantial steel exports, high per capita use, and a disproportionately open import market.

To remain competitive and grow our economy, Canada must reinforce our strength at home. Our objective is to stabilize the domestic steel market and prevent harmful trade diversion amid current tensions in global steel trade.

This July 16th, 2025, the Prime Minister, Mark Carney, announced a suite of targeted measures to stand behind Canada’s steel industry, protect Canadian careers, and invest in our homegrown industrial capacity to build Canada strong.

Continue reading →

Habitat for Humanity Niagara’s vision is “a world where everyone has a safe and decent place to live”.

A Message and Call-Out for Support from Habitat Humanity Niagara

Posted July 16^th, 2025 on Niagara At Large

At Habitat for Humanity Niagara we believe everyone deserves a decent place to live. When homeownership is within reach good things happen, because homeownership provides a place for families to thrive.

Habitat Niagara and Autism Ontario (South Region) are the proud 2025 recipients of CAA Niagara’s Community Boost, gaining funding, volunteer power, marketing support – and logos on two CAA tow trucks traveling across Niagara! Continue reading →

“Sales of Ontario wines have increased by more than 60 per cent since the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) pulled U.S. products from its shelves.”

News on Research from Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario

Posted July 16^th, 2025 on Niagara At Large

The wine secton in one of Ontario’s LCBO stores where sales of domestic wines have surged

Niagara, Ontario – As sales of Ontario wines spike and support of the “Buy Canadian” movement grows, the pressure on wineries to highlight their patriotic ties is greater than ever, say Brock University experts.

Sales of Ontario wines have increased by more than 60 per cent<https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/lcbo-see-ontario-wine-sales-increase-1.7576087> since the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) pulled U.S. products from its shelves in March, amid the ongoing trade war.

While providing fewer brand options to consumers has impacted this trend, there are also emotional factors at play, says Brock University Professor of Marketing and Consumer Psychology Antonia Mantonakis. Continue reading →

“These cuts will ripple across entire communities. Students will face fewer program options and less support. Local employers will struggle to find the talent and skills they need. Staff will lose good, stable jobs. Local economies that depend on colleges will suffer.”

A News Release from Ontario’s Official Opposition NDP Party

Posted July 15^th, 2025 on Niagara At Large

Ontario NDP Shadow Minister for Colleges, Universities, Research, Excellence & Security, MPP Peggy Sattler (London West) is calling on the government to immediately step in with sustainable funding to stem the loss of thousands of college faculty and staff positions before more damage is done.

“Years of underfunding by this government have pushed Ontario’s colleges to the breaking point,” said Sattler. Continue reading →

Let’s Continue Standing Together For A True North Strong and Free!

A Brief Commentary by Doug Draper

Posted July 15^th, 2025 on Niagara At Large

Trump is at it again – threatening to jack up tariffs on Canadian goods sold to markets in the United States even higher by the end of this July.

It doesn’t seem to matter how many economists and others in his own country tell him that waging this tariff war against a longtime friend and ally like Canada will not only hurt citizens and businesses north of the border, but will do significant damage to citizens and businesses in his own country too.

Like an errant seven year old  laying with firecrackers, he can’t seem to stop lighting more off.

Continue reading →

A Birthday Tribute from Doug Draper

Posted July 15^th, 2025 on Niagara At Large

Linda Ronstadt on the cover of her first album with her group, at the time, The Stone Poneys

Back about three hundred years ago when I was in my mid-teens, I picked up a record album by a group called the Stone Poneys and saw a young woman with long dark hair and big brown eyes on the cover who got my heart racing about 300 beats a minute.

And OH what a beautiful voice she had too!

The young woman’s name was Linda Ronstadt and a song on that 1967 album – ‘Different Drum’’ – became an instant hit and launched her on a decades-long solo career that racked up many more hits, numerous albums that went gold or platinum, 11 Grammy Awards, induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the list of honours goes on and on. Continue reading →

Monday July 21 and Tuesday July 22 – See Details Below

A Call-Out from the Ontario Health Coaltion, a citizens group advocating for quality public health care for everyone across the province

Posted July 15^th, 2025 on Niagara At Large

All the provincial and territorial premiers from across Canada will be in Huntsville for their annual meeting hosted by Doug Ford this year at Deerhurst Resort just outside Huntsville near Algonquin Provincial Park from Monday July 21 – Wednesday July 23.

At the same time the Health Coalitions from across Canada — alongside patient groups, seniors’ organizations, public health care workers, and organized labour — are gathering, rising up, and demanding urgent action to address the health care crisis. We are working in solidarity to support environmental and Indigenous organizations protecting the environment and treaty rights. Continue reading →

“The challenges currently posed by climate change pale in significance compared with what might come.”                                         – a warning from Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney, made 10 years ago (in 2015) while he was the Governor of the Bank of England.

A Brief News Commentary by Doug Draper

Posted June 14^th, 2025 on Niagara At Large

From the top of the Niagara Escarpment, looking down through the smokey haze at high-rise apartments just a few kilometres away in St. Catharines, Ontario. Toronto was virtually invisible from the Niagara side of Lake Ontario.  photo by Doug Draper

If you are one of those folks who still think that climate change and all of the havoc it is wreaking on our living environment is a hoax, feel free to ignore this commentary.

Frankly, I am getting tired of trying to have a sensible discussion with people who, for whatever narrow, short sighted or crackpot reason, are still not willing to consider the possibility that using the earth’s atmosphere as a garbage dumpster for more and more fossil fuel emissions is gambling with our health and welfare, and with the lives of every other creature on this planet.

For the rest of us, mark this Tuesday, June 14^th down as a possible sign of worse things to come in the months and years ahead as Environment Canada has issued extreme heat and air quality alerts at the same time – both serious enough to have experts in the medical and environmental fields urging us to keep our windows and doors shut and limit the amount of time we spend doing anything of a physical nature outdoors. Continue reading →

Posted by Doug Draper with News from the Town of Fort Erie, Ontario

Posted July 14^th, 2025 on Niagara At Large

Fort Erie Mayor Wayne Redekop speaking during ceremony remembering the 120 anniversary of a meeting in Fort Erie that gave birth to the NAACP and its ongoing efforts to assure social justice and racial equality for all. photo by Doug Draper

This past Saturday, July 12^th, 2025 the Town of Fort Erie hosted a public gathering in Waverly Beach Park at the Niagara Movement plaque to celebrate 120 years since the original meetings in 1905 that lead to the founding of the NAACP (Niagara Association for the Advancement of Colored People) – a time-honoured civil rights organization that continues its efforts to make life better for everyone to this day.

