Wayne Gates
Special to The Lake Report

On Thursday, Sept. 10, the federal government announced they are investing $25 million into rebuilding the Royal George Theatre. That is on top of the $35 million the provincial government announced a year ago. 

Securing funding for this rebuild has been a top priority for me and for community members who understand the value of the Royal George Theatre, and I can tell you that this new funding shows how strong our community is when we come together. 

The Shaw brings about 350,000 people to its shows annually, generating almost $300 million for our community. For every dollar spent on a ticket, about $7 is spent at local businesses like our wineries, shops, hotels and more. The Shaw is important, and both the provincial and federal governments recognize the value in investing in the Royal George rebuild, which will make it a world-class theatre. 

Niagara-on-the-Lake is a special place that is long overdue for the significant investment that we deserve. Niagara-on-the-Lake has unmatched natural beauty, grape and tender fruit agriculture, arts, culture and heritage. 

That means our hard work and advocacy for the Shaw is paying off. 

We have to be clear with every level of government — arts and culture are important and they need government support to thrive. Arts, culture and heritage bring people to Niagara-on-the-Lake, but that doesn’t happen by accident. 

That’s why I’ve worked with officials at every level of government and across party lines. That’s what it takes to get investment in our communities. 

This rebuild project will create 850 jobs and increase local economic activity in Niagara by $80 million per year. This funding is going to help sustain our local economy and businesses in the coming years. 

As a community, we also need to acknowledge Tim Jennings and his incredible crew of 600 people. They are the people who make the Shaw Festival and the Royal George Theatre what they are.

I’ve had the pleasure of working with Tim and his team to promote the Shaw and Niagara-on-the-Lake to the provincial government. None of this would be possible without their hard work and dedication.

We have to be deliberate about funding the arts. The same goes for protecting our natural environment and historical legacy. That’s why I’ve advocated for funding for the Royal George rebuild and fought to stop the development on the Greenbelt. On both counts, our community has succeeded because we spoke with one voice.

It’s not just about supporting the arts – it’s about upholding the character of our community while we help support local industry. Niagara-on-the-Lake has rich local history, incredible natural beauty, and a robust local economy that is getting stronger every day.

We must keep protecting the elements that make our community great. I will always be vocal in my support for Niagara-on-the-Lake and our local arts and tourism sector. 

These funding announcements show us that our hard work has put Niagara-on-the-Lake on the map. This critical funding only comes as a result of working collaboratively with community members and local organizations to show decision makers that Niagara-on-the-Lake is a worthwhile investment. This is a ringing endorsement of Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Wayne Gates is the member of provincial parliament for the Niagara Falls riding.