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

Hovercraft service from Niagara to Toronto expects to get terminal permit by year’s end

Paige Seburn -
Hoverlink says final permitting for an 18-acre South Shore waterfront terminal on Lake Ontario is expected to be completed in late 2026. The company still hopes to launch the service in 2028.

What’s on in NOTL this weekend: Strawberries, Father’s Day and summer’s debut

Niagara-on-the-Lake is cramming a lot into one June weekend: strawberry treats, live music, Father’s Day at Fort George and a summer solstice celebration, plus other fun activities.
Paige Seburn -

End of Act I: Final demolition marks start of new journey for Royal George Theatre

The curtain falls on the Royal George Theatre. As the final section of its landmark Queen Street facade comes down, a building woven into generations of Niagara-on-the-Lake memories takes its final bow.
Niagara Now -

Pilot error: Day 1 Air Canada bus leaves a little late after stop missed

After picking up passengers at Niagara Falls Marriott on the Falls, the bus scheduled to leave NOTL at 11:20 a.m. mistakenly headed toward Pearson before returning to the airport for its pickup.
Paige Seburn -

PHOTOS: Snowbirds fly one more time over Niagara

Niagara Now -
The nine-jet Royal Canadian Air Force demonstration team was in southern Ontario as part of a visit to the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum in Hamilton, drawing eyes skyward across the region.

The Turner Report: The beating and the blessing

"In my decades on this planet I’ve been pushed around a few times ... But never been beaten, viciously, until one pleasant and warm Friday afternoon in the bucolic bosom of Old Town NOTL," writes Garth Turner.
Garth Turner -

Review: Revel in the absurd delights of the Shaw’s ‘Jeeves & Wooster’

"We were gifted with laughter, anticipation and Wodehouse magic, plus some terrific Gene-Kelly-inspired dancing. Anchors away, don't miss this joyful cruise," writes Penny-Lynn Cookson.
Penny-Lynn Cookson -

Second-hand bookstore opens in Virgil to support NOTL’s seasonal farmworkers

A new used bookstore in Virgil is turning readers into donors, with every book, puzzle and game sold helping fund programs for seasonal agricultural workers in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
Andrew Hawlitzky -

Developer’s revised St. Davids townhouse plan stalls at council

Zahraa Hmood - 0
The developer behind a new St. Davids subdivision came to town with a request to change its plans for a new block of townhouses and was met with disapproval from half of council, with questions about the proposal will impact St. Davids' already-strained stormwater system.

Hollywood moved in next door. Here’s what one NOTL resident says it’s like

Melanie Farquhar on Johnston Street has watched the shooting of the film adaptation of romance novel "Beach Read" next door for a week. She says it's been a front-row seat to something special.
Read more ...

News

NOTL may cut development charges to unlock $3M grant

Paige Seburn - 0
The program offers municipalities up to 90 per cent funding for eligible projects to support housing, but they must reduce residential development charges by 30 to 50 per cent, or more, for at least three years.
Read more ...

News

Tax, rate hikes eyed to close NOTL’s $13M infrastructure gap

Paige Seburn - 0
Council backed recommended long-term funding targets, which would mean tax and rate increases over the next five to 20 years in an effort to close that gap.
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Local

NOTL tells region its road needs are larger than they seem on paper

One councillor questioned how much say the town has when regional work affects local traffic, saying the relationship between the region and NOTL appears to be a “top-down relationship.”

Pathstone Mental Health program ‘a godsend’ for bullied child, family says

It’s been a tough few years for Mary, who is now 16. She’s dealt with unimaginable grief, depression, anxiety and bullying at the hands of classmates.

NOTL resident leads Pathstone campaign for kids’ mental health

The agency that helps Niagara young people struggling with mental health problems has launched a major new campaign to pay off the mortgage on its headquarters and free up millions of dollars to treat kids at the grassroots level.

NOTLer named one of Niagara’s top business leaders under 40

Life is busier than ever these days in this part of the province, but for Felicia Izaguirre Werner, the hustle and bustle of Niagara is a welcome sign of how much the place she's from has grown.

Entertainment

Music Niagara opens 28th season with young classical artists at the helm

A rainy Sunday afternoon provided an unlikely backdrop for Antonio Vivaldi's "Spring," as Music Niagara opened its 28th summer festival with a concert featuring emerging Canadian musicians.