Standing next to the Niagara Movement plaque, Fort Erie Mayor Wayne Redekop said “we gather here to press the issue of social justice and civil rights.

“We live in a strange time,” he added, and “it is still necessary for voices to be raised. … We all have  a part to play… to make sure that social justice and civil rights is a clarion call for all of us.” Continue reading →

“Now, more than ever, it is crucial that we strengthen our ties with our economic partners across provincial borders.”                 – Niagara Regional Chair Jim Bradley

News from Niagara’s Regional Government

Posted July 14^th, 2025 on Niagara At Large

Niagara, Ontario – Niagara Economic Development (NED), Investissement Québec, and the Government of Québec recently came together for a local collaborative conference focused on strengthening interprovincial economic ties.

The event featured sector-specific panels, market insights and networking opportunities that encouraged meaningful dialogue between Niagara businesses and Québec-based companies.

Attendees had the chance to interact with industry leaders, gain valuable insights into Niagara’s economic priorities and procurement process, and participate in a marine-focused panel featuring experts from CSL Group, Hamilton-Oshawa Port Authority, QSL, Invest Ontario and Invesstissment Québec International. Continue reading →

A News Commentary by Doug Draper

Posted July 11^th, 2025 on Niagara At Large

If you have any doubts over what you may be hearing from many of your fellow Canadians – that they are staying away from the United States as long as Trump keeps dissing our country – check out the latest Statistic Canada numbers on road travel across the border.

According to a Stats Canada report released this July 10th, 2025; “In June 2025, the number of Canadian-resident return trips by automobile from the United States totalled 1.3 million, a steep decline (-33.1%) from the same month in 2024 (Chart 4). June 2025 marked the sixth consecutive month of year-over-year declines.”

“In June, the highest number of returning Canadian-resident arrivals was observed on Sunday, June 29 (76,600). This number was 6.4% higher than the average for the other Sundays of the month,” the report added. Continue reading →

News from Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario

Posted June 11^th, 2025 on Niagara At Large

Brock University researcher Christine Tardif-Williams

Niagara, Ontario – Watching a therapy dog video for as little as five minutes can significantly reduce stress, according to a study co-led by Brock University researcher Christine Tardif-Williams.

The study, published in Human-Animal Interactions, involved more than 1,000 participants worldwide and tested the effects of short, guided canine comfort videos on perceived stress levels.

“What we intuitively think to be the case is actually the case,” said Tardif-Williams, a Professor in the Department of Child and Youth Studies. “Spending just five minutes watching one of these videos helps ease stress in the moment. Continue reading →

An Excerpt From Canada’s Ambassador Bob Rae’s Address to the United Nations on the 80th Anniversary of the Signing of the United Nations Charter

Posted July 10^th, 2025 on Niagara At Large

(A Brief Foreword Note from Niagara At Large reporter/publisher Doug Draper – I am posting an excerpt from an address Canada’s UN Ambassador Bob Rae delivered this past June because I believe it contains messages that we should all give serious thought to in the world we live in now.)

Canada’s UN Ambassador Bob Rae

The following is an excerpt from the address delivered by Canada’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Bob Rae, on June 26, 2025 on the 80th anniversary of the signing of the United Nations Charter.

“Let us take this moment to renew the vows we made in 1945, and upon the acceptance of the Charter by every member state since then, to fight hate, tyranny, and the poverty that afflicts too many. And to renew our commitment to freedom, sovereignty and equality under law.

There are forces in the world that spread messages of despair.  Let us resolve to join together in the fight against misinformation and lies, and to take back the dark night that denies the light of truth, rationality, and science. Continue reading →

News from Brock University in St. Catharines/Niagara

Posted July 10^th, 2025 on Niagara At Large

Kelly Biagi, an earth sciences researcher at Brock University

Niagara, Ontario – Wetlands save the economy billions of dollars by controlling floods, improving water quality and storing carbon that would otherwise go into the atmosphere, says Brock University hydrologist Kelly Biagi.

Ontario is among jurisdictions around the world striving to reclaim wetlands lost to agricultural development and expanding cities. But largely missing from bylaws and plans guiding that process are ways to determine whether restoration efforts have been effective, she says.

“The current metrics are mostly based on the net gain of a wetland area rather than how the wetlands are functioning and providing ecosystem services,” says the Assistant Professor of Earth Sciences. Continue reading →

Reuse And Refill Systems Are A Win For The Environment And Economy

A Message from Environmental Defence, a nation-wide citizens group dedicated to environmental protection

Posted July 9^th, 2025 on Niagara At Large

Toronto |–  A review of studies comparing single-use to reusable packaging around the world finds that refilling beverage containers in an effective reuse system is better than single-use containers – even when single-use containers are collected for recycling.

Simply put, reuse improves environmental and economic outcomes.

“This Plastic Free July, we want to highlight how recycling is simply not an adequate answer to the plastic pollution crisis,” said Karen Wirsig, Senior Program Manager for Plastics at Environmental Defence. Continue reading →

“The strength of our new Community Safety and Well-Being Plan lies in that collaboration. It reflects our shared commitment to building a Niagara where everyone feels safe, supported, and has the opportunity to thrive.”                                                                        – Niagara Regional Chair Jim Bradley

News from Niagara’s Regional Government

Posted July 9t^h, 2025 on Niagara At Large

Niagara’s Regional Headquarters in Thorold

Niagara, Ontario – Niagara Region has approved its new plan that will guide the focus and community priorities for our community safety and well-being over the next five years.

The Community Safety and Well-Being Plan (the Plan), endorsed by Regional Council at its June 26 meeting, was developed in partnership with the Niagara Regional Police Service and over 75 community organizations, with input from more than 2,000 individuals across Niagara.

Grounded in collaboration, the Plan aims to address the root causes of complex social issues through a multi-sectoral approach. It identifies four priority areas for action:

Continue reading →

News from JADE Entertainment and celebrated vocalist Juliet Dunn, co‑creator of the Niagara Jazz Festival

Posted July 9^th, 2025 on Niagara At Large

Niagara Region, ON — July 7, 2025 — JADE Entertainment and celebrated vocalist Juliet Dunn, co‑creator of the Niagara Jazz Festival, proudly unveil the latest concerts in her acclaimed Secret Salon Series — a series of captivating evenings spotlighting the best musicians that Niagara has to offer.

