Submitted Column, Author at Niagara Now

Opinion: Time for the Ford government to get serious

“People are tired of broken promises and political games. They want a government that shows up and delivers real solutions,” writes Wayne Gates.

Bottom Line: Can taxpayers win when governments budget?

“The lord mayor and some councillors defend this padding as prudent to redress a perceived infrastructure deficit. But what will these reserves actually be spent on?” writes Steve McGuinness.

Opinion: NOTL’s old hospital site? Town should get to the hub of the matter

“Council has made unpopular development decisions before, but it appears to be playing this one more carefully. Let’s hope they’re listening,” writes David Israelson.

Opinion: Thirteen years later, my flag from Parliament Hill has arrived

“As a local photographer who often documents the heritage and beauty of Niagara-on-the-Lake, receiving this flag feels like a full-circle moment,” writes Dave van de Laar.

Bottom Line: Coffee and fair pay for those in the daily grind

“It is not the overpaid CEOs in the corner office at the top of the pyramid enhancing the brand’s value,” writes Steve McGuinness.

Opinion: Jim Bradley’s legacy is everywhere you look in Ontario

“Bradley’s political style was as effective as his personal style was, well, dull. He was modest, polite, thoughtful and hardly ever used the teacher voice he had at his disposal. He didn’t need to,” writes David Israelson.

Bottom Line: Conflicts grow like weeds between the vines

“Outdoor event hosting is the flashpoint in an ongoing dispute between a local winery and its farm neighbour,” writes Steve McGuinness.

Bottom Line: Tax vultures circle above grounded snowbird

“If you own any foreign property you’re considering selling, you may want to eavesdrop on my advice to Maggie,” writes Steve McGuinness, sharing some insight into the various taxes sellers of foreign property have to look forward to — namely, Canadians with a home south of the border.

Bottom Line: Alarming planning activities abound in Niagara-on-the-Lake

“We require more applicant identity clarity to assess whether the neighbours are truly acting at arms’ length,” writes Steve McGuinness.

Bottom Line: Escapes from call centre madness

“I have concluded that the design principle underlying all of them is to frustrate customers so thoroughly that we hang up, abandoning all service attempts, forever and ever, amen,” writes Steve McGuiness.

Bottom Line: From home desks to office towers: the work commute resumes this fall

“The driving presumption is that more frequent in-person interaction between team members will lead to better coordination and cohesion. But it could just as easily lead to more downtime spent socializing with distracted co-workers around the water cooler,” writes Steve McGuinness.

Bottom Line: How governments are harming the housing market

“Property taxes are a housing expense directly controlled by municipalities. The town portion of our residential tax bills has increased at multiples of inflation (a 24 per cent compound rate) during this council term,” writes Steve McGuinness.

Letter: Let’s not lose sight of all important issues in town

“I encourage residents to remain engaged and vocal in local decision-making. That civic energy is one of the greatest strengths of our town,” writes Adriana Vizzari.

Hot items ready for Grace United Church’s annual festival market

It’s the annual festival market, featuring a vast array of jams, jellies and sauces plus a bake sale, treasures sale and a silent auction. Either before or after, treat yourself to a breakfast at the food tent.

Bottom Line: Flying the turbulent skies of the Air Canada strike

“Are flights on a major air carrier more of a vital commodity than mail delivery in 2025? When does a public service cross over the line from necessary to essential?” writes Steve McGuinness.

Bottom Line: Understanding how investment income is taxed

“By understanding how income on different investments gets taxed, you can enhance your after-tax yields by holding the more tax-advantaged investments outside of your RRSP and tax-free savings account,” writes Steve McGuinness.

Bottom Line: Bed, breakfast and tax

“Residents living on our once quiet town streets, in homes neighbouring unhosted short-term rental sites, complain about irresponsible renting to unruly groups,” writes Steve McGuinness.

Bottom Line: Reducing tax on your savings and investments

“When you contribute to an RRSP in your peak earning years and then withdraw in retirement (when your income will be lower), there will be a reduction in taxes paid, by moving into a lower tax bracket,” writes Steve McGuinness.

Discover the artworks of Naoko Matsubara at RiverBrink’s summer exhibition

A selection of 12 woodcut prints from “Konjaku Monogatarishū” (“Tales of Days Gone By”), a collection of thousands of Japanese folktales, displays the artist’s conceptual skill and storytelling abilities.

Bottom Line: Retirement savings: Too little? Too much? Too late?

“Even when we rigidly follow a retirement budget, many variables will lead to actual account values differing from plans,” writes Steve McGuinness.

Opinion: Must we fall before anyone will help us stand?

“Why are we only supporting people after they’ve gotten hurt? Shouldn’t the right care at the right time be before the injury happens?” writes Carolyn Chandler-Hill.

Opinion: Ontario is sliding toward a two-tiered, U.S.-style healthcare system

“Year after year, the Conservative government has underinvested in primary care, abandoned rural communities and advanced private clinics at the expense of our public health system. This trend must stop,” writes Wayne Gates.

Bottom Line: Our border and the trade wars

“U.S. President Donald Trump, with his focus on trade and tariff negotiations, poses significant threats to our town’s economy. Local businesses must adapt quickly to protect profits and jobs,” writes Steve McGuinness.

Opinion: Let’s work together to make Shaw’s new Royal George a success

“I support building a new theatre. Done right, it will bring new energy and vitality to Old Town and will make both the Shaw and Niagara-on-the-Lake a prized place to live, work and visit well into the 22nd century,” writes David Israelson.

NOTL library collecting 225 reasons to celebrate 225 years

“Every contribution, no matter how small, helps tell the story of a community connected through books, programs and people, painting a picture of how the library has touched lives over more than two centuries,” writes Debbie Krause.

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