Arts review: ‘Sleuth’ uncovers the dark side of male competition

"As the ring-master of inventions and deceptions, Wyke is supremely confident that in the real world of crime, who could possibly outthink him?" writes Penny-Lynn Cookson.

Opinion

Arch-i-text: Where is the cap on short-term rentals in NOTL?

"Ironic that NOTL, at about a quarter of the population of Portland, should have identical total (2022 vs. 2024) numbers for licensed short-term rentals," writes Brian Marshall.

Letter: NOTL thrives because of cultural development

"There are better (and still profitable) uses of that property that would also celebrate its historic placement among us. Randwood should be available to the public for reasonable access," writes Terry Mactaggart.

Letter: Property severance isn’t the issue with the Rand Estate

"For your writer to make the comment that people are not allowed occupancy at the remaining Rand property is both incorrect and false, as are those that refer to hypocrisy and again to NIMBYism," writes Derek Collins.

Entertainment

Royal George Theatre demolition begins after court dismisses legal challenge

The Royal George Theatre's 111-year-old history is coming to an end: teardown of the theatre on Queen Street began today following the dismissal of a legal challenge that put its demolition on hold for two months.

Events

Today

News

Shaw Guild opens eight private gardens for milestone garden tour

Visitors toured the gardens across Old Town and Queenston, with the biggest draw this year, and a new feature of the tour, being the McArthur Estate's garden.

Local

Rain cancels farmworkers cricket match, but gathering proves bigger than the game

The annual Niagara-on-the-Lake versus Vineland farmworkers cricket match washed out Sunday for the first time in its roughly 35-year history, but the rain couldn't stop the good vibes.

$15K funding boost will send 47 children to free art camp

The Niagara Pumphouse Arts Centre has secured a little more than $15,000 to allow dozens of children to attend the centre's summer art camp free of charge.

Celebrate the summer solstice this weekend at Ryerson Park

Summer officially begins on June 21, the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. A gathering is set to take place that evening at Ryerson Park, featuring yoga and handpan drumming.

News

Chautauqua named NOTL’s Neighbourhood of the Year

Niagara Now - 0
Chautauqua is the winner of the Town of NOTL's Neighbourhood of the Year contest and will host a party supported by the municipality on July 11 in recognition of its win.
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Pleasant Manor to bring back Community Day on June 20

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Community Day returns Saturday, June 20, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., marking the first time the annual event has been held since the pandemic.

$150K boost pushes Pleasant Manor’s next big build forward

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Pleasant Manor’s next transformation just got a six-figure push from the community: Two donations totalling $150,000 were presented Friday afternoon for Radiant Care’s planned intergenerational community hub and fitness and wellness centre in Virgil.

Conservation study will look into flooding tied to NOTL’s Four Mile Creek’s watershed

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The new study will examine issues with flooding and erosion, potentially caused by development and more severe rainstorms as a result of climate change.

New rom-com from Disney begins filming in Niagara-on-the-Lake

Shooting for the film adaptation of the romantic novel "Beach Read" begins this week in Old Town and is set to continue until mid-to-late June.

Neighbours say no way to farm hub on East and West Line

The facility would house local fruit and include the sale of agricultural tools and equipment. Neighbours worry the project will lead to more small plots of farmland like it being handed over for commercial use.

‘I want to compliment them’: Burton credits NOTL for changing course on parking lot plans

For months, Jim Burton and his foundation pushed the town to consider a wider range of possibilities for the site, arguing it should remain a community asset.

NOTL lord mayor says past conflict on Rand Estate doesn’t apply to new proposal

Niagara-on-the-Lake's mayor says the conflict of interest that once kept him out of parts of the Rand Estate debate is no longer relevant to the latest development proposal before council.

Thinking of running for office? Here’s how to get your name on the ballot in NOTL

Frustrated by development battles, worried about traffic, concerned about Niagara-on-the-Lake’s character or convinced council is getting it wrong? Now’s the time to put your name on the ballot.

No medium off-limits at this year’s tour of artist studios across NOTL

Now in its third year, the tour spanned 16 locations across town, giving the public a rare look inside daily routines behind artworks they would otherwise only ever see hanging on a wall.