About the Series

Following the success of her previous Secret Salon concerts, this forthcoming lineup continues the tradition of intimate, pop-up performances held in carefully curated hidden venues throughout the Niagara region. Continue reading →

“In the last election, 55% of Ontarians didn’t vote. Not because they didn’t care, but because they didn’t believe the political system was built for them. They’re right — and that’s exactly what we need to change.”                                                                         – Marit Stiles, Ontario’s Official Opposition Leader

News from Ontario’s Official Opposition NDP Party

Posted July 7^th, 2025 on Niagara At Large

Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles

Marit Stiles, Leader of the Official Opposition NDP, is launching the All In For Ontario tour to bring communities together, meet people where they are, and build a future that working people can afford.

“This tour is about everyone who refuses to give up on this province and believes that better isn’t just possible, it’s necessary,” said Marit.

“It’s for the workers whose jobs hang in the balance while this government forces through power grabs like Bill 5 — and waits on Trump. For the families scraping together rent each month as the cost-of-living soars. For the young people trying to build a life here, wondering if there’s still space for them in the place they call home.” Continue reading →

An Invite to All from the Town of Fort Erie

Posted July 5th, 2025 on Niagara At Large

A Brief Foreword About the Niagara Movement  –

The Erie Beach Hotel in Fort Erie, Ontario, before it was destroyed by fire in 1930, was the site of the founding meeting in 1905 of the Niagara Movement, the forerunner of the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People) which continues to fight for equal rights and racial freedom and freedoms in the U.S.A. to this day.

The Niagara Movement (NM)^[2] was a civil rights organization founded in 1905 by a group of activists—many of whom were among the vanguard of African-American lawyers in the United States—led by W. E. B. Du Bois and William Monroe Trotter. The Niagara Movement was organized to oppose racial segregation and disenfranchisement. Its members felt the policy of accommodation and conciliation, without voting rights, promoted by Booker T. Washington, was “unmanly.” It was named for the “mighty current” of change the group wanted to effect and took Niagara Falls as its symbol.

Saturday, July 12, 2025, 2:00 p.m.

Waverly Beach Park (Erie Beach)

At the Niagara Movement historic plaque, 271 Helena Street, Fort Erie, ON L2A 5Z7

See you there!

NIAGARA AT LARGE Encourages You To Join The Conversation By Sharing Your Views O 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

“The consequences of caving to the regressive demands of these two provinces would be severe for Canadians. Climate change and biodiversity loss are wreaking havoc across Canada, with wildfires forcing tens of thousands from their homes and drought creating an agricultural crisis in parts of Alberta and Saskatchewan.”

A Statement by Tim Gray, Executive Director of Environmental Defence, a nation-wide citizens group advocating for environmental protection

Posted July 8^th, 2025 on Niagara At Large

Toronto – Prime Minister Carney should clearly and publicly reject the request by Alberta and Ontario to scrap many of Canada’s environmental safeguards.

The letter from Alberta Minister of the Environment Rebecca Schulz and Ontario Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks Todd McCarthy constitutes a direct challenge to Canada’s climate obligations, environmental protections, and the well-being of future generations. 

Prime Minister Carney campaigned on the promise that his government would pursue emissions reductions and maintain Canada’s international climate and biodiversity protection obligations. Canadians voted for Prime Minister Carney to lead them to prosperity, not follow the Trump-esque removal of climate and environmental protections demanded by the Premiers of Alberta and Ontario. Continue reading →

Eighty-Five? Hey Ringo, You Don’t Look A Day Over 60!

A Brief One from Doug Draper

Posted July 28^th, 2025 on Niagara At Large

Ringo Starr, wearing a t-shirt depicting that ‘Octopus’s Garden’ he once wrote a song about.

(If you don’t mind indulging me for a few minutes, I can’t help posting this- Doug Draper)

If you are old enough to remember ‘Beatlemania’ in the 1960s, you may be finding it as hard as I do to learn that this just past Monday, July 7 was Ringo Starr’s 85^th birthday.

And the former Beatles drummer continues touring- – sometimes doing concerts at venues on one or the other side of the Niagara River – with some of the best musicians of the past 50 or so years.

Back in the old days when he was part of that band many of you may remember.

I have been lucky enough to see Ringo with one of his ‘All Star’ bands about two or three times and if you ever get the chance, it is a lot of fun and you’ll be amazed at how great a drummer he still is as he sprinkles his shows with Beatle songs he sang like ‘With A Little Help From My Friends’ and ‘Yellow Submarine’.

For his 85^th Birthday, Ringo produced a very short video in which he asked everyone around the world to wish each other peace and love. His birthday may be over but it is never too late to work together for that.

Here is that video that you can watch by clicking on the screen immediately below –

Peace and Love to you too Ringo, today, tomorrow and onward into your Nineties. – Doug Draper, Niagara At Large

NIAGARA AT LARGE Encourages You To Join The Conversation By Sharing Your Views O 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

Until Trump Stops His War On Canada, All The Love In The World Won’t Inspire More Canadians To Cross The Border

A Brief News Commentary by Doug Draper, followed by a message from the newly-launched “Buffalo Loves Canada” campaign

Posted July 7th, 2025 on Niagara At Large

During Trump[‘s first  term as President, many Buffalo, N.Y. residents put this sign on their front lawns. – file photo by Doug Draper

From all of the years I have crossed the border to enjoy Buffalo’s festivals, its entertainment venues and to venture through its neighbourhoods full of some of the finest architecture on the continent, I have little doubt that is true.

The people of Buffalo live up  to its billing as “the city of good neighbours” too. At the risk of offending some on my side of the border, I can walk along a sidewalk in that city’s Allentown, Elmwood Village or Cottage and Theatre districts and be greeted with more smiles and ‘how are you doings’ in an hour than I  do here in a whole day on my side of the border with so many people wearing earbuds  and playing with their smart phones

But here is the problem with s ‘Buffalo Loves Canada’ campaign that strives to remind people on both sides of the border that “whatever else may be happening in the world” we still have a “strong bond.” Continue reading →

“This state-of-the-art facility is a critical piece of Regional infrastructure that demonstrates our commitment to providing compassionate, high-quality care to Niagara’s seniors.”                       – Niagara Regional Chair Jim Bradley.

