A 27-year-old man is facing impaired and dangerous driving charges after police say his vehicle went airborne and slammed into a building early Wednesday morning, causing an estimated $120,000 in damage.
The annual scavenger hunt event raised $75,000 for the respite care organization, allowing it to comfortably finish the project of rebuild its main facility, set to reopen the start of next year.
Some voters came to town hall Wednesday morning convinced Niagara-on-the-Lake needs to change course. Others came because voting early was simply easier. And some came away thinking there is not much to fix at all.
Timothy and Frances Price have been attending plays at the Shaw Festival since the '80s, the same decade the theatre company expanded to putting on productions at the Royal George on Queen Street. "We enjoyed the town, we enjoyed the plays and the community," said Tim.
Youth took the lead at the Niagara Regional Native Centre’s annual powwow Saturday, connecting culture and celebration. “The powwow is a deep place in connection,” said Lou Davis, one of the event's youth co-ordinators. “I’ve been coming here since I was a fresh newborn and came into this world.”
Andrea Kaiser says she wasn't planning to run in this year's election, until threats to Canadian sovreignty began to emerge from south of the border, pushing her to take the lead: "For this election, for this moment in time, I feel like it was made for me."
Elected to the District School Board of Niagara in 2018 and re-elected in 2022, Shannon Mitchell says her role helped deepen her knowledge of the region’s education issues and community needs.
Tony Baldinelli is urging Niagara-on-the-Lake residents to vote Conservative to protect the region’s wine industry, which he says is at risk because of tax changes by the Liberal government.
One generous donor from Toronto, who has contributed in the past, delivered a whopping 15 bikes from an organization that repairs bikes for public use but had a surplus needing major work. “We were really happy to get as many bikes as we did,” said volunteer Dave Cox.
“The success of Willowbank is an indication of interest and commitment to making sure that this place and many other places are around many generations from now," said the National Trust of Canada's executive director.
The rebuild will cost between $75-85 million in total, with exact details still being finalized, the Shaw’s executive director and CEO Tim Jennings told The Lake Report.
The town aims to present a draft official plan to council in June, followed by formal consultations and public engagement over the summer. The next public information session for town residents will be held on April 1 at the community centre.
Whether it be spouses, siblings, children, or friends, helping with meals, personal hygiene, or navigating the healthcare system, with an aging population, better support is more important than ever, says Larissa Zwar: "The care system doesn't work if there are no informal caregivers."
The lord mayor said he and other leaders collaborated on a document that will be given to both governments, which outlines the group’s stance on tariffs and the need to strengthen the U.S.-Canada relationship.
The get-together on March 19, run by volunteer Laura Fakla, gave her the chance to get some much-needed bereavement support and create an art piece to honour Murphy.
Ferox’s website states, “We strive to host a variety of events for all our guests at the winery. From live music to dinners to pick-up parties, there is always something happening at Ferox!” It is one of many online posts about what Ferox has to offer at its site on Concession 4 Road.
While the rules around how estate wineries versus farm wineries can operate are clearly spelled out in bylaws, some wine producers don't seem to be following them, and the town's enforcement of those bylaws has been called into question by competing wineries.
A major concern of consultant Robin Garett's was the removal of the term “wine country” from the tourism vision statement. Some edits also removed the theme of collaboration from the original strategy, Garrett said.
All four major parties in Niagara-on-the-Lake's riding have announced their candidates for the snap federal election on April 28. Lifelong Niagara-on-the-Lake resident Andrea Kaiser is the face of the Liberal Party for the riding, facing off against incumbent Conservative Tony Baldinelli.
"To be sued for a Facebook post that commented on an issue of public interest, was up for seven days, was seen by a limited number of people and removed at the request of Solmar’s lawyer is disturbing," says Stewart Hall, who plans to appeal the ruling.
Chair of events Nancy Bailey says the historic homes are always enjoyed by guests on the tour: “We just love to showcase homes and we’re proud to do that.”
Key factors for seniors considering a change were easy access to health care, a range of services and amenities, staying in the community and maintaining social relationships.
The confidence small businesses have in Canadian agriculture took a nosedive in March to the lowest level ever recorded by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business — below the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2008 financial crisis lows.
The new public education team at NOTL Fire & Emergency Services wants to normalize proactive safety concerns and ensure people feel comfortable with their firefighters: ""If people see us during emergencies, it's already a bad day. We want to meet them here, answer questions and prevent crises," said Todd Foley.
Bikes For Farmworkers is running out of bikes — fast. With fewer than 60 left, it urgently needs adult bike donations to help migrant farmworkers get around Niagara-on-the-Lake this spring and summer.
The town’s only high school closed in 2010 after 53 years due to declining enrollment. “Communities of our size should have schools,” said the lord mayor. “Not only that, we’ve grown since that time and we’re continuing to grow.”
Property taxes are expected to go up by 7.92 per cent for the average homeowner in NOTL — the final numbers of this year's budget will be presented at a meeting March 18 and rubber-stamped into bylaw.
