Information about Niagara Falls, Ontario

City of Niagara Falls, Ontario
Niagara Falls skyline at night Niagara Falls skyline at night
Location of Niagara Falls in the Niagara Region
Coordinates:
Country	Canada
Province	Ontario
Region	Niagara
Incorporated	June 12, 1903
Government
- Mayor	Ted Salci
- Governing body	Niagara Falls City Council
- MP	Rob Nicholson
- MPP	Kim Craitor
Area [1][2]
- City	209.58 km  (0 sq mi)
Population (2006) <ref name="2006CensCommun" /><ref name="2006CensCMAPop" />
- City	82181 (Ranked 60th)
- Density	392.14/km (0/sq mi)
Time zone	EST (UTC-5)
- Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
Postal Code	L2E-L2J, L0S
Area code(s)	905/289

Niagara Falls is a Canadian city of 82,184 residents<ref name="2006CensCommun" /> on the Niagara River in the Golden Horseshoe region of south-central Ontario. It lies across the river from Niagara Falls, New York, and was incorporated on June 12, 1903. It is commonly referred to the City of Champions.

The city is dominated by the Niagara Falls waterfalls on the Niagara River and benefits from the fact, that both falls, American Falls and Horseshoe Falls, can be best seen from the Canadian side thus presenting the city one of the major tourist attractions of the world. The natural spectacle brings in millions of tourists yearly. The city permitted the development of a tourist area along the falls and the gorge. This area which stretches along the Niagara River parkway and tourist promenade is particularly concentrated at the brink of the falls and, apart from the natural attractions along the river, includes huge parking lots, souvenir shops, observation towers, high-rise-hotels, casinos and theatres, mostly with colourful neon billboards and advertisements. Further to the north or south there are golf courses alongside historic sites from the War of 1812.

History

The Niagara Falls area has seen continuous settlement since the 17th century, first by the Iroquois and then by Europeans who were drawn to the immense falls. Louis Hennepin, a French priest, is regarded as the first European to visit the area in the 1670s.

Tourism started in the early 19th century and has been a vital part of the local economy since that time. As well as the obvious attractions of the falls, Niagara Falls markets itself as a honeymoon destination and is self-proclaimed as the honeymoon capital of the world.

With the creation of a Niagara regional government in 1970, the city amalgamated with the village of Chippawa and surrounding Willoughby, Crowland, and Stamford Townships, creating the present-day municipal boundaries.

Geography and Climate

Niagara Falls, Ontario is 130 kilometres (81 mi) from Toronto by road. The area of the Niagara Region is 1800 square kilometres (718 sq mi). The city sits at .

Topography

The city is built along the Niagara Falls waterfalls and the Niagara Gorge on the Niagara River which flows from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario.

Climate

The weather and climate for the Niagara Region of Ontario is moderate to extreme in both summer and winter. There are considerable extremes in either temperature or the type of weather that might be associated with locations that are in close proximity to a landmass such as the bodies of water surrounding the region.^[3]

Niagara Falls climate normals from Environment Canada<ref name="NiagaraClimate" />	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Avg. temp. (°C)	-4.5	-4.1	1	7.3	14	19.1	22.3	21.4	16.9	10.6	4.7	-1.4
Avg high temp. (°C)	-1	-0.5	5.1	12.2	19.3	24.2	27.2	26	21.3	14.7	8	1.9
Avg low temp. (°C)	-7.9	-7.7	-3.2	2.4	8.6	13.9	17.2	16.7	12.5	6.4	1.3	-4.7
Precipitation (millimeters)	69.5	67.4	75.5	75.5	76.5	87.5	75.4	81.6	95.2	84.3	91	90.7

Demographics

Ethnic Origin	Population	Percent
English	22,880	29.32%
Italian	15,425	19.77%
Scottish	13,910	17.82%
Irish	11,200	14.35%
French	8,710	11.16%
Source: 2001 Census of Canada[4]

In 2006, the population of Niagara Falls was 82,184 persons[1], an increase of 4.3 percent from the previous 2001 census, slightly below national growth, while the metropolitan area enumerated 427,421 people. The population of Niagara Falls is older than Canada in general in terms of age structure. Youths under 14 years of age number 18.09%, while those of retirement age number 17.03% showing a continuous ageing trend. Some 5,130 (6.57%) inhabitants described themselves visible minorities (non-white/non-European)[2].

83.97% of Niagara Falls city residents self-identified with Christian denominations. The largest denominations consist of Catholic (41.99%), Protestant (36.80%), and 5.18% other Christian mostly Orthodox, 14.10% claimed no religious affiliation, while minor religions (1.93%) including Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu, and Muslim accounted for the rest.^[5]

Communities

• Chippawa
• Crowland
• Niagara Falls
• Silvertown
• Stamford
• Willoughby

Niagara Falls Neighbourhoods

• Clifton Hill
• Downtown
• Fallsview
• Lundy's Lane
• Whirlpool/Glenview
• Others?