A News Release from Niagara’s Regional Government followed by a Statement from Niagara Falls MPP Wayne Gates whose riding includes Fort Erie

Posted July 7^th, 2025 on Niagara At Large

The new Gilmore Lodge in Fort Erie/Niagara

Fort Erie in Niagara, Ontario – This past July 4^th, 2025, Ontario Minister of Long-Term Care Natalia Kusendova-Bashta, Associate Minister of Energy Intensive Industries and Niagara West MPP Sam Oosterhoff, Niagara Falls, Fort Erie and Niagara-on-the-Lake MPP Wayne Gates, Niagara Regional Chair Jim Bradley, and Mayor of Fort Erie Wayne Redekop celebrated the opening of the Gilmore Lodge Long-Term Care Home and Community Hub with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at its new location at 60 King Street in Fort Erie.

The new Gilmore Lodge represents a significant $86-million investment, made possible through collaboration and funding from three levels of government, including a notable overall contribution of $35 million from the Ontario Ministry of Long-Term Care.

This transformative project underscores a shared commitment to ensuring high-quality, modern long-term care for residents in Niagara. Continue reading →

“Working together, we can turn this moment into an opportunity to celebrate Ontario-made products and build a stronger, more resilient economy.”                                                                                      – Wayne Gates, NDP MPP for a Niagara Falls Riding that includes Niagara Falls, Niagara-on-the-Lake and Fort Erie

A Message from Niagara Falls NDP MPP Wayne Gates

Posted July 5^th, 2025 on Niagara At Large

A Message from Niagara Falls NDP MPP Wayne Gates

NIAGARA, Ontario  — NDP MPP Wayne Gates (Niagara Falls) is highlighting the importance of supporting Ontario’s wine industry as U.S. alcohol products disappear from store shelves due to Trump-era trade tariffs.

“Ontario’s wine industry is critically important to our local economy and to the identity of Niagara region,” said Gates. “With U.S. wine sales dropping by over 90 per cent, this is a golden opportunity for Ontario grape and wine producers to step up and showcase the incredible quality of local wines.” Continue reading →

“To meet this challenge, we need bold systemic action. Governments at all levels must modernize laws and regulations to reflect the realities of a warming climate.”

“Extreme heat won’t wait for policy to catch up. And it won’t end when the summer does.”

This article is from the Canadian Environmental Law Association

Posted July 7^th, 2025 on Niagara At Large

With each passing summer, the heat feels different, more relentless, more dangerous, and more difficult to ignore.

What was once seen as seasonal discomfort is now a growing public health emergency. Climate change (https://cela.ca/climate-change-impacts/) is intensifying the length, frequency, and severity of heat waves in Ontario and across Canada, pushing people and public systems to the brink.

Extreme heat isn’t just about rising temperatures; it’s about the growing risks to human health.

Prolonged exposure to high indoor or outdoor temperatures can cause heat-related illnesses like heat exhaustion or heat stroke, worsen chronic conditions such as asthma, cardiovascular disease and mental health challenges, and in many tragic cases, lead to death. In fact, the Government of Canada identifies extreme heat as the leading cause of weather-related fatalities in the country. Continue reading →

A young woman who simply identified herself as ‘Lady Liberty in Mourning’, holds a vigil at the Elmwood Village Farmers Market in Buffalo, New York a few days after a November, 2024 U.S presidential election that saw Trump returned to power. Photo by Doug Draper

A Commentary by Niagara At Large reporter/publisher Doug Draper

Posted on the Fourth of July, 2025 on Niagara At Large

In November of last year, my wife Mary and I crossed the border to Buffalo, N.Y. to visit the last farmer’s market of the year in that city’s Elmwood Village and to take in a few estate sales in the grand old homes there.

While at the farmer’s market, we crossed paths with a young lady dressed head to toe in a Statue of Liberty costume who also head hear face covered in a dark grey funeral to, as she told us, express her mournfulness and fear over the recent election of Donald Trump to a second term as President of the United States. Continue reading →

Welcoming American doctors and nurses to Niagara and other regions of Ontario and Canada may be one quick way of solving our shortage of them

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

Posted July3rd, 2025 on Niagara At Large

U.S. President Donald Trump has finally fulfilled one of his long-time wishes, to gut publicly-funded medicaid or medicare (also still referred to in some circles as  ‘Obama Care’) for millions of Americans – a move that potentially closes hundreds of hospitals and health clinics across the country and puts thousands of doctors and nurses out of work.

Trump’s Republican/MAGA puppets  in Congress have just done that and more on the eve of the Fourth of July by passing what their dear leader calls  “a big beautiful bill” that slashes a whole host of services for people who need them, from health care to food stamps,  and that gifts huge tax cuts to the most rich and privileged barons and baronesses in the land.

That may be tragic for Americans, especially those at the lower end of the economic ladder, but to paraphrase an old saying; ‘behind every great problem, there is an opportunity’.

In other words, from a Canadian perspective,  it could be great for us.

Continue reading →

Town of Fort Erie Mayor Wayne Redekop

“Residents should recognize these actions as band-aid solutions to serious health care deficiencies that could be construed as an effort by Niagara Health to socialize our communities to the eventual planned removal of the UCCs from Fort Erie and Port Colborne.”                                           – Wayne Redekop, Mayor of the Town of Fort Erie

News from the Town of Fort Erie in Niagara, Ontario

Posted July 2nd, 2025 on Niagara At Large

FORT ERIE, Ontario — The Town of Fort Erie acknowledges Niagara Health’s recent efforts to partially reinstate hours of operation at the Urgent Care Centres (UCCs) in Fort Erie and Port Colborne on select dates previously marked for closure, including the July 1 and Labour Day weekend holidays.

View the revised Niagara Health UCC Summer Schedule

While these restored dates are appreciated, both communities remain without urgent care services for approximately a dozen days each during the peak of the summer season, when the need for health care is most critical due to increased tourism activity. Continue reading →

“Receiving Stroke Distinction is a proud moment for our organization and a testament to the expertise, dedication and collaboration of our stroke team.”                                                               – Heather Paterson, Niagara Health’s Executive Vice President, Clinical Operations

News from Niagara Health, the amalgamated system for hospital services across the Niagara region

Posted July 3rd, 2025 on Niagara At Large

Niagara, Ontario – Niagara Falls Hospital has earned national recognition for its exceptional stroke care, receiving the Stroke Distinction from Accreditation Canada.

