Any mention of Highway 413, first proposed almost a quarter-century ago as a massive transportation corridor immediately below and through parts of Ontario’s protected Greenbelt, has always been accompanied by a giant question mark. Claimed by supporters to be a solution to congestion in the Greater Toronto Area, the project has been mired in political […]

Frustration and unease are mounting in Caledon, where locals say their voices are being drowned out by a municipal process that lacks transparency, overrides its own rules and puts the environment, particularly groundwater, at serious risk. Residents were already reeling from a May decision put forward by Mayor Annette Groves’ motion to approve a fill […]

The number of Niagara Falls properties in tax jeopardy has risen dramatically during the current term of council, according to data recently shared by City staff.  On May 21, through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request, The Pointer sought six years of data on the number of properties in tax arrears. City officials declined the […]

A new $40 million grant request from the City of Welland is putting Niagara Region’s taxpayer-funded incentive programs back in the spotlight, and under renewed scrutiny. Welland Mayor Frank Campion is championing a controversial proposal that would see the Region contribute $40 million for a 52-hectare residential development along the banks of the Welland Recreational […]

In April last year, Niagara Falls elected officials refused to consider a request from Councillor Lori Lococo to review the process for residents to file complaints against their municipal representatives, including the possibility of removing the $500 fee that has been widely criticized as shielding councillors from accountability.  It was admitted by elected officials at […]

Rallies for endangered species. Protests led by First Nations. A filibuster from the NDP. More than 4,000 amendments tabled by the Liberals. Two committee hearings with Indigenous leaders, legal experts, labour representatives, and more. Despite all of it, Bill 5 passed. On June 5, as Ontarians across the province struggled to breathe through smoke-filled air […]

In a decision that appears to contradict itself, the municipal watchdog hired by Council members to hold them accountable has determined that even though Mayor Mat Siscoe violated rules set out in the Code of Conduct that governs the behaviour of local elected officials, his conduct somehow did not rise to a punishable contravention of […]

Late last year, Mario Zelaya never expected his TikTok post would stir such emotion across an upscale east-end Oakville neighbourhood. Nor did he anticipate being targeted by the town’s mayor. It has been seven months since that initial post, when Zelaya detailed what he believes to be a serious public health threat linked to decades […]

The number of property tax accounts in arrears has risen sharply in St. Catharines since 2022, according to documents obtained by The Pointer through a Freedom of Information request. The disturbing increase aligns with the controversial hikes in municipal tax rates introduced by the current City Council. Residents of Niagara’s largest city were shocked in […]

In what turned out to be a much closer two-way race, Mississauga will send six Liberal MPs back to the House of Commons.  After being shut out in the last three federal elections since 2015 the Conservatives thought they could break through, especially with popular longtime Mississauga councillor Sue McFadden carrying the flag in one […]

Peel’s supervised consumption site is no longer offering harm reduction services as of Tuesday despite an injunction granted by the Superior Court of Justice last week that would allow similar facilities to continue operating for the time being.  “Peel’s supervised consumption will NOT be providing safe consumption services or drug checking services past March 31, […]

St. Catharines Mayor Mat Siscoe used municipal assets and senior staff to coordinate his attendance in a staged campaign event for Doug Ford during last month’s provincial election campaign. The apparent violation of rules that govern Siscoe’s conduct was revealed in documents obtained by The Pointer through a Freedom of Information investigation. The documents show […]