Submitted Column, Author at Niagara Now

The Forum: Santa Ford’s lump of coal: return to sender

“Wouldn’t our provincial government be wiser to support economic diversification? NOTL may aspire to be Napa North, but we lack their nearby Silicon Valley,” writes Steve McGuinness.

Opinion: Council’s million-dollar mistake

“Transparency, lawful decision-making and respect for the limits of municipal authority protect not only the town, but also the residents who ultimately bear the financial consequences,” writes Maria Mavridis.

Opinion: Best time for the town to act on future of old hospital site is now

“For whatever reasons, Niagara-on-the-Lake has a history of delaying important decisions; here’s a chance for council to break that pattern and make Canada’s most beautiful town even better,” writes David Israelson.

Opinion: Niagara deserves a provincial government that works for them

“The government has plenty of time for photo ops and fundraising tours, but not enough time in the House to seriously address the issues families are worried about every day,” writes Wayne Gates.

The Forum: Can a voters’ revolt end developers’ rule in NOTL?

“While Ontario municipalities struggle to balance the property rights of landowners with broader community interests, Doug Ford continues to exert his full weight on one side of the property development scales,” writes Steve McGuinness.

The Forum: Our held-over then cancelled patio roller-coaster ride

“The only thing certain about this ongoing great town patio debacle is that it is not over,” writes Steve McGuinness.

The Forum: Ka-ching! Our hard-working, money-printing parking machines

“Metered parking is enforced for 3,340 hours a year, meaning the annual maximum revenue is $18,370 per space at full utilization,” writes Steve McGuinness.

The Forum: The Eagle has landed — and rules the regional roost

“Multi-millionaires received a 20 per cent off early Black Friday discount on the $5 million total development charge,” writes Steve McGuinness.

Opinion: A letter to Santa, the nicest Canadian of them all

“The world has become a darker place, and it’s going to be a tough Christmas for you, just like everyone else,” writes Keith McNenly.

Bottom Line: What it takes to put together your last will and testament

“It’s shocking how many Canadians have not prepared a will or completed any basic end-of-life planning. No matter your age or wealth level, this is imprudent and irresponsible,” writes Steve McGuinness.

Bottom Line: Is this town council’s ‘final answer’ on the 2026 budget?

“This new budget process is more compressed and accelerated than in prior years. This change was imposed on May 1 when the province conferred strong mayor powers on our town without voter consent,” writes Steve McGuinness.

Opinion: Reflections after an astounding World Series

“Babe Ruth, among his many quoted phrases, said, ‘It ain’t over till it’s over.’
That amazing team of Blue Jays players has proven what we already knew: it’s never over, we’re just occasionally between innings,” writes Keith McNenly.

Bottom Line: How the federal budget will impact us in NOTL

“Businesses in sectors like oil and gas (and specifically producers of liquid natural gas) are especially favoured … Sometimes the squeaky wheel attracts the grease,” writes Steve McGuinness.

Op-ed: Niagara Children’s Garden crucial for kids’ well-being

“Connecting with nature and connecting in nature both have solid benefits: little hands in sand and water and soil, bring the principles of science and math and literacy alive,” write Dr. Robin Williams and Dr. Richa Agnihotri

Bottom Line: Don’t let sickness break your bank

“Under the Canada Health Act, provinces are required to maintain universal health plans offering their residents medical coverage. The provinces receive significant social transfer amounts from the feds in return,” writes Steve McGuinness.

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.

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