This recognition follows an intensive on-site survey in May, where Accreditation Canada surveyors evaluated Niagara Health’s acute stroke program against national standards.

The achievement confirms that patients at Niagara Falls Hospital are receiving high-quality stroke care throughout the stroke journey – from prevention and emergency treatment to community reintegration and support after discharge.

Stroke Distinction reflects the dedicated Niagara Health teams working across the full continuum of stroke care to improve outcomes and help patients recover and return to their lives. Continue reading →

A News Release from the City of St. Catharines

Posted July 3rd, 2025 on Niagara At Large

Niagara, Ontario – St. Catharines Fire Services community event Hot Summer Nights returns next week for its fourth year of sizzling summer sprinkler fun and fire safety training.

Throughout the summer, St. Catharines Fire Services’ ladder trucks and dedicated fire prevention team will be visiting a different city park every Wednesday night from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., transforming their vehicles into giant sprinklers. Continue reading →

A Statement by Prime Minister Carney on Canada Day

Posted Canada Day, July 1^st, 2025 on Niagara At Large

Prime Minister Mark Carney

 “One hundred and fifty-eight years ago, a few provinces bet on the idea that they’d be stronger together than they ever could be apart. They were right, and so they became a new federation that’s now grown into our strong, bilingual, multicultural, and ambitious country.

“Our story didn’t begin at Confederation. For thousands of years, Indigenous Peoples have called this land home, and our country’s next chapter will be written together in true partnership with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis.

“Our shared history has been marked by inflection points. Moments where Canada has had to step up – on the battlefield of Vimy, on the beaches of Normandy, in the homes of Gander after 9/11.

“Now, we face another such moment. The world is changing. Old friendships are fraying, our economy is being buffeted by a trade crisis, and our values are being tested by attacks on democracy and freedoms.

Continue reading →

“The tariffs are on, but we cannot break,                                             We must rise together, for Canada’s sake.                                        This truth-less aggression, we find ourselves in,                               Fueled only by lies, it’s a fight we will win.                                          So take a deep breath, you are not alone,                                            We will stand together, because Canada’s home.”                                   – from the song Canada’s Home, with lyrics by Brad Grant

A Commentary for Our Canada by Niagara At Large reporter/publisher Doug Draper

Posted June 27th, 2025 on Niagara At Large

Many of you in Niagara may remember ‘The Friendship Festival’ that was held each year over Canada Day and Fourth of July in Fort Erie, Ontario and Buffalo, N.Y.

The days-long festival’s concerts, fireworks and other activities were billed as a celebration of the friendship between Canada and the United States going back more than a hundred years.

The first festival was held in 1987 and the last in 2019 – a 32-year run that ended in 2020 with the onset of the COVID pandemic. It never resumed after the worst of the pandemic was over which, as it turns out, is just as well since Trump has turned that friendship between the two countries upside down with his tariff war and threats against Canada’s sovereignty. Continue reading →

“At a time when President Trump has threatened to tear up Great Lakes agreements and gut the agencies responsible for scientific research and environmental restoration, Canada cannot allow the future of Lake Erie to get any murkier. Our governments have a critical role to play in ensuring any progress is sustained.”

A Statement by Environmental Defence’s Ashley Wallis, Associate Director, on the NOAA’s 2025 Lake Erie HAB (Harmful Algal Bloom) Forecast

Posted June 27^th, 2025 on Niagara At Large

The Lake Erie shoreline in the Fort Erie, Ontario area. file photo by Doug Draper

Toronto – After years of thick, green slime, Lake Erie is showing small signs of recovery. The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) annual Lake Erie harmful algal bloom (HAB) forecast suggests progress toward a healthier Lake Erie. 

The good news is, less nutrient pollution is entering the lake, and since 2020, the algal blooms have been less severe. Continue reading →

“We’re committed to delivering the best possible service to Niagara’s communities. Partnering with Optibus will introduce optimization technologies that support our mission to ensure everyone has access to safe, reliable, and affordable transit — while keeping our operations sustainable and responsive to evolving passenger needs as we grow.”                                                   –  Carla Stout, General Manager, Niagara Transit

News from Niagara Transit in Niagara, Ontario

Posted June 27^th, 2025 on Niagara At Large

NIAGARA REGION, ONTARIO – Niagara Transit and Optibus announced (this June 24^th) their partnership to enhance public transit across Ontario’s Niagara region.

Through this collaboration, Niagara Transit will implement Optibus Planning, Scheduling, Rostering, Operations, and Driver App to boost service and operational efficiency and improve the driver and passenger experience. Continue reading →

A Statement from the Green Party of Ontario

Posted June 26^th, 2025 on Niagara At Large

This week, Premier Doug Ford announced a $400 million taxpayer-funded parking garage at Ontario Place right where 850 mature trees once stood.

At the same time, housing starts in Ontario have hit their lowest point in 15 years. Families, seniors, and young people are being priced out of their communities, watching the dream of home ownership slip away. Continue reading →

Five Concerts Run July 10 to Aug. 14 At Montebello Park

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

Posted June 2oth, 2025 on Niagara At Large

The City’s free outdoor Concerts in the Park returns this summer to Montebello Park featuring performers from diverse music genres.

An old favourite is back – LTM Connection

This year’s concert series features local and touring Canadian musicians, including headliners LMT Connection, Beatlejuice, Sarah Jerrom, Benjamin Dakota Rogers, and Shania Twink.

Openers this year include Feverish Lemons, Nick Braun, Sleepy Jean and Donny Crosswell. Continue reading →

Funding Announcement in St. Catharines Includes $15 Million Grant Program to Help Provincial Shipbuilders Meet Canada’s Defense Needs

A News Release from the Constituency Office of Niagara West Ford Government MPP Sam Oosterhoff

Posted June 26^th, 2025 on Niagara At Large

ST. CATHARINES, Ontario – The Ontario government is investing $215 million to support shipbuilding and the broader marine sector in the province, including through the establishment of a $15 million Ontario Shipbuilding Grant Program to expand the province’s shipbuilding sector.

The support provided through the Ontario Shipbuilding Grant Program will ensure Ontario is positioned to support Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy and support Ontario manufacturing businesses and workers in the face of American tariffs and economic uncertainty.

