From birth to around the age of four, the building blocks for a healthy emotional life are established. Parents, along with other immediate caregivers, are the key to establishing a comforting, supportive environment for babies, toddlers and young children, whose brain chemistry is being constructed. How this architecture is shaped in the first few years greatly influences the future life of adolescents and young adults, many of whom are struggling with unprecedented rates of anxiety and depression.
An increasing number of children and youth suffering from trauma, addiction and violence are not getting the help they desperately need from the system designed to help them. This has led to a growing number of complaints about Ontario’s children’s aid societies, which have exposed a fractured system whose underfunding is putting more young people at risk.
After City staff recommended reducing Welland Council from 12 councillors to 6, elected officials have hit the pause button to find out if residents want to shrink the size of their local governing body.
Other comparable municipalities have two to five times more constituents per councillor.
Freedom of Information.
What exactly does that mean in St. Catharines? The City has reports detailing the extent of the toxic stew underneath the GM site on Ontario Street; why has it refused to make those reports public?
Last week Ontario’s biennial mental health and well-being survey of 10,000 students in grades seven to twelve was released by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.
Its findings are not surprising, but they are disturbing. Many young people are struggling with anxiety, depression and other signs of poor mental health. What are the root causes, and how can we collectively help a generation that often feels helpless?
With “the sole objective to reduce the cost on the taxpayer”, Welland City Council will consider whether to reduce its council size from 12 councillors to 6 and the mayor for the 2026 election.
The City of Niagara Falls launches a collaborative budgeting initiative for Parks and Recreation projects to gain citizen input. However, if service cuts are to come in 2025, this department could be first to see reductions.
Elaine and Randy Moore are the key to electric vehicle takeup. They do not describe themselves as keen environmentalists, the early adopters who bought into the electric vehicle market years ago; or innovators, those that have to have the latest technology and gadgets as soon as they come out.
They are part of the roughly 85 percent of Canadians who will enter the green vehicle market only when it makes sense to them. Their recent trip to Florida in their new mid-size electric SUV was the first test of the decision they made to go green.
The Professor Emerita and author has studied mammalian parenting during her acclaimed career at the University of Notre Dame. Since retiring four years ago from lecturing on developmental psychology and neurobiology, Narvaez has focused her energy on public education.
The Pointer speaks with her about the challenges young people face, and how a return to earlier developmental upbringing could help stem the forces pushing in on children and youth today.
Despite years of complaints over the treatment of its animals, Marineland has never been found guilty of animal cruelty. But now the theme park has been fined for failing to fix significant issues with the enclosures for their black bears.
The Pointer conducted a Q&A with the Executive Director of Animal Justice, who addressed the implications of the convictions, what may lay ahead for Marineland and animal welfare legislation in Ontario.
Six weeks after local environmental advocates reported a toxic spill into the Welland River, it appears the substance is still leaching into the environment.
Despite efforts from City and Ministry officials, a source has yet to be identified, although tracking has led back to nearby industrial business parks.
Council members in St. Catharines will once again be discussing proposed changes to the city’s Community Improvement Plan (CIP) which provides taxpayer dollars to developers to assist with getting projects off the ground.
Welland is moving quickly to open an emergency shelter for next year, while in West Lincoln it’s been over a week since a by-election was declared, but not a single candidate has stepped forward to register.
Ten supervised consumption sites have been ordered to close after Minister of Health Sylvia Jones announced during the 2024 Association of Municipalities of Ontario conference in Ottawa the Province will be banning sites within 200 metres of schools and childcare centres.
Despite clear evidence of the positive impacts of these sites, the PCs also said they will be introducing legislation in the fall that will prevent any future sites from opening, raising questions about two such locations Peel Region planned to open in Mississauga and Brampton.
The PC government claims Highway 413 will begin construction next year. It’s an unlikely timeline based on an examination of studies that must be done and the fact that basic design of the 59-kilometre highway has yet to be completed.
A recently released recovery strategy from the federal government for an endangered species could put another serious hurdle in the path of the PC government’s controversial pet project.
The tree canopy target, critical to many of the city’s environmental goals and the health of its residents, has been reduced.
Municipal staff estimate the 260,000 trees needed to meet the new target is achievable, but will the numbers add up to a similar impact as the original plan, with serious consequences for St. Catharines if it fails to maintain a protective natural canopy.
As the number of unhoused people in municipalities across the province continues to rise, Ontario’s Big City Mayors have launched a campaign called ‘Solve the Crisis’.
The growing problem in their backyard needs a coordinated effort by upper levels of government, mayors say. A new provincial ministry with designated funding specifically to tackle homelessness, is a starting point.
The premature approval of zoned land for 35,000 homes in Caledon will have devastating impacts on the habitat for nearly 25 species at risk, an analysis by The Pointer has found. The disregard for environmental protection is being facilitated by a PC government that refuses to fix the department responsible for protecting the habitat of vulnerable wildlife.
