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MUNICIPAL ISSUES IN THE 2026 ELECTION

NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE

THE ISSUES

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What Matters to Niagara-on-the-Lake Residents?

The 2026 municipal election will help determine the direction of Niagara-on-the-Lake for the next four years and beyond.

The issues facing our community are interconnected. Decisions about growth affect infrastructure. Infrastructure affects taxes, traffic and the environment. Tourism affects transportation, parking, housing and neighbourhoods. Governance determines how these decisions are made and how residents are informed, consulted and represented.

The following issues reflect concerns identified through the Niagara-on-the-Lake Residents Association’s 2026 community survey, ongoing community discussion, public information and issues receiving attention throughout Niagara-on-the-Lake.

These are not positions or recommendations. They are intended to help residents understand the major issues that candidates may be asked to address during the 2026 municipal election.

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1. DEVELOPMENT & GROWTH

How much, where and under what conditions should Niagara-on-the-Lake grow?

Development and growth consistently rank among the most important concerns expressed by residents.

Niagara-on-the-Lake faces increasing pressure for residential, commercial, hotel and tourism-related development. The challenge is determining the pace, scale, location and type of growth that the community can reasonably accommodate while protecting the characteristics that make Niagara-on-the-Lake unique.

Growth decisions made today will influence infrastructure requirements, traffic, taxation, the environment, agricultural lands, neighbourhoods and community character for decades.

 

Residents may want candidates to address:

  • The pace, scale and location of new development.

  • Appropriate residential and commercial density.

  • Where additional growth should occur within the Town.

  • Protection of agricultural lands and rural areas.

  • Protection of established neighbourhoods and community character.

  • The cumulative impact of multiple developments in the same area.

  • Whether development decisions are consistent with the Town’s long-term vision.

  • The relationship between development approvals and available infrastructure capacity.

  • The transparency and public involvement associated with major development proposals.

  • How the Town should balance provincial growth requirements with local priorities.

 

Key question for candidates:

How much growth can Niagara-on-the-Lake reasonably accommodate, where should it occur, and under what conditions should it be approved?

 

2. GOVERNANCE, REPRESENTATION & ACCOUNTABILITY

How should Niagara-on-the-Lake be governed and represented?

Residents have expressed concerns about transparency, accountability, Council procedures, public consultation and whether residents feel adequately heard before important decisions are made.

The 2026 election also occurs at a significant point in the Town’s governance structure.

Ontario’s Strong Mayor framework gives the Lord Mayor additional powers and responsibilities. At the same time, following the election, Niagara-on-the-Lake’s Council will move from nine members to seven.

These changes raise important questions about representation, accessibility, Council workload, checks and balances, committee structures and the ability of residents across Niagara-on-the-Lake’s communities to have their concerns heard.

 

Residents may want candidates to address:

  • Transparency in municipal decision-making.

  • Meaningful public consultation before major decisions.

  • How residents’ concerns are considered and documented.

  • Accountability for decisions made by Council.

  • The appropriate use of Strong Mayor powers.

  • The balance between the Lord Mayor’s powers and Council’s responsibilities.

  • The effectiveness and workload of a seven-member Council.

  • Representation of Niagara-on-the-Lake’s different communities.

  • Accessibility of elected representatives.

  • Council committee structures and community representation.

  • Access to municipal information.

  • Communication between the Town and residents.

  • Whether Council decisions reflect clearly stated priorities and long-term plans.

Related: See NOTLRA’s paper on the potential impact of Strong Mayor powers in light of the reduced Council size.

 

Key question for candidates:

How will you ensure that residents are informed, listened to and adequately represented while maintaining transparency and accountability in municipal decision-making?

 

3. INFRASTRUCTURE, WATER, WASTEWATER & STORMWATER

Can our infrastructure keep pace with our community and changing conditions?

Infrastructure is one of the most important practical challenges facing Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Water and wastewater capacity, roads, drainage and stormwater management are directly connected to growth, development and public safety.