The Ontario Shipbuilding Grant Program will fund projects that support skills training, infrastructure improvements and the purchase of machinery and equipment in the shipbuilding sector. Continue reading →

“Misinformation is targeted and intentional: Political leaders, civil servants, and regulatory agencies are key targets in efforts to delay climate policy.”

News from the International Panel on the Information Environment (IPIE)

Posted June 25^th, 2025 on Niagara At Large

A Brief Foreword by Doug Draper at Niagara At Large – I am posting what I believe is this very timely and important report because at a time of growing climate crisis there continues to be individuals and groups spreading misinformation about climate change that is compromising governments’ will to take action here in Niagara, as well as across the province and country.

Just to cite one example, last year, a delegation of area residents peddling misinformation about the impact human activities have on climate change successfully convinced the city council in the Niagara municipality of Thorold to pull out of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Partners for Climate Protection Program, which exists for municipalities to share information on what can be done to help address the impacts of extreme heat and other climate-related events on the lives of their citizens. (for more on this from 50By30 Niagara, click on – https://50by30niagara.org/Thoroldx.pdf .)

With that, here is the News from the International Panel on the Information Environment –

Zürich, Switzerland – The International Panel on the Information Environment (IPIE) has released a landmark assessment revealing the greatest barrier to climate action may not be a lack of scientific knowledge, but the global spread of misinformation that targets public trust and political will. Continue reading →

An Invite to All from Ontario Nature, a province-wide citizen advocacy group for protecting and preserving our natural heritage

Posted June 25^th, 2025 on Niagara At Large

Join us on Wednesday, July 9th from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., to learn about the implications of Bill 5.

The sweeping bill  amends several pieces of legislation and creates new laws. Most significantly it eliminates the Endangered Species Act and replaces it with a much weaker and performative Species Conservation Act.

It also creates the Special Economic Zones Act, which allows Cabinet to exempt projects from all provincial laws, regulations and municipal bylaws with no guardrails or criteria.

At this free webinar, we will discuss how we can collectively get Bill 5 overturned now that it passed on June 4, 2025. You will hear from:

Continue reading →

A News Release from the Constituency Offices of Niagara Falls NDP MPP Wayne Gates and St. Catharines NDP MPP Jennie Stevens

Posted June 24^th, 2025 on Niagara At Large

Niagara Falls MP Wayne Gates and St. Catharines MP Jennie Stevens

NIAGARA, Ontario — NDP MPPs Wayne Gates (Niagara Falls) and Jennie Stevens (St. Catharines) are calling on the Ford government to immediately halt the expansion of private, for-profit health care in Ontario following a new report showing Niagara is being hit harder than almost anywhere else in the province.

“I stood up against Bill 60 from the start because I knew it would hurt our hospitals,” said Gates.

“Niagara’s getting hit hard — while urgent care centres in Fort Erie and Port Colborne shut down, ER wait times are too high, while public hospitals have lost staff to private clinics. Healthcare costs and wait times are being unfairly shifted onto patients, especially seniors on fixed incomes, who need it most.” 

Continue reading →

On Friday, June 20^th, Bill C-5 passed in the House of Commons

“While Greens, Indigenous leaders, environmental organizations, and legal experts sounded the alarm on C-5, the Liberals and Conservatives closed ranks. They rushed through a bill that makes it easier to ignore public input and harm the environment.”

A Statement from the Green Party of Canada

Posted June 24^th, 2025 on Niagara At Large

Many progressive voters hoped that Mark Carney would respect the fact that it was their support, not a surge in Liberal enthusiasm, that put him in office. But C-5 makes clear who this government is listening to: the same corporate interests that have always had the ear of both red and blue.

This is what happens under First Past the Post. When parties know they can win power with far less than 50 percent of the vote, they don’t have to listen to you. And they certainly don’t have to govern like they earned your trust. Continue reading →

You Are Invited To A Panel Discussion – Bills 5 And 17 Are The Law. What Now?

Scheduled for Monday, June 23. 7:30 p.m. at the Simpson Room, Community Centre <https://maps.app.goo.gl/j2nixvqrCW5doo158> , 14 Anderson Lane, Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Organized by Seniors for Climate in Niagara

Posted June 22^nd, 2025 on Niagara At Large

Join Seniors for Climate in Niagara <https://www.facebook.com/groups/1272850327219480> for a panel discussion on the realities of Bills 5 and 17 now they’ve become law, and what the next steps open to us might be. Continue reading →

“When heat comes, it’s invisible. It doesn’t bend tree branches or blow hair across your face to let you know it’s arrived…. The sun feels like the barrel of a gun pointed at you.”                                        – Jeff Goodell, author of the 2023 best-selling book ‘The Heat Will Kill You First’

Posted by Niagara At Large reporter/publisher Doug Draper on June 6th, 2025, a day that is breaking records for extreme heat and humidity

New York Times best-selling journalist Jeff Goodell presents a “masterful, bracing” (David Wallace-Wells) examination of the impact that temperature rise will have on our lives and on our planet, offering a vital new perspective on where we are headed, how we can prepare, and what is at stake if we fail to act. Continue reading →

Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney

“The passing of Bill C-5, One Canadian Economy Act, will remove trade barriers, expedite nation-building projects, and unleash economic growth, with Indigenous partnership at the centre of this growth. It’s time to build big, build bold, and build now. As Canadians, we can give ourselves more than any foreign nation can ever take away.”                                                                                  – Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada

“Indigenous Peoples’ voices are at the table where discussions are happening, and decisions are made. This government understands that Indigenous Peoples have the right to determine their future. As the first Indigenous Minister of Indigenous Services, I understand the importance of relationship moving forward – and I am pleased to see the Prime Minister has determined this as a priority and a critical part of the work ahead.”                                                                                                                – Mandy Gull-Masty, Minister of Indigenous Services

News from the Office of Prime Minister of Canada, Mark Carney

Posted June 23^rd, 2025 on Niagara At Large

A computerized rendition of some of Canada’s finest chasing trump out of our country

(A Brief Forward Note from Doug Draper at Niagara At Large – If this legislation works and trade barriers between all of Canada’s provinces and terrorities are at long last broken down, it will be the beginning of building an economy east and west, and the beginning of the end of a north-south trade relationship that has made our country so vulnerable to the likes of Trump.

