Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls is a tourism-dependent riding that includes the city of Niagara Falls, the town of Fort Erie, and the town of Niagara-on-the-Lake. Wayne Gates won the seat for the NDP in a February 2014 by-election and had been re-elected in each subsequent general election. The riding’s economy, heavily reliant on tourism and the hospitality industry, was devastated by COVID-19 restrictions, making economic recovery the central issue heading into the 2022 campaign.

Candidates

Wayne Gates (NDP) — Gates is a former auto worker and longtime president of Unifor Local 199 in Niagara Falls, where he represented the membership for over a decade. Before entering provincial politics, he served as a city councillor for Niagara Falls and was active in community organizations including the United Way, the Yellow Shirt Brigade to save the Fort Erie hospital, and the Ontario Health Coalition. At Queen’s Park, he served as the NDP’s critic for Workplace Health and Safety, Training, Trades and Apprenticeships, and Auto Strategy.

Bob Gale (Progressive Conservative) — Gale was serving his second term as Niagara Regional Councillor for Niagara Falls. Before entering municipal politics, he worked as a police officer and then as an entrepreneur for 35 years, with businesses spanning Niagara-on-the-Lake, Niagara Falls, and Fort Erie.

Ashley Waters (Liberal) — Waters is a non-profit manager who worked for Scouts Canada for 11 years and previously held a sales and marketing role at the Scotiabank Convention Centre. She holds a degree in political science from Brock University and was a founding member of NEXTNiagara, a young professionals’ network. She was named one of Niagara’s Top 40 Under 40 Business Leaders.

Christine Lewis-Napolitano (New Blue Party), Tommy Ward (Green Party), Wesley Kavanagh (Ontario Party), and Devon St. Denis-Richard (None of the Above Direct Democracy Party) also ran.

Local Issues

The COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on tourism was the overriding local issue. Approximately 40,000 jobs in the Niagara region rely on tourism and hospitality, and the prolonged closures during the pandemic were devastating. Niagara Falls’ two major casinos—Casino Niagara and Fallsview—temporarily closed again in January 2022 under renewed provincial restrictions before reopening at reduced capacity later that month. Before the pandemic, the city received approximately $20 million annually from casino revenue contributions, and that stream was drastically reduced.

The construction of a new South Niagara Hospital was a major healthcare promise. The project, planned for a 50-acre site at Montrose and Biggar roads in Niagara Falls, advanced through the procurement process during the term. Bob Gale promised to accelerate the project if elected, while Gates focused on ensuring adequate staffing and public oversight of the new facility.