Recent extreme rainfall and flooding have brought particular attention to the condition and capacity of the Town’s drainage and stormwater systems.

The Town must also address its long-term infrastructure needs, including maintenance, replacement, financing and future capacity.

 

Residents may want candidates to address:

  • Water and wastewater capacity.

  • Stormwater management and drainage.

  • Flood mitigation and community protection.

  • The condition and long-term needs of roads and other municipal infrastructure.

  • Short-term maintenance and long-term infrastructure replacement.

  • The Town’s infrastructure deficit.

  • Infrastructure capacity and readiness before significant development is approved.

  • Development charges and the principle that growth should pay for growth-related infrastructure.

  • Infrastructure financing, reserves and debt.

  • Coordination between the Town, Niagara Region and other levels of government.

  • Whether current stormwater standards adequately reflect increasingly extreme rainfall events.

  • How the Town should prepare for rainfall events that exceed existing drainage capacity.

 

Key question for candidates:

Should demonstrated infrastructure capacity and readiness be prerequisites for approving significant new development, and are current stormwater standards adequate for today’s and tomorrow’s extreme rainfall events?

 

4. ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE RESILIENCE

How should environmental consequences influence municipal decisions?

Environmental considerations are connected to virtually every major municipal issue, particularly development, drainage, flooding, transportation, agriculture and infrastructure.

Recent flooding events have highlighted the potential consequences of extreme weather and the importance of understanding how development and municipal decisions may affect drainage, water flow, natural areas and community resilience.

Environmental considerations include natural heritage, wetlands, trees, water quality, agricultural lands, stormwater management and biodiversity.

The broader question is whether environmental impacts and climate resilience should be considered earlier and more consistently when major municipal decisions are made.

 

Residents may want candidates to address:

  • The role of environmental impact in major municipal decisions.

  • The environmental and long-term costs associated with development.

  • Protection of wetlands, natural areas and waterways.

  • Stormwater retention and drainage for flood mitigation.

  • Tree preservation and the urban tree canopy.

  • Protection of agricultural lands.

  • Water quality and watershed protection.

  • Sustainable transportation and infrastructure.

  • Whether planning standards adequately account for changing environmental conditions.

  • Whether updated climate and rainfall information should be used when planning infrastructure and evaluating development proposals.

 

Key question for candidates:

Should environmental impact and climate resilience be formal considerations in significant municipal decisions, and how would you balance environmental, economic and development considerations?

 

5. TAXES, SPENDING & AFFORDABILITY

What should residents pay, and what should they receive in return?

Municipal taxation is a concern for homeowners, businesses and residents on fixed incomes at a time when Niagara-on-the-Lake faces significant infrastructure, service and capital requirements.

The next Council will have to balance affordability with the need to maintain municipal services, address infrastructure needs and respond to emerging community priorities.

The question is not simply whether taxes should increase or decrease, but what level of service the community expects, what those services should cost and how they should be funded.

 

Residents may want candidates to address:

  • Municipal and Regional tax increases.

  • Municipal spending priorities.

  • The appropriate level of municipal services.

  • Infrastructure financing, reserves and municipal debt.

  • Capital projects and their long-term costs.

  • Development charges and growth-related costs.

  • Opportunities for efficiencies and cost savings.

  • The balance between taxation, service levels and community expectations.

  • The financial implications of new municipal programs or initiatives.

  • The long-term financial sustainability of the Town.

 

Key question for candidates:

What services should the Town provide, what should they cost, and how should those costs be fairly shared among existing residents, businesses and new development?

 

6. TOURISM, TRANSPORTATION & PARKING

How can Niagara-on-the-Lake manage tourism while protecting residents’ mobility and quality of life?

Tourism is an important part of Niagara-on-the-Lake’s economy and provides employment and business opportunities.

At the same time, visitor activity can create pressures on roads, parking, transportation infrastructure, public spaces and residential neighbourhoods.