This, along with building stronger trading relationships with more friendly and reliable countries in Europe and elsewhere around the world,  may deliver us to a day – the sooner, the better – when we can tell Trump and his MAGA army to take their trade war and shove it.)

Ottawa, Ontario – Canada’s new government has a mandate to build big, build bold, and build now. This June 20th, the Prime Minister, Mark Carney, welcomed the passing in the House of Commons of Bill C-5, One Canadian Economy Act. Continue reading →

Bill 5 will have profound consequences for Ontarians and the natural world around us. Without essential safeguards, the fresh water we drink and the clean air we breathe are at risk. If biodiversity – like bees and other native pollinators – continue to decline, our entire food system will be threatened.

A Call-Out to All of Us from Ontario Nature, one of the province’s major citizen voices for protecting and preserving our natural heritage for present and future generations

Posted June 23^rd, 2025 on Niagara At Large

On June 5, 2025, despite widespread opposition from Indigenous leaders, environmentalists, civil liberty organisations and labour groups, the Ford Government of Ontario passed Bill 5, Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, 2025.

This disastrous legislation scraps the Endangered Species Act, creates lawless “special economic zones” for developers to exploit and undermines the rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Continue reading →

“These companies have no intention of using their record profits to cut (carbon) emissions and they’re not serious about climate action.”

A Statement from Canadians for Tax Fairness (C4TF), a non-profit, non-partisan organization that advocates for fair and progressive tax policies, aimed at building a strong and sustainable economy, reducing inequalities, and funding quality public services

Posted June 23^rd, 2025 on Niagara At Large

Wildfires are raging across the Prairies. Families are evacuating, communities are choking on smoke, and emergency services are stretched thin.

Meanwhile, Canada’s oil and gas CEOs, whose industry is fueling this crisis, are sitting on record profits and raking in billions in tax breaks. As we revealed last year, [from 2010 to 2022, the oil and gas sector received $248 billion in federal and provincial tax deductions, plus $16.6 billion in refundable tax credits](https://www.taxfairness.ca/civicrm/mailing/url?u=7393&qid=2006759).

That’s money that should be fighting the climate crisis, not worsening it.

Continue reading →

A Severe Heath Alert Warning from Environment Canada & Canada’s Weather Network

Posted June 21^st, 2025 on Niagara At Large

The first significant heat event of the season with dangerously hot and humid conditions will begin Sunday afternoon and is expected to continue into the week.

Continue reading →

Posted by Doug Draper on Niagara At Large

June 20^th, 2025 -First Official Day of Summer

I’m sure that right about now we could all use a song  that lifts our spirits and replaces whatever worries we may have about the world around us with a bit of joy.

Here is one of my favourites, written by Sly Stone, who went to Rock & Roll Heaven Heaven earlier this June, and who founded one of the greatest funk bands of all time – Sly & The Family Stone.

To hear the song with an accompanying video for summer, click on the screen immediately below and crank it up –

Go outdoors and enjoy the wonders of nature, and  have some fun this summer! But don’t forget to visit Niagara At Large at niagaraatlarge.com and encourage everyone you know to do the same. I will be back next week with a commentary about the disgraceful treatment of five Niagara women at a recent Niagara Falls council meeting and other news.

• Doug Draper, Niagara At Large

NIAGARA AT LARGE Encourages You To Join The Conversation By Sharing Your Views O 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

“You open the beaches on the 4th of July, it’s like ringing the dinner bell for Christ’s sakes.”

“You’re gonna need a bigger boat.”

• Some memorable lines from the movie Jaws

A Brief Ode To A Movie By Doug Draper

Posted June 20^th, 2025 on Niagara At Large

An image of original movie poster

The closest I came to thinking I was going to drown was 50 years ago on a warm sunny day in the summer of 1975.

The waters off Cape Cod, Massachusetts, where I was staying at the time, were fluorescent blue and I decided to take a quick swim across a narrow inlet between two spits of sandy beach along the Atlantic Ocean.

Everything was fine and then, suddenly, half way across I heard that pulsating soundtrack in that movie I recently say and I became almost paralyzed with fear that I was going to be attacked by a shark. Had it not been for a nearby wooden pole holding up a nearby wooden bridge that I managed to cling to until I shook off the fear, they might have been fishing my body out of the water. Continue reading →

Carla Stout, General Manager, Niagara Transit Commission

“Transit is the connective tissue that drives our economy, reduces gridlock, supports affordability, enables health and social well-being, and moves us towards our climate sustainability goals. We all have a stake in transit and I’m looking forward to working together to making this plan a reality in the coming years.”                                                – Carla Stout, General Manager, Niagara Transit Commission

News from the Niagara Region Transit Commission

Posted June 19th, 2025 on Niagara At Large

Niagara Region, Ontario –– The Niagara Transit Commission Board has approved the Niagara Transit Master Plan 10-Year Investment and Growth Strategy (2026-2035) in principle. This plan provides a comprehensive playbook for the future of public transit in Niagara.

Grounded in community feedback, data analysis and best practices, the Transit Master Plan identifies priority investments in service enhancement and infrastructure. Continue reading →

Mishka Balsom, CEO, Greater Niagara Chamber 0f Commerce

“Once again, we are honoured and humbled to present these awards to truly outstanding and deserving organizations and people in our community. Our judges gave awards to businesses large and small, old and new, people at the start of their careers and people being recognized for a lifetime of work. What they all share is dedication to their craft and a spirit of community, and we’re fortunate to have them all in Niagara.”                                                                                                        – Mishka Balsom, CEO, Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce.

News from the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce

Posted June 19^th, 2025 on Niagara At Large

Niagara, Ontario – Niagara’s business community gathered on June 18th to celebrate the accomplishments and achievements of organizations and individuals across the Niagara region.

More than 350 people attended the 2025 Niagara Business Achievement Awards at the Holiday Inn & Suites Conference Centre in St. Catharines, presented by RBC.

The 2025 recipients are:

Continue reading →

A Statement on the G7 Kananaskis Wildfire Charter from Environmental Defence Canada

Posted June 19^th, 2025 on Niagara At Large

Statement by Stephen Legault, Senior Program Manager, Alberta Climate following the close of the G7 meeting held in Kananaskis, Alberta between June 15- 17th

The Kananaskis Wildlife Charter, released on June 17th by the leaders of the G7, misses the most important, and most controversial point, about wildfires around the globe: that increasingly they are made so much more frequent and dangerous to human life and infrastructure by climate change. 