Business and Tourist Centers

• Clifton Hill District
• Fallsview
• Lundy's Lane

Economy

With a plentiful and inexpensive source of hydroelectric power via the waterfalls, many electro-chemical and electro-metallurgical industries located here in the early to mid-20th century.

Industry began moving out of the city in the 1970s and 80s because of recession and increasing global competition in the manufacturing sector. Tourism tightened its grip as the city's most important economic engine. It is a more popular destination than Niagara Falls, New York, in part due to the better view of the falls from the Canadian side. Also, Ontario's drinking age of 19 (compared to the 21 drinking age in the United States) attracts many 19 and 20-year-olds from the United States to the bars on the Canadian side.

In the mid-1990s the Ontario government introduced legal wagering to the local economy with Casino Niagara. The late-1990s witnessed an economic boom as numerous luxury hotels and tourist attractions were built. The first casino was followed in 2004 by the larger Niagara Fallsview Casino Resort. The casino business has been successful in attracting American tourists with the Canadian dollar lower than parity. However, with the Seneca Niagara Casino open on the American side, and a casino facility coming to Buffalo, New York, as well as impending passport requirements on the American side, the local tourist economy is not without potential problems.



The recent development has been almost completely centred on the Clifton Hill and Fallsview areas. The Niagara Falls downtown strip continues to suffer considerable decay, with much of the Queen Street retail area now vacant. The downtown area was a major centre for local commerce and night life up until the 1970s, when the development of the Niagara Square shopping mall began to draw away crowds and retailers. In 2006, New York City based developer Aaron Lichtman proposed a major investment in the area to encourage new retail development; the proposal, titled Historic Niagara, remains dependent on government funding of complementary services. As of February 2007, the project appeared stalled [3].

Government

Niagara Falls City Council is comprised of 8 councilors and 1 Mayor. City elections take place every 4 years with the next election in November 2010. Council is responsible for policy and decision making, monitoring the operation and performance of the city, analyzing and approving budgets and determining spending priorities.

Education

Niagara Falls has two post-secondary institutions as well is served by the Niagara District School Board and the Niagara Catholic District School Board which operate elementary and secondary schools in the region. There are also numerous private institutions offer alternatives to the traditional education systems.

Post Secondary

• Brock University in St. Catharines
• Niagara College in Welland, with campuses in Niagara Falls and Niagara-on-the-Lake.

High Schools

• Stamford Collegiate Secondary School
• Westlane Secondary School
• A N Myer Secondary School
• Saint Paul Catholic High School
• Saint Michael Catholic High School

Library

Niagara Falls is also served by a growing library system composed of four branches, with the main branch located in the downtown area. It is visited by over 10,000 people weekly. The Niagara Falls Public Library system's goals include preserving and indexing public materials relating to the history of Niagara Falls. An extensive online database exists with over 20,000 photographs and art works at Historic Niagara Digital Collections

Culture and Events

Winter Festival of Lights

A massive civic and business event from November 3 to early January 7. The event has evolved much since its beginnings during the first electrification projects in Niagara Falls, New York, and Niagara Falls, Ontario. Currently, only the Ontario side officially sponsors the event.

Sites of Interest

The Niagara Falls tourist sector is centred around the waterfalls and follows the from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario. As much of the land adjoined to the river is parkland under the watch of the Niagara Parks Commission many attractions based on the local natural environment have been created. To prolong visitor stays the city of Niagara Falls has a number of additional attractions in close proximity but not related to the natural features, including casinos and entertainment complexes. The Niagara Peninsula is also a significant wine-growing area, with winery tours and festivals becoming a significant area of growth in the local economy.The Canadian side of Niagara Falls has more attractions.

Falls observation related attractions

• Maid of the Mist
• Journey Behind the Falls
• Skylon Tower observation deck
• Weekly fireworks over Niagara Falls
• Nightly illumination of Niagara Falls
• Niagara Helicopters
• Niagara Skywheel

Niagara River and parkway attractions

• Niagara Botanical Gardens
• Floral Clock
• Spanish Aerocar over the Niagara River whirlpool
• White Water Walk at the Niagara River rapids
• Winter Festival of Lights
• Butterfly conservatory
• Niagara Heritage Trail
• Dufferin Islands
• Niagara Parks School of Horticulture

• Niagara River Recreation Trail
• Whirlpool Jetboat tours of the Niagara Gorge
• Numerous parkway golf courses
• The Rainbow Carillon, which sounds from the Rainbow Tower

Tourist sector entertainment

• See-Sight Tours http://www.seesight-tours.com- Providing fully guided tours of Niagara falls, Ontario.
• Clifton Hill, Niagara Falls — Tourist promenade featuring many arcades, haunted houses, wax museums, and themed restaurants.
• Marineland — Aquatic theme park
• Casinos-- Casino Niagara and Niagara Fallsview Casino Resort
• Major theme restaurants including Planet Hollywood, Rainforest Cafe and the Hard Rock Café
• IMAX Theatre and daredevil museum
• Cirque Niagara — an equestrian / Cirque Nouveau style circus
• Greg Frewin Theatre / Las Vegas style magic show.
• Skylon Tower
• Fallsview Tourist Area
• WWE Niagara Falls

Transportation

Highways

Niagara Falls and Niagara Falls, New York are linked to major highways in Canada and the United States respectively, with the 400-Series highway the Queen Elizabeth Way acting as a major artery between Toronto, Ontario and Buffalo, New York. Highway 420 is also another highway in the city. Niagara Parkway is a road operated under the Niagara Parks Commission.