Traffic and parking pressures are particularly evident during peak tourism periods, but transportation affects residents throughout the year.

The Town’s parking and transportation planning provides an opportunity to consider how visitors move through the community and how tourism-related pressures can be managed.

 

Residents may want candidates to address:

  • Traffic congestion and transportation bottlenecks.

  • Traffic generated by tourism and new development.

  • Parking availability and management.

  • Visitor parking outside core business districts.

  • Park-and-ride opportunities.

  • Public transit and transportation between communities.

  • Pedestrian and cycling safety.

  • The growing use of e-bikes and e-scooters.

  • Cycling infrastructure and secure bicycle parking.

  • Speeding, stunt driving and traffic enforcement.

  • The impact of development on existing transportation infrastructure.

  • Regional transportation planning and connections between communities.

  • The impact of tourism on residential neighbourhoods.

  • Hotel and accommodation development.

  • Whether tourism should contribute appropriately toward the municipal costs it generates.

 

Key question for candidates:

How can Niagara-on-the-Lake manage tourism, traffic and parking more effectively while protecting residents’ mobility, quality of life and the character of the community?

 

7. HERITAGE, AGRICULTURE & COMMUNITY CHARACTER

What must be protected as Niagara-on-the-Lake grows?

Niagara-on-the-Lake’s heritage, agricultural lands, villages, rural landscapes and established neighbourhoods are fundamental to the community’s identity.

Growth and preservation do not necessarily have to be competing objectives. However, achieving an appropriate balance requires deliberate planning and an understanding of what makes the community distinctive.

Residents may want candidates to address:

  • Protection of heritage properties and districts.

  • Preservation of agricultural lands.

  • Development in rural areas.

  • Building design and compatibility with established communities.

  • Protection of important views, streetscapes and landscapes.

  • Protection of significant natural and shoreline areas.

  • Adaptive reuse of heritage and institutional buildings.

  • The cumulative impact of development on community character.

  • The relationship between heritage preservation and economic development.

  • How new development can be compatible with existing communities.

 

Key question for candidates:

How can Niagara-on-the-Lake accommodate a sensible rate of growth while protecting the heritage, agricultural and community character that residents value?

 

8. HOUSING & SHORT-TERM RENTALS

How can Niagara-on-the-Lake provide housing while maintaining livable neighbourhoods?

Housing affordability and availability are concerns for residents, seniors, families and local workers.

At the same time, Niagara-on-the-Lake’s tourism economy has contributed to demand for short-term accommodation.

Short-term rentals and long-term housing are related but distinct issues. The challenge is finding an appropriate balance between visitor accommodation, housing availability and stable residential neighbourhoods.

 

Residents may want candidates to address:

  • Availability and attainability of long-term rental housing.

  • Housing affordability.

  • Housing for seniors.

  • Housing for local workers.

  • The impact of short-term rentals on neighbourhoods.

  • The relationship between short-term rentals and long-term housing availability.

  • Regulation and enforcement of short-term rentals.

  • Whether existing policies are achieving their intended objectives.

  • Whether housing policies should encourage residents to remain in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

 

Key question for candidates:

How can the Town increase access to appropriate and attainable housing while maintaining stable and livable neighbourhoods?

 

THE ISSUES ARE CONNECTED

The major issues facing Niagara-on-the-Lake cannot be considered in isolation.

Development can affect:

Growth → Infrastructure → Stormwater → Flooding → Traffic → Taxes → Environment → Community Character

Tourism can affect:

Visitors → Parking → Traffic → Infrastructure → Housing → Short-Term Rentals → Neighbourhoods

Governance affects all of them:

Transparency → Public Engagement → Decision-Making → Accountability

 

This means that a candidate’s position on one issue may have consequences for several others.

The most important question for voters may therefore not be simply which individual issues a candidate supports, but how the candidate intends to balance competing priorities and make decisions that serve Niagara-on-the-Lake over the long term.