To have a serious conversation about wildfire necessitates a discussion about climate change. It is disappointing that no mention of climate was included in the wildfire charter.  Continue reading →

“(Ontario Premier) Doug Ford made a joke out of emergency room closures, but here in Niagara, no one is laughing.”

A Message to the Doug Ford & his Government from Niagara Falls NDP MPP Wayne Gates, St. Catharines NDP MPP Jennie Stevens and Niagara Centre NDP MPP Jeff Burch

Posted June 18^th, 2025 on Niagara At Large

NIAGARA, Ontario — NDP MPPs Wayne Gates (Niagara Falls), Jennie Stevens (St. Catharines), and Jeff Burch (Niagara Centre), are demanding the Ford government immediately reverse its decision to reduce hours at urgent care centres (UCCs) in Fort Erie and Port Colborne this summer, following Premier Doug Ford’s insensitive response that turned a regional health care crisis into a punchline.

From lett, Niagara MPPs Jeff Burch, Wayne Gates and Jennie Stevens

In a press conference (in Niagara) this June 18th, Doug Ford responded to growing concerns about the cuts to urgent care by saying “I’m sorry if they have to close for one day during the Summer” downplaying a decision that’s already pushing emergency rooms in surrounding areas to the brink of exhaustion.

“No, Premier Ford — this doesn’t ‘just happen every summer. Fort Erie has close to 40,000 residents that need healthcare,” said Gates. “Let’s be clear: Doug Ford has been Premier for seven years. This crisis didn’t come out of nowhere, the Premier needs to take immediate action to restore 24/7/365 services at Douglas Memorial — Fort Erie deserves nothing less.” Continue reading →

Mayors of those municipalities say funding will help build more affordable housing

Posted June 18^th, 2025 on Niagara At Large

A News Release from the Ford Government, June 18th, 2025

Ontario Rewards St. Catharines, Niagara Falls And Welland With $6.8 Million From The Building Faster Fund

Second round of funding rewards Niagara Region cities for progress toward housing targets

St. CATHARINES, Ontario — The Ontario government is awarding a combined total of nearly $6.8 million to the cities of St. Catharines, Niagara Falls and Welland through the second round of the Building Faster Fund, which provides funding to municipalities that achieve at least 80 per cent of their provincially designated housing targets. St. Catharines, Niagara Falls and Welland broke ground on nearly 2,000 new homes in 2024. Continue reading →

A Statement from Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada, and Other Leaders coming out of this week’s G7 Summit in Alberta, Canada

Posted June 18^th, 2025 on Niagara At Large

A Brief Foreword from Niagara At Large reporter/publisher Doug Draper – The statement that follows is okay as far as it goes but what is both disappointing and astonishing is that it does not make one direct reference to carbon emissions or climate change.

This after scientists around the world have been warning for decades that the continued burning of fossil fuels and resulting  build up of carbon in the earth’s atmosphere is a recipe for severe heat, drought and windstorms that fuel  wildfires that are now causing more destruction to communities and to woodlands that are home to a host of living creatures that share this earth with us every year..

It is hard not to conclude that crass backdoor politics and lobbying by special interests in the oil and gas industry are responsible for this omission.

Whatever the reason, here we are in the third decade of the 21st Century, with a climate emergency that is now worsening by the year, and we still don’t have enough politicians paying much more than lip-service to what counctless experts around the world are calling an “existential threat” to our very survival.

Now here is the Statement from the Leaders –

A Statement from the G7 Leaders, plus the Leaders of Australia, India, Mexico, the Republic of Korea, and South Africa – 

Kananaskis, Alberta – We, the Leaders of the G7, are deeply concerned that the world has experienced record-breaking wildfires across every forested continent over the past decade, often overwhelming available national resources and requiring governments to request assistance from other countries. Continue reading →

Province Expanding Grape Varieties for Vintners Quality Alliance Certified Wine

News from the Constituency Office of Niagara West MPP & Ford Government representative Sam Oosterhoff

Posted June 18^th, 2025 on Niagara At Large

BEAMSVILLE – The Ontario government is supporting grape growers and wineries by adding twenty-four new grape varieties to Vintners Quality Alliance certified wine. 

These new grapes were approved because of the high quality of wines they produce, their resistance to extreme temperatures and their lower dependence on chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

“Today’s news means more jobs and bigger paycheques in Ontario’s growing grape and wine sector,” said Sam Oosterhoff, MPP for Niagara West. Continue reading →

A Message  from the Green Party of Ontario

Posted June 18th, 2025 on Niagara At Large

Last week, Ontario’s Information and Privacy Commissioner released a damning new report that outlines just how far Doug Ford went to hide the truth about his corrupt Greenbelt land deals.

To keep Ontarians in the dark, Ford’s team used personal email accounts, secret code words, and deleted public records to conceal backroom deals with wealthy insiders. Continue reading →

An Open Letter To St. Catharines Liberal MP Chris Bittle From St. Catharines Regional Councillor Haley Bateman

Posted June 17^th, 2025 on Niagara At Large

Re: Request for Action Regarding Unsafe Conditions and Encampment Removals Along CN Railway Property Leased by GIO Rail

Niagara Regional Councillor for St. Catharines, Haley Bateman

Dear MP Bittle,

Over the past four years, I have been actively supporting residents who live adjacent to CN Railway tracks. Their concerns — regarding the condition and safety of these lands — long pre-date my election in 2022 and my appointment to Niagara Regional Council. These concerns have only grown more urgent in recent months.

In May 2025, I was called to support people being evicted from their encampments near the abandoned CN rail line, currently leased by GIO Rail. For years, residents in this neighbourhood have appealed for the site to be cleaned up. It has become a well-known dumping ground for illegal waste, illicit drug paraphernalia, and overgrown vegetation — creating a dangerous and unsightly condition for all who live nearby. Continue reading →

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

Posted June 17^th, 2025 on Niagara At Large

Niagara Falls NDP MPP Wayne Gates

NIAGARA FALLS — MPP Wayne Gates wrote an open letter to the Ontario Ministry of Long-Term Care (Natalia Kusenddova-Bashta) to scrap a proposal that would remove long-term care inspection reports from public access after just three years.

In a letter sent to the Minister today, Gates warned that the change would undermine transparency and deny families information about the care their loved ones — often seniors — receive. Continue reading →