Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls encompasses the city of Niagara Falls, the town of Fort Erie, and the town of Niagara-on-the-Lake, a riding whose economy blends tourism, gaming, agriculture, and wine production. Wayne Gates first won the seat in a 2014 by-election and had been re-elected in every general election since, making health care a signature issue throughout his tenure. During the 2022 to 2025 term, the construction of a new regional hospital and reductions to urgent care services in smaller communities dominated local debate.

Candidates

Wayne J. Gates (NDP) — Gates is a former auto worker and longtime president of Unifor Local 199 who served as a Niagara Falls city councillor before entering provincial politics. At Queen's Park he has served as the NDP's critic for Workplace Health and Safety, Training, and Auto Strategy. He is one of the longest-serving current NDP members in the legislature.

Ruth-Ann Nieuwesteeg (Progressive Conservative) — Nieuwesteeg is a lifelong Niagara Falls resident who has owned and operated Patterson Funeral Home with her family for over 25 years. She served as chair of the Business Improvement Association for the Main and Ferry district and as chair of the Greater Niagara Hospital Foundation, where she led efforts to unite hospital foundations to enhance health care services.

Shafoli Kapur (Liberal) — Kapur is the founder and director of TDOT Immigration Services, a firm specializing in immigration assistance for individuals seeking to study, work, or live in Canada. She holds an electrical engineering degree and a certificate in immigration consulting from Humber College.

Minor candidates included Gary Dumelie (New Blue Party), Celia Taylor (Green Party), Andrew Soifert (Ontario Party), and Joedy Burdett (Independent).

Local Issues

The construction of the South Niagara Hospital was a defining development during the term. After a groundbreaking ceremony in July 2023, the 1.3-million-square-foot facility on a 50-acre site at Montrose and Biggar roads in Niagara Falls entered active construction under a 3