The Lake Report: Check out our weekly print edition for Niagara-on-the-Lake here.

Pumphouse Pride month event postponed after backlash, protest threats

Zahraa Hmood -
A source who reached out to The Lake Report, an artist who we've chosen not to name, said the Pumphouse received a threat regarding the event from Canadian white nationalist group the Second Sons.

NOTL could lose key council powers before election. Here’s the backup plan

With one month to go until nominations close for the municipal election, the town is preparing for the possibility that council could temporarily lose some of its power until the election is over.
Paige Seburn -

$218K clears major hurdle for Irish Harp to reopen patio

The Irish Harp is one step away from keeping its popular back patio for good. But first came months of debate, a major shift in thinking at town hall and a $218,000 price tag for three parking spaces.
Paige Seburn -

Calling all corks: Why this NOTLer is giving wine corks a second life

Sal Fasullo, a retail team member at Peller Estates, says he wanted to do something with the corks the winery was throwing away every day. "I started to collect them," he says. "Suddenly, I had more corks than I knew what to do with."
Tim Taylor -

Three years after fleeing abuse, NOTL singer shares story through new song

Paige Seburn -
With the trial of her accused abuser behind her, singer-songwriter Catherine Leniarsky is sharing a piece of what she's been through in her new song, "House of Cards."

Chautauqua’s secret to Neighbourhood of Year is no secret: It’s the people

Some might point to its leafy tree canopy, pocket-sized parks, beach access or the famous sunsets at Ryerson Park. But ask the people who live in the neighbourhood and the answer is clear: community.
Richard Harley -

‘Grassroots’ investment will decide soccer’s future in Canada, NOTL club president says

Canada's best FIFA World Cup showing is over, and the president of Niagara-on-the-Lake's youth soccer club says the game's future in this country now depends on what happens far from the big stadiums.
Andrew Hawlitzky -

Opinion: Will U.S. strong-arming Canada be water under the bridge?

A bad deal to open the Gordie Howe International Bridge, connecting Canada to the U.S., "is not in Canada's national interests, but we cannot simply walk away from this structure," writes Keith McNenly.
Submitted Column -

Niagara-on-the-Lake garden tour celebrates creativity, community and well-being

Maddy Gordon - 0
In Lenore Sooknarine’s eyes, gardening is more than a hobby – it’s an interaction with the world around her. She was one of 10 gardeners who opened up her home to the public for the Horticultural Society's annual garden tour.

Modern mapping tech retraces Laura Secord’s historic journey

Visitors to the Niagara-on-the-Lake Museum later this month will get a chance to see how modern technology is shedding new light on one of Canada's best-known historical journeys.
Read more ...

News

Rewind: The top Niagara-on-the-Lake news stories this week

Niagara Now - 0
NOTL's planners and heritage committee voice concerns with Rand Estate hotel plans. The sweetness of summer continues with the annual Cherry Festival (peaches next, in August). And, advocacy group launches petition after hit-and-run death of farmworker.
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News

Advocates launch petition after farmworker killed in NOTL hit-and-run

Niagara Now - 0
After the hit-and-run death of a seasonal farmworker in rural NOTL, an advocacy organization is calling for improved safety and support for workers, including better transportation and road improvements.
Read more ...

Local

PHOTOS: St. Mark’s Cherry Festival celebrates another successful year

Hundreds lined up outside the church on Saturday afternoon to get their hands on one of the church's cherry pies, as well as quarts of fresh cherries, all in celebration of the summer's cherry season.

New Rand Estate hotel plan criticized by town’s planners

NOTL's municipal and heritage planners rejected Benny Marotta's previous development plans for the historic Rand Estate, and once again, they're not enamored with his latest proposal.

Video series features Niagara’s history through its cemeteries

As Canadians embrace staycations this summer, a new video series is inviting residents and visitors to discover Niagara's history in a new way.

Local creatives showcase their work at Artistry by the Lake

With a view of Lake Ontario and the sound of waves rolling in, vendors at Queen's Royal Park showcased their products and met with fellow creatives.

Entertainment

Shaw review: A celebration of golf’s past — and Broadway’s best

"Matters of etiquette, rules and styles of play inform. To Wodehouse, the only way to really find a true character is to play golf with him," writes Penny-Lynn Cookson.

Jazz Crawl hits all the right notes across Niagara-on-the-Lake

From vineyard sunsets to waterfront views, Niagara-on-the-Lake became one big jazz stage last weekend as music lovers travelled from venue to venue as part of the Niagara Jazz Festival's annual Jazz Crawl.