During a rare summer parliamentary committee meeting, members of the House of Commons status of women committee left sexual assault survivor and advocate Cait Alexander in tears after she shared the intimate details of her story with MPs, only to be sidelined by a chaotic display of political sparring after Liberal MP Anita Vandenbeld railroaded the discussion on Alexander’s horrific experience to debate an abortion rights motion.
It has been projected that ten thousand new students, mostly from abroad, will enroll at the University of Niagara Falls over the next 5 years.
No detailed housing strategy has been developed by the post-secondary institution or the City, raising concerns about where the international student body is going to live in Niagara Falls in the midst of a housing crisis.
A by-election to replace West Lincoln councillor Terry Bell is to be held November 4th.
A critical piece of land in Niagara Falls is moving closer to development, despite hesitation from council and residents.
A council priority since 2011, the municipality has seen modest improvements to its urban tree canopy, a critical asset in the fight against climate change. But recent projections from staff suggest the council-approved goal of planting 100,000 trees may not be achievable.
A large contingent of citizens, upset with the decision-making of their local councillors in Niagara-on-the Lake, have taken to the streets.
Many are upset with the "hidden agendas" of their elected officials, who have approved controversial development projects that they say will change the character of the small town.
Organizations working to eradicate human trafficking are urging the federal government to begin consultations on a renewed approach to ensure vital services for vulnerable survivors are not disrupted.
With the rise of sophisticated criminal networks operating online and around the world in the rapidly growing human trafficking market, experts are calling for preventative measures and more supports for those victimized by these horrific crimes.
With a task force of five City Council members in place, a review of the municipality's Community Improvement Plan (CIP) is now moving forward.
Development pressures are forcing elected officials to rethink the timeframes for financial incentives meant to spark development in underutilized areas of the city.
A new law touted as the solution to shutting down puppy mills across Ontario is nothing but window dressing, advocates state.
The government currently has no idea how many puppy mills operate in the province, and without a licensing regime to identify them and set detailed standards of care for these animals—which the new legislation lacks—little will change for animals in desperate need of aid.
The economic cost of the recent flooding across the GTA was as much as $4 billion.
Human nature is hardwired for survival, but we have never been good at the long game.
If the existential threat of the climate crisis is too distant, too disconnected or too inconvenient to change our daily routines, its rapidly increasing cost to each of us might be the key to dramatically shifting our habits.
After public backlash over its unprecedented crackdown of bed and breakfasts across the city, St. Catharines has finally backed off.
Outrageous fines, with little to no notice, were handed out to unsuspecting B&B owners, in what was claimed to be an effort to single out bad actors in the short-term rental market. The move drew significant public response, after it was revealed Mayor Mat Siscoe had met with hotel industry lobbyists who wanted to see the end of short-term rentals.
This week is a special Democracy Watch focusing on Official Plans, the documents that determine future planning and development in a municipality.
Niagara Falls and Welland—the region’s second and third largest municipalities respectively—are currently in the midst of formally updating these crucial documents.
On Thursday, Niagara Regional Council will consider amendments to its Procedural By-law and Code of Conduct as a result of the “exceptionally challenging” meeting of January 25th that saw members of Niagara’s Palestinian community blocked from speaking, leading to outrage across the region.
A voluminous report from the Provincial Auditor General, an inefficient laboratory system under Public Health Ontario and a long gestating plan that would see the end of free private drinking water testing in Ontario.
With shades of Walkerton, how the keen eye of a Source Protection employee averted what critics describe as a move that would put communities at risk.
Visual Arts Mississauga is failing to provide the basic needs for one of its deaf students, an application before the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario alleges. The case exposes the decades-long failure of the PC government to adequately assist Ontarians with disabilities and its unwillingness to enforce its own laws designed to provide equal treatment to disabled individuals.
It took the work of dedicated citizen environmentalists to track the source of a supposed chemical spill into the Welland River before the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks took action. Mitigation measures are now in place and an investigation is ongoing.
The tragic lessons of the past, such as the Walkerton E. coli outbreak, should serve as warnings about what not to do when managing our water supply and ecosystems across Ontario, says one of the province’s most respected watershed scientists.
The PC government has instead reverted back to the days of poor planning and oversight, putting all of us at risk, to benefit developers who want to strip away critical regulations.
Cathy Simpson dared to challenge libraries. The now former head of Niagara-on-the-Lake’s library system called out an emerging trend within her profession, the repudiation of texts not aligned with progressive views on subjects such as equity.
She argued that reflexive rejection of ideas from the right side of the political spectrum only serves to bolster those waging a culture war to ban books, limit free speech and push authoritarian ideas. For her efforts, she was fired by the board that oversees the community’s main institution of shared learning.
