Regional Municipality of Niagara
Regional municipality in Ontario, Canada From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Regional Municipality of Niagara, also colloquially known as the Niagara Region or Region of Niagara, is a regional municipality comprising twelve municipalities of Southern Ontario, Canada. The regional seat is in Thorold. It is the southern end of the Golden Horseshoe, the largest megalopolis in Canada.
Niagara Region | |
|---|---|
| Regional Municipality of Niagara | |
 Flag  Seal | |
| Motto(s): Unity, Responsibility, Loyalty | |
 Location of Niagara within Ontario | |
| Coordinates: 43°02′33″N 79°18′02″W[1] | |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | Ontario |
| Formed | 1970 (from Welland and Lincoln Counties) |
| Seat | Thorold |
| Government | |
| • Chair | Jim Bradley |
| • Governing body | Niagara Regional Council |
| • MPs | Dean Allison, Chris Bittle, Vance Badawey, Tony Baldinelli |
| • MPPs | Jeff Burch, Wayne Gates, Sam Oosterhoff, Jennie Stevens |
| Area | |
| • Land | 1,854.23 km2 (715.92 sq mi) |
| Population (2016)[2] | |
| • Total | 447,888 |
| • Density | 241.5/km2 (625/sq mi) |
| Gross Metropolitan Product | |
| • St. Catharines – Niagara CMA | CA$17.4 billion (2020)[3] |
| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (EDT) |
| Website | www.niagararegion.ca |
The region occupies most of the Niagara Peninsula. Its eastern boundary is the Niagara River, which is also the border with the US state of New York. It is bounded on the north by Lake Ontario and on the south by Lake Erie.
Unique natural landscapes make the Niagara Region an important centre for agriculture and tourism in Canada. The most important agricultural enterprise in Niagara is viticulture, or winemaking. The Niagara Wine Route, which connects visitors to dozens of wineries, is a growing tourism draw while the internationally renowned Niagara Falls is one of Canada's major tourist attractions. Along with Shaw Festival, held annually in Niagara-on-the-Lake, and the Welland Canal, the Regional Municipality of Niagara receives up to 12 million visitors each year.
Niagara Region is situated on treaty land. This land has a rich history of First Nations such as the Neutral, the Haudenosaunee, and the Anishinaabe, including the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation.[4] There are many First Nations, Métis, and Inuit people from across Turtle Island that continue to live and work in Niagara today.
| Name | Type | Sub-region | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| Niagara Falls | City | Welland | 94,415 |
| Port Colborne | City | Welland | 20,033 |
| St. Catharines | City | Lincoln | 136,803 |
| Thorold | City | Welland | 23,816 |
| Welland | City | Welland | 55,750 |
| Fort Erie | Town | Welland | 32,901 |
| Grimsby | Town | Lincoln | 28,883 |
| Lincoln | Town | Lincoln | 25,719 |
| Niagara-on-the-Lake | Town | Lincoln | 19,088 |
| Pelham | Town | Welland | 18,192 |
| Wainfleet | Township | Welland | 6,887 |
| West Lincoln | Township | Lincoln | 15,454 |
As a census division in the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the Regional Municipality of Niagara had a population of 477,941 living in 195,914 of its 207,926 total private dwellings, a change of 6.7% from its 2016 population of 447,888. With a land area of 1,852.82 km2 (715.38 sq mi), it had a population density of 258.0/km2 (668.1/sq mi) in 2021.[5]
| 2021 | 2016 | 2011 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 477,941 (+6.7% from 2016) | 447,888 (+3.8% from 2011) | 431,346 (+0.9% from 2006) |
| Land area | 1,852.82 km2 (715.38 sq mi) | 1,854.23 km2 (715.92 sq mi) | 1,854.25 km2 (715.93 sq mi) |
| Population density | 258/km2 (670/sq mi) | 241.5/km2 (625/sq mi) | 232.6/km2 (602/sq mi) |
| Median age | 46 (M: 44, F: 47.2) | 45.7 (M: 44.4, F: 46.9) | |
| Private dwellings | 195,915 (total) | 196,241 (total) | 188,877 (total) |
| Median household income | $65,086 |
Canada census – Regional Municipality of Niagara community profile
- Population in 2001: 410,574