Regional Airports

• Buffalo Niagara International Airport in Cheektowaga, New York.
• Toronto Pearson International Airport in Mississauga, Ontario.
• Hamilton/John C. Munro International Airport in Mount Hope, Ontario.

Shuttle bus services connect the city with all three airports.

Rail

• VIA Rail runs out of the Niagara Falls station
• Amtrak also has trains connecting it to Toronto and New York City

Bus

• Niagara Transit is the public transit operator in the city.
• Greyhound Canada has daily runs to and from Toronto and Buffalo, New York.
• Coach Canada has daily runs to and from Toronto and Buffalo, New York.

Cabs and Shuttlebuses

• Niagara Livery Service is a shuttle bus operator for Casino Niagara.
• 5-0 is a local cab service. A taxi shuttle provides transfers to airports from Buffalo, New York to Niagara Falls, Ontario and Toronto, Ontario.

Media

Niagara Falls is served by two main local newspapers, three radio stations and a community television channel. All other media is regional based, as well from Hamilton, Toronto and nearby Buffalo, New York.

Niagara Falls is considered part of the Toronto television market rather than the Buffalo television market. While Niagara Falls is directly across the Niagara River from the American side of the Buffalo area, Toronto is an hour and a half northwest. However, it is considered part of the Buffalo radio market.

Newspapers

Due to its proximity to Toronto and Buffalo, the local media is dominated by Toronto and Buffalo outlets. Local residents have easy access to the papers like the Toronto Star and the Toronto Sun. The Buffalo News is also widely available.

Local newspapers are:

• Niagara this Weekhttp://www.niagarathisweek.comCanada's Largest community newspaper
• Niagara Falls Reviewhttp://www.niagarafallsreview.ca

Radio

• 710 AM - CJRN, tourist information
• 101.1 FM - CKEY, "Z101" urban CHR
• 105.1 FM - CFLZ, "105.1 The River" hot adult contemporary

Television

• TV Cogeco is a community channel serving Niagara Falls.
• CIII-TV55, a Global transmitter from nearby Fort Erie
• CHCH from Hamilton, Ontario and serves the Niagara Region.

Sports

Sports teams of Niagara Falls

Club	League	Sport	Venue	Established	Championships
Niagara Falls Canucks	Golden Horseshoe Junior B Hockey League	Hockey	Niagara Falls Memorial Arena	1979	2

Notable People From Niagara Falls

• Daneen Boone - actress
• Billy Cupolo - former NHLer
• Matt Delisle - Tour de France champion 1994

References

External links

• Official website of the City of Niagara Falls
• Official map site of the City of Niagara Falls
• Niagara Falls Winter Festival of Lights Official Page
• Niagara Falls Community Newspaper
• Niagara Falls Bridge Commission
• Niagara Peninsula Communities
• Greater Niagara Baseball Association
• Historic Niagara Digital Collections
• Niagara Falls Poetry Project
• Niagara Falls Discussion Forum
• Ontario Tourism Investment Communique Niagara
• Some old postcards of Niagara.
• Maps and aerial photos for Coordinates:
• WikiSatellite view at
• Street map from Mapquest
• Aerial photograph from Terraserver
• Topo, Nautical, Aeronautical maps from Maptech

		Niagara-on-the-Lake
	Thorold, Welland	Niagara Falls	Niagara Falls NY, Grand Island
		Port Colborne, Fort Erie

•  • [ e] Regional Municipality of Niagara
Cities: Niagara Falls Port Colborne St. Catharines Thorold Welland Towns: Fort Erie Grimsby Lincoln Niagara-on-the-Lake Pelham Townships: Wainfleet West Lincoln

•  • [ e] Inner Ring of Golden Horseshoe
Largest City:	Toronto
Regions:	Durham Region • Halton Region • Peel Region • York Region • City of Hamilton • Niagara Region
Cities:	Brampton • Burlington • Mississauga • Niagara Falls • Oshawa • Pickering • Port Colborne • St. Catharines • Thorold • Vaughan • Welland
Towns and Major Communities:	Ajax • Aurora • Bolton • Bowmanville • Brock • Buttonville • Caledon • Clarington • Concord • East Gwillimbury • Fort Erie • Georgina • Grimsby • Lincoln • Halton Hills • Keswick • King • Kleinburg • Maple • Markham • Milton • Newmarket • Niagara-on-the-Lake • Oakville • Pelham • Richmond Hill • Scugog • Sutton • Thornhill • Unionville • Uxbridge • Whitby • Whitchurch-Stouffville • Woodbridge