Local News Briefs

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  • Port Pedestrian Mall – St. Catharines city council is urging Niagara Region to abandon a long-planned pedestrian mall in Port Dalhousie due to concerns about safety, traffic congestion, and the loss of parking spaces. Councillors argued that the current proposal, which would close Lock Street to vehicles, is flawed and called for a new reconstruction plan. (St. Catharines Standard)
  • Police Cleared – The SIU has cleared a Niagara Regional Police officer of any wrong doing after a man suffered a torn right knee tendon after being brought to the ground and handcuffed during an arrest in November. (GiantFM)
  • No New NOTL Patios – While Niagara-on-the-Lake council had previously agreed to extend its temporary patio program for another year, council has now decided that no new patios will be allowed this year until a more-detailed patio program is created and approved by council. (Niagara-on-the-Lake Local)
  • Transit Consultant Hired – The Niagara Transit Commission has announced that it has hired a consultant to complete a comprehensive study aimed at revolutionizing public transit service in Niagara. The master plan is expected to take 18 months to complete and will focus on improving accessibility, efficiency, and affordability. (Pelham Today)
  • Bus Driver Charged – A 30-year old man has been charged with impaired driving after the school bus he was driving collided with a garbage truck in Niagara Falls. There were no students on board the bus. (The River)
  • NOTL Reduces Tax Increase – Niagara-on-the-Lake councillors have made changes to the budget to reduce the tax increase from 9.4% to 6.75%. Council voted to use reserve accounts and delay the hiring of several new permanent staff in order to decrease the tax hike. (Niagara-this-Week)
  • New Deputy Chiefs – The Niagara Police Services Board has announced the appointment of Superintendent Todd Waselovich and Superintendent Luigi Greco as the new Deputy Chiefs of Police for the Niagara Regional Police. (Niagara Regional Police)
  • Volunteer Nominations Open – Nominations are now open for the City of St. Catharines’ Volunteer Recognition Awards. These awards aim to honour outstanding individuals who have made significant contributions to our community through their volunteer efforts. For more details on the Volunteer Recognition Awards or to submit a nomination, visit stcatharines.ca/VolunteerAwards. (City of St. Catharines)
  • March Break Activities – The City of St. Catharines has scheduled a number of activities for March break including swimming, skating, recreational and educational programming, and museum activities. For more information visit stcatharines.ca/ActiveSTC. (City of St. Catharines)