looking at this strictly through a governance, fairness, and fiduciary lens— 1. Anchor the decision in principles first, not personalities Before debating numbers Fairness to all businesses (not just legacy or COVID-era participants) Protection of taxpayer-funded revenues (parking offsets) Consistency with permanent patio operators who already pay rent + taxes year-round Administrative feasibility (staff capacity and cost) Future alignment with the Queen/Picton Master Plan On

A Niagara-on-the-Lake councillor earns $20,400 per year (before deductions). That salary is paid by the taxpayer. Put another way, at roughly minimum wage, that compensation reflects about 20 hours a week—or four hours a day, Monday to Friday. Now let me tell you what the job actually looks like. Before a single council or committee meeting begins, there are hours of preparation: reviewing lengthy staff reports, planning questions, researching policy, and reading corresponden

This year’s Municipal Budget process is different. The Budget Office met with all directors and approved certain “asks” for them to present Business cases (justification) to them. The Budget Office then put together the first draft and met with each individual Councillor for input. The budget was presented to Council this past Wednesday where any further questions were addressed. Councillors now have 20 days to submit any amendments. The budget office is lead by our CAO Nick

As one of the most recognizable buildings on Queen Street, the Royal George Theatre has been part of Niagara-on-the-Lake’s cultural identity for generations. Its planned redevelopment marks an exciting milestone for the Shaw Festival and our community — but it’s also an opportunity for important public discussion about scale, compatibility, and what fits within the character of our historic downtown. A Landmark Undergoing Transformation The Shaw Festival has proposed a full r

For the first time this term, the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake is preparing what’s known as a Mayor’s Budget — a new process introduced...

Reflections on the Last Quarter of 2025 It’s been quite the year. Accountability, Integrity, and Transparency Over the past months, I’ve...

As approved by Town Council during its September 23, 2025, Council Meeting, and subsequently accepted by Hummel, a settlement of...

The 2024 Annual Town Report has now been published and is available for review. One section that has drawn attention is the...

Settlement Achieved in the Matter of Black (27 Prideaux) v the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake September 16, 2025 Following the Closed...

SORE (Save Our Rand Estate) recently submitted an application to the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake to rezone the Rand Estate property....

This past week, I had the privilege of attending the 2025 Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) Conference in Ottawa alongside...

I grew up in Old Town, just off Charlotte Street. In 2001, my world was turned upside down when I lost my mother to cancer. I was only 21...

Regional Councillor Andrea Kaiser Takes Action on Policing Cost Inequities Tonight at Regional Council Tonight at Niagara Regional...

While it’s easy to point to property tax increases as a driver of housing unaffordability, it’s important to look at the full picture....

Why “Wine Country” Isn’t Missing from Our Tourism Strategy—It’s Just Not the Whole Story Recently, there’s been considerable media...

I attended the St. Davids Ratepayers AGM yesterday and appreciated the opportunity to listen and engage. As always, the group brought...

Council didn’t. Last week Council voted and approved the NOTL Tourism Strategy, 6-3. Since then, Facebook posts have shared a few...

Your job as an elected Municipal Councillor is to ensure fairness and equity for all resident and business tax payer. I promised fairness...

With the Temporary Patio program coming up on 5 years as being “temporary”, the Royal George planning a major rebuild, and the sewers...

Summarizing budget process and working through the process over the Holidays, so we are prepared and ready to finalize in the New Year.