Four years ago, Vaughn Goettler saw the writing on the wall for the possible future of Niagara-on-the-Lake, but he says his foresight is no cause for celebration.
The longtime entrepreneur turned philanthropist who calls NOTL home ran in the town’s 2022 municipal election for lord mayor opposing the threat of Niagara’s amalgamation as one of his key platform points.
Now, as the prospect of the amalgamation of Niagara resurfaces this year, Goettler is back in the thick of it to try his hand again at becoming the town’s lord mayor.
“I spoke about amalgamation, and everybody looked like I’d come from another planet,” he said of his position in 2022. He said he’d read about news of the province considering amalgamation for a handful of its regions, and Niagara was on “the hit-list.”
“Even though it had become quiet, I was trying to warn people that Doug Ford — like him or not, doesn’t matter — tends to make good on what he speaks about at some point or another,” he said.
Come 2026, former Niagara Region chair Bob Gale’s letter to the Municipal Affairs Minister in February floating the idea of amalgamation ignited controversy across the region and calls from many to reconsider the idea of combining Niagara’s municipalities into one big city.
Gale backed down on the idea before he resigned from the role in March, however, Goettler said one failed attempt doesn’t mean amalgamation is off the table.
“I think it’s an ever-present danger,” he said.
That perceived threat and the other concerns for the future of NOTL, including what he called “uncontrolled” development happening in town, are why he’s tossing his hat back in the ring.
“We will lose our unique status and heritage as a community if we just become consumed into a broader region,” he said.
Goettler shared his perspective on a few of the most contentious planned projects for Old Town, including the redevelopment of the old hospital at 176 Wellington St.
The future of that site, he said, “should not look like a parking lot.” He spoke favourably of the Burton Family Foundation’s proposal to turn the building into a community hub.
“I was very impressed with the level of analysis that (James Burton) had done and his plan to have it not cost the taxpayer any money, which is refreshing to hear,” he said.
In his 2022 campaign, Goettler spoke of the need to have a tourism strategy that address traffic, parking and related issues. The Burton foundation’s proposal, he said, would allow there to be some parking accommodation while not turning institutional land into a parking lot.
He added that the town should consider the Fort George National Historic Site’s parking lot as an option for visitors driving into town.
On development in general, he said NOTL is experiencing a time of “significant slippage” and, if things don’t change, could end up resembling a city like Mississauga, with high-rises and “jammed-in” developments.
“If we don’t take a very serious look at what we’re doing, how we’re doing it and come up with some pretty firm rules, with teeth in them, I think that we will continue to see slippage.”
He’s not against all the change NOTL is experiencing: he spoke favourably of the new Royal George Theatre, for example, saying he’s not opposed to the 110-year-old theatre being replaced and the accessibility the new venue will have.
He said he did take issue with the initial facade design the Shaw Festival presented in mid-2025, but feels the redesigned facade, which will imitate the look of the current face of the theatre, is an improvement.
“I hope the George will come to be recognized and accepted as a respectful renovation and improvement to an area that didn’t exist before, with all they’ve done now.”
When he last ran for lord mayor, he said he felt NOTL was at a crossroads between what it was and what it could be. However, he said, that doesn’t mean the town has passed this crossroads, reaching a point of no return.
“I think there’s still time to do something, if it’s immediate,” he said. “If it miss it in the next 12 months, we’ve missed the train … it’s absolutely critical that we hit the deck running.”