- Population in 1996: 403,504
Religion
Religious profile[9]
- 43.2% Protestant
- 36.4% Roman Catholic
- 14.6% Non-religious
- 3.8% other Christian
- 0.9% Muslim
Ethnicity
Top ten largest ethnicities[9]
- Canadian - 121,660
- English - 108,425
- Scottish - 66,385
- Irish - 56,640
- German - 49,435
- French - 48,155
- Italian - 44,645
- Dutch - 23,805
- Ukrainian - 16,735
- Polish - 16,295
| Panethnic group |
2021[12] | 2016[13] | 2011[14] | 2006[15] | 2001[16] | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | |||||
| European[lower-alpha 1] | 393,100 | 83.74% | 387,095 | 88.35% | 385,785 | 91.24% | 388,415 | 92.1% | 382,050 | 94.43% | ||||
| Indigenous | 13,960 | 2.97% | 12,250 | 2.8% | 9,055 | 2.14% | 6,930 | 1.64% | 5,185 | 1.28% | ||||
| South Asian | 13,845 | 2.95% | 6,170 | 1.41% | 3,450 | 0.82% | 3,805 | 0.9% | 2,585 | 0.64% | ||||
| African | 13,305 | 2.83% | 7,970 | 1.82% | 6,485 | 1.53% | 5,210 | 1.24% | 3,960 | 0.98% | ||||
| Southeast Asian[lower-alpha 2] | 9,715 | 2.07% | 5,950 | 1.36% | 4,525 | 1.07% | 4,310 | 1.02% | 2,580 | 0.64% | ||||
| East Asian[lower-alpha 3] | 9,365 | 1.99% | 8,230 | 1.88% | 5,835 | 1.38% | 5,570 | 1.32% | 4,370 | 1.08% | ||||
| Latin American | 6,975 | 1.49% | 4,620 | 1.05% | 3,895 | 0.92% | 4,260 | 1.01% | 1,570 | 0.39% | ||||
| Middle Eastern[lower-alpha 4] | 4,610 | 0.98% | 3,430 | 0.78% | 2,230 | 0.53% | 2,120 | 0.5% | 1,485 | 0.37% | ||||
| Other[lower-alpha 5] | 4,575 | 0.97% | 2,455 | 0.56% | 1,550 | 0.37% | 1,130 | 0.27% | 810 | 0.2% | ||||
| Total responses | 469,455 | 98.22% | 438,160 | 97.83% | 422,805 | 98.02% | 421,750 | 98.67% | 404,590 | 98.54% | ||||
| Total population | 477,941 | 100% | 447,888 | 100% | 431,346 | 100% | 427,421 | 100% | 410,574 | 100% | ||||
| Note: Totals greater than 100% due to multiple origin responses | ||||||||||||||
Human trafficking
The area has a higher concentration of human trafficking compared to other regions in Canada, with 3% of recorded incidents taking place within it. The Niagara Region's proximity to the border and large amounts of hotels are considered to be contributing factors to this issue.[17]
Education
- Brock University (St. Catharines)
- Conseil Scolaire Viamonde - French Public
- District School Board of Niagara - Public
- Niagara Catholic District School Board - Separate
- Niagara College (Niagara-on-the-Lake, Welland)
- Niagara Parks School of Horticulture (Niagara Falls, Ontario)
Festivals and major events
- Canada Games - 2022
- Canal Days (Port Colborne)
- Festival of Lights
- FISA World Rowing Championships - 1970 & 1999
- Shaw Festival
- Niagara Pumphouse Arts Centre - Art at the Pumphouse (August Civic Holiday weekend)
- Niagara Folk Arts Festival (St. Catharines)
- Niagara Grape and Wine Festival
- Niagara Greek Festival
- Music Niagara Series (NOTL)
- New Year's Eve at Niagara Falls
- Twenty Valley Winter Winefest
- Niagara Food & Wine Expo (Niagara Falls)
- Niagara Icewine Festival (NOTL)
- Niagara Integrated Film Festival (NOTL)
- Niagara New Vintage Festival (NOTL)
- Niagara Parks - Coca-Cola Concert Series (Niagara Falls)
- Rib fest
- Jazz Festival
- SCENE Music Festival
- Buskerfest
- Royal Canadian Henley Regatta
- St. Catharines Wine Tasting of 2005
- Niagara-on-the-lake Peach Festival
- Friendship Festival (Fort Erie)
- Bravo Niagara Festival of Arts (NOTL)
- Marshville Heritage Festival (Wainfleet)
- Serbian Day (Vidovdan)
- NOTL Ghost Walks
- Niagara Falls Comic Con (Niagara Falls)
- Welland FloatFest
- Welland Zombie Walk
- West Niagara Fair
Health care services
History and trails
- Bruce Trail
- Fort George National Historic Site (Niagara-on-the-Lake)
- Annual Fife & Drum Muster and Soldiers Field Days - Fort George
- Fort Mississauga National Historic Site (Niagara-on-the-Lake)
- Niagara Parks - Siege of Fort Erie Re-enactment
- Chippawa Battlefield Park
- Greater Niagara Circle Route
- Merritt Island (Welland)
- Morningstar Mill (St. Catharines)
- Navy Island National Historic Site (Niagara Falls)
- Niagara Parkway
- Niagara Wine Route