Opinion

The Turner Report: Lessons from an Old Town ditch

"Are we better, or just pretending to be so? Maybe living beside the MAGA nation to the south would make anyone look pristine," writes Garth Turner.

Arch-i-text: Museum made right choice with infrastructure upgrade, but it won’t be cheap

"This non-profit took the bitter pill in favour of supporting the health and welfare of the community they are anchored in. And, that decision, in and of itself, is a shining example of a cultural institution that understands its vital connection to the local greater good," writes Brian Marshall.

Science with Kyra: Hit the beach, but stay safe while cooling off

"Warmer temperatures and more frequent, intense storms are likely as climate change progresses, both of which will likely increase bacteria levels in water," writes Kyra Simone.

Entertainment

Arts review: From singalongs to studio spaces, Shaw rethinks the theatre experience

"Survival dictates new directions. 'Beyond the Stage' is expanding our experiences of theatre by allowing us to witness and explore exciting new paths," writes Penny-Lynn Cookson.

Events

Today

News

Nature speaks through colour in Lynda Flanagan’s latest Pumphouse exhibit

Lynda Flanagan's latest collection of paintings invites viewers to consider not only the coexistence of humans and the natural world, but also what binds them to each other.

Local

Former NOTL administrator Marnie Cluckie joining Halifax as top bureaucrat

Marnie Cluckie, who served as chief administrative officer for NOTL for almost three years, is set to become the Halifax Regional Municipality's chief administrative officer starting Sept. 23. 

St. Davids firefighters donate $9,000 mower to Red Roof Retreat

The St. Davids Firefighters Association bought Red Roof Retreat a $9,000 riding mower Thursday, covering an equipment cost the charity says it cannot spare from its $4.3-million building project.

NOTL’s Senior of the Year says senior housing remains a pressing need

Since starting the Senior Housing Advisory Committee, Cindy Grant says the group has secured support from the town and identified two potential sites for an independent living facility.

News

PHOTOS: Cake parade packs Simcoe Park for Canada Day despite extreme heat

Andrew Hawlitzky - 0
Niagara-on-the-Lake's annual Canada Day cake parade rolled into Simcoe Park on Wednesday behind an electric-converted Model T, drawing hundreds of residents, clad in red and white, for a slice of the town's signature cake.
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Fort George turns Canada Day into a walk through history

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At Fort George National Historic Site, the holiday was not just red-and-white flags: it was an immersive showcase of Canada's history and a first-time experience for many who've never been to NOTL before.

NOTLers share what makes them proud to be Canadian at Legion party

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A variety of reasons to celebrate brought guests to the festivities at the Legion, but one sentiment united the party-goers: "I’m proud to be Canadian."

NOTL Votes 2026: Goettler draws applause with ‘full-time mayor’ pledge

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Supporters gathered Saturday afternoon at the Line 6 hobby farm of mayoral candidate Vaughn Goettler and his wife, Lauren, to celebrate and support his candidacy for lord mayor of Niagara-on-the-Lake.

NOTL Votes 2026: O’Connor says smaller council means more pressure — she’s ready for it

Incumbent O'Connor's campaign this year will build on the same themes she says guided her this term: trust in council, open decision-making, balanced growth and more.

Strewn Winery hotel idea a ‘slippery slope’ to more development on NOTL’s farmland, critics say

Plans to buy Strewn Winery and build a 58-room hotel on the site are being met with skepticism from some who argue the project could open the floodgates to a hotel being built on every winery in town.

Accused in hit-run death of farmworker released on bail

A 22-year-old man was released on bail Monday after a migrant farmworker from Mexico was killed in a hit-and-run while cycling in rural Niagara-on-the-Lake late last Friday night.

Farmworkers mourn colleague and friend at roadside vigil

Those who knew Sínhue Garcia are grieving the loss of someone they say was a generous and caring person — and whose death has deepened fears about the rural roads farmworkers cycle every day.

Immigration cuts will gut Niagara farm labour, migrant workers warn

As the federal government moves forward on plans to continue cutting Canada's immigration levels, migrant farmworkers and their advocates pressed Ottawa for permanent residency at a Virgil rally.

St. Davids townhouse plan gets green light after earlier defeat

A plan for 18 on-street townhouses in St. Davids that hit a wall over stormwater concerns earlier this month is moving ahead after all.