Ahead of this fall's municipal election, Coun. Gary Burroughs says Niagara-on-the-Lake’s next council needs to start by asking why some residents no longer trust town hall.
"Canadians have the right to access diverse ideas, literature and viewpoints without censorship, allowing libraries, schools, bookstores and readers to explore both popular and controversial works," write Susan Elliott and Dr. Robin Williams Foster.
"There are suddenly more reasons to talk about Mr. Hummel as he uses social media this week to eviscerate your reporter. Ad hominem arguments are always exciting. He does it well," writes Garth Turner.
"Transmissible prion is extremely stable and very hard to destroy with chemical disinfectants or heat — far more so than for the case of viruses and bacteria," writes Dr. William Brown.
"Life was tough and a never-ending challenge. Travelling on foot or on horseback or in wagons. Am I the only one who never thinks about this stuff? It was a long way to the West Coast, wasn’t it?" writes Ross Robinson.
"How will heavy construction be handled during the next three summers when Queen is shoulder-to-shoulder with tourists, cars are everywhere and festival season arrives?" writes Garth Turner.
"This simplistic design approach to apartment buildings has dominated the sector for decades and has resulted in a quasi-institutionalized environment within the resultant neighbourhoods," writes Brian Marshall.
"Are we getting better when compared to other nations? Perhaps, but there are so many more events now. Many more opportunities to grab a medal," writes Ross Robinson.
"AlphaFold2 was like a loyal grad student who learned under the tutelage of humans at Google — not human of course, but a student nontheless and perhaps deserving of a share in the prize," writes Dr. William Brown.
"Will builders and developers have free rein to 'build, baby, build' here in NOTL and everywhere else in the province? The future of places like Niagara-on-the-Lake hang in the balance."
From federal and provincial elections, Trump trade wars, a polar vortex, mysterious vandals who repeatedly cut down the Virgil speed camera and more, here are some of the biggest and best stories of the first six months of 2025.
"Now, upon seeing how the United States treats countries such as Venezuela when it plainly desires its resources, there can be little doubt that Canada might be an additional target on Donald Trump's radar," writes J. Richard Wright.
"Food sovereignty and security must be considered paramount in all government policy. Otherwise, we may find ourselves as a banana republic — the beggars at the table," writes Brian Marshall.
"Soon the historic buildings behind the chain-link — some dating to the 1880s — will be razed. The excavators will move in. Then the erection of a 55,000-square foot complex with a six-storey height," writes Garth Turner.
"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.
"Sure, there are lots of shortcomings and even mistakes with AI, but given improving databases and computational methods, AI continues to rapidly evolve. The potential for AI to do so is enormous," writes Dr. William Brown.
"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.
"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.
"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.
"Media and technology today allow us to be informed, and almost everything is in real time. Not that long ago, less than a century, news travelled at a snail’s pace, if it travelled at all," writes Ross Robinson.
"In 2025, we have borne witness to a series of assaults on the tapestry of Niagara-on-the-Lake," writes Brian Marshall, writing about the Crysler-Burroughs property, Glencairn Hall, the Royal George Theatre and more.
"NOTL may attract three million visitors a year, but at its heart are caring, decent people always finding time for a pet, a smile and a stroke of my incredibly handsome fur," writes Cody the Chow, taking over for Garth Turner this week.
Two Niagara-on-the-Lake teens helped lead their track club to a first-place finish at the prestigious U.S. cross-country running national championships last Saturday.
"Sure, overpriced homes will continue to sit, but there are lots of properties now priced at 2022 levels, getting no action. Sellers are anxious. Many are willing to deal," writes Garth Turner.
"Some will mourn the final performances of 'A Christmas Carol' at the Royal George for the foreseeable future. Others will mourn the passing of the theatre itself," writes Penny-Lynn Cookson.
"The basic precepts of good urban development planning place the onus on the local government to proactively identify low, medium and high-density locations," writes Brian Marshall.
"Over the last six years, I’ve witnessed their hard work, dedication and faithfulness to care for their charges much as they would their own. That’s been a privilege to witness first-hand, and never more so than in Jan’s last few days," writes Dr. William Brown.