 

QUESTIONS FOR CANDIDATES

As voters evaluate candidates, they may wish to ask:

Vision & Priorities

  1. What are your three highest priorities for Niagara-on-the-Lake?

  2. What is your long-term vision for the Town?

  3. What would you do differently from the current Council?

Growth & Development

  1. How much growth can Niagara-on-the-Lake reasonably accommodate, and where should it occur?

  2. Should infrastructure capacity and readiness be demonstrated before significant new development is approved?

  3. How will you balance provincial growth requirements with local priorities and community character?

Infrastructure, Flooding & Environment

  1. What are your priorities for addressing flooding, drainage and stormwater management?

  2. Are current stormwater standards adequate for increasingly extreme rainfall events?

  3. Should environmental impact and climate resilience be formal considerations in significant municipal decisions?

Taxes & Financial Management

  1. How will you balance tax increases with the need to maintain municipal services and infrastructure?

  2. What opportunities do you see for efficiencies, cost savings or changes in service levels?

  3. How should the Town pay for its long-term infrastructure needs?

Tourism, Transportation & Housing

  1. How should tourism growth be managed?

  2. What changes, if any, should be made to short-term rental policies?

  3. What should be done to address traffic and parking during peak tourism periods?

  4. How can the Town improve transportation options for residents and visitors?

  5. What should the Town do to improve housing affordability and attainability for residents and local workers?

Governance & Representation

  1. How should Strong Mayor powers be used and balanced with Council’s responsibilities?

  2. How will you ensure that a seven-member Council remains accessible and representative of all communities?

  3. What changes, if any, would you make to improve transparency, public consultation and accountability?

Heritage & Community Character

  1. How will you protect Niagara-on-the-Lake’s heritage and agricultural identity while accommodating appropriate growth?

 

SPECIFIC ISSUES RESIDENTS MAY WISH TO ASK CANDIDATES ABOUT

Some matters do not fit neatly within a single major issue but may have significant implications for Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Residents may wish to ask candidates for their views on:

Niagara District Airport Expansion

What is your understanding of the Province’s plans for the Niagara District Airport, including the potential accommodation of larger passenger aircraft, and what concerns or opportunities do you see for Virgil, Old Town and surrounding communities?

Data Centres

What is your position on potential data-centre development in Niagara-on-the-Lake, and what would you consider regarding infrastructure, water use, electricity demand, environmental impacts, employment and municipal costs or revenues?

Casinos & Gambling

What role, if any, should the Town play in responding to proposals for casinos or other gambling-related development?

Cannabis Retail

What role, if any, should the Town play in responding to cannabis retail or related proposals within the municipality?

Climate & Community Resilience

What practical measures should the Town consider to improve community resilience to flooding, extreme heat, severe storms and other changing environmental conditions?

These questions are included to encourage informed discussion. Their inclusion does not indicate support or opposition to any particular proposal or policy.

 

AN INFORMED VOTE MATTERS

Municipal government has a direct impact on the everyday lives of Niagara-on-the-Lake residents.

The decisions made by the next Council will influence development, taxation, infrastructure, transportation, the environment, housing, tourism and the character of our community for years to come.

Ask questions. Compare the candidates. Look beyond campaign promises.

Consider not only what candidates propose, but:

  • How their priorities would be funded.

  • What trade-offs may be required.

  • Whether their proposals are realistic.

  • How their positions on one issue may affect another.

  • Whether their plans reflect a clear long-term vision for Niagara-on-the-Lake.

 

An informed voter is better positioned to assess both what candidates promise and how they propose to deliver it.

YOUR VOTE WILL HELP DETERMINE THE FUTURE OF NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE.

2026 MUNICIPAL ELECTION

OCTOBER 26, 2026

 

NOTLelection.ca is a non-partisan community information resource.

The issues and questions presented above are intended to encourage informed discussion and help residents evaluate candidates. They do not represent endorsements of any candidate, party, position or policy.

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