A seemingly innocuous report to provide Thorold Planning staff with the tools to help calculate greenhouse gas emissions, turns into an 18-month odyssey marked by numerous climate change debates, dubious claims from opponents and a lack of municipal staff resources. In the end, staff give Council an easy out.
As electric vehicle sales stagnate, governments are working with manufacturers to create a greener system for cars. The NDP's transportation critic Jennifer French tells The Pointer the biggest barrier is the lack of charging infrastructure, something that requires a government-led solution, instead of the roadblocks Doug Ford keeps putting up.
In Niagara Region, some of the area’s council members have expressed troubling, tone deaf attitudes about Indigenous land acknowledgments. Unlike most places across the country, in this border region, backward views expressed by elected officials such as Tim Rigby would shock many Canadians, especially Indigenous and First Nations community members who continue to fight for reconciliation, after efforts to wipe them out by European-Canadians.
The CEOs of Canada’s top five banks appeared as witnesses at the House of Commons standing committee on the environment and sustainable development June 13.
It was part of work on climate impacts related to the Canadian financial system, after mounting evidence that the banks are fueling the climate crisis while hiding behind empty net-zero promises.
Proposed terms of reference changes that would allow the DEI committee to bring forward recommendations on anti-harassment and anti-hate by-laws or host a town hall on racism are being deemed “out of scope” by Council members and staff.
Peter and Gina Schafrick are building tiny homes for senior women on the verge of becoming unhoused. Residents allow parts of their property to host the units constructed by the couple, who say the approach is not a silver bullet to the sweeping housing crisis, but it does offer seniors in dire situations a lifeline, to avoid living on the streets.
Separate letters from the federal and provincial Housing Ministers presented to Region of Peel council Thursday reveal disturbing behaviour by Doug Ford’s PC government which continues to put developer interests over public priorities in the middle of a crippling housing crisis.
While the PCs and Justin Trudeau’s Liberals appear to have since resolved issues around funding allocations to municipalities, it is the latest example of the Premier’s efforts to help developers dictate the type of housing that will be built.
A case bringing together 15 young people from across Canada, against the federal government for its failure to properly act on the climate crisis, is moving forward with an amended statement of claim.
Environmental law experts believe that using courts around the world is the best strategy to hold governments and corporations accountable for the destruction of our planet and force them to act.
After two blistering reports on foreign temporary workers in Canada, stakeholders, including agri-business lobby groups on one side and advocates for the fair treatment of workers on the other, are anxiously awaiting an overhaul of the broken system by the federal government.
Without any direct notice, B&B owners across the city were stunned to find thousands of dollars in fines for operating their business after a new bylaw that requires certain conditions meant to control irresponsible short-term rental operations.
Residents are fine with the new rules but are fighting back against the draconian enforcement, determined to get their money back and their businesses reopened.
A veteran with all the scars and victories accumulated across five decades in political life, Carolyn Parrish promises to be the leader that will fight for Mississauga’s future at a critical time in its history. She vows to use her trademark no-nonsense style to advocate for her city, as it transforms from its suburban past into an urban identity. Fair share funding long denied to the country’s seventh largest city, for critical needs such as housing and social services, will be her immediate priority.
The city’s elected officials used procedural tactics to avoid a decision on one of the largest development proposals in the history of Niagara Falls. More changes to Provincial planning legislation may preclude residents from being able to appeal the controversial development application to the Ontario Land Tribunal, which will likely render the final verdict on the proposed construction of 1,344 new homes.
Tens of millions of public dollars are allocated here, critical decisions on everything from Niagara’s future planning, the way people move across their communities to how its leaders accommodate demographic changes are debated here; but many residents seldom see the inner workings of the Region’s Standing Committee, whose elected members represent the needs and desires of their constituents.
Advocates and survivors are demanding the PC government stop delaying and officially declare intimate partner violence an epidemic in Ontario.
The move comes following the murder of a 58-year-old mother by her 25-year-old son in a Mississauga hotel room.
While Toronto just committed to a human rights approach when dealing with people in encampments and other forms of shelter, and the Region of Peel just backed a similar strategy that is humane, placing our fellow residents at the centre of any response to the crisis they are coping with, the City of Brampton, led by Patrick Brown and one of his key council allies, Rowena Santos, is doing the opposite.
The Region’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Advisory Committee grapples with its mandate and desire to deal with Anti-Palestinian racism… but not before having its meeting virtually hijacked. Meanwhile, Regional Council revisits its controversial January 25th meeting, behind closed doors.
The Lyons Narrows development, which would go a long way toward the City of Niagara Falls meeting housing and population targets, has been met with public opposition.
With a possible fight ahead at the Ontario Land Tribunal, staff point to a lack of justification by the applicant.