- Old Fort Erie (Fort Erie)
- Queenston Heights National Historic Site (Niagara-on-the-Lake)
- Old Ivy Walk
- Waterfront Trail
- Friendship Trail
- Welland Canal Parkway
- Balls Falls Conservation Area (Thanksgiving Festival)
- Niagara Botanical Gardens
- Daredevil Exhibit
- Drummond Hill Cemetery
- Dufferin Islands
- Battle Ground Hotel Museum
- Niagara Falls Museum
- Niagara Historical Society Museum
- Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Centre
- Fort Erie Museums
- Graffiti Alley
- Bertie Hall
Notable people
- Paul Bissonnette, former NHL player
- James Cameron, film director
- Linda Evangelista, fashion supermodel
- Daniel Girardi, former NHL player
- Dallas Green, musician and producer known as "City and Colour"
- Tim Hicks, musician
- Nathan Horton, former NHL player
- Stephan Moccio, Grammy and Academy award-winning musician and composer
- Jordan Nolan, former NHL player
- Daniel Paille, former NHL player
- Neil Peart (1952–2020), drummer for the band Rush
- Laura Secord, heroine of War of 1812
- Joel Thomas Zimmerman, musician known as "Deadmau5"
- Imane Anys, Twitch streamer who goes by the name "Pokimane"
Other
- Scotiabank Convention Centre (Niagara Falls)
- Clifton Hill (Niagara Falls)
- Lundy's Lane Tourist District (Niagara Falls)
- Niagara Olde Town (Niagara-on-the-Lake)
- Port Dalhousie (St. Catharines)
- Safari Niagara (Fort Erie)
- Victoria Ave (Niagara Falls)
- Welland Canal Centre (St. Catharines)
- Howell Family Pumpkin Farm (Fonthill)
|
|
West Niagara
- Cave Spring Cellars
- Fielding
- Flatrock
- Henry of Pelham Family Estate Winery - St. Catharines, Ontario c. 1980s
- Hernder Estate Wines
- Peninsula Ridge
- Vineland Estate
East Niagara
- Chateau des Charmes
- Coyote's Run
- Hillebrand Winery - Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario c.1979
- Inniskillin - Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario c.1974
- Marynissen
- Pillitteri Estates Winery
This list is not complete and changes every season, see also Niagara Peninsula wineries for more information.
Airports
Niagara Region contains three airports used primarily for general aviation:
- St. Catharines/Niagara District Airport (Niagara-on-the-Lake)
- Welland/Niagara Central Airport (Welland)
- Niagara Falls/Niagara South Airport (Niagara Falls)
Aside from scheduled commuter flights between Niagara District Airport and Toronto City with FlyGTA, for commercial flights Niagara residents use Toronto Pearson International Airport, Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, or John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area; as well as crossing the border to use Buffalo Niagara International Airport or Niagara Falls International Airport in Upstate New York.
Public Transport
Public transit within Niagara Region is provided by Niagara Region Transit, including scheduled local bus service within Niagara Falls, St. Catharines, Thorold and Welland, on-demand transit service in other portions of the Region, and regional bus service between communities in the region.
WEGO is an additional local bus network within Niagara Falls, targeted at visitors rather than residents. The WEGO Green Line is operated by the Niagara Parks Commission and requires separate WEGO tickets, while the remainder of WEGO routes are operated by Niagara Region Transit and accept both Niagara Region Transit and WEGO tickets.
GO Transit provides regional train and bus services from Niagara Falls and St. Catharines to the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area.
VIA Rail serves Grimsby, St. Catharines and Niagara Falls stations as part of the Maple Leaf intercity train between Toronto and New York City, jointly operated with Amtrak.
Many private bus operators operate intercity services to Niagara Region on routes connecting to cities such as Toronto, Buffalo and New York. As of 2023, private bus operators in Niagara Region include Flixbus, Megabus, Equinox, Greyhound, and Trailways.
Highways
400-series expressways:
Other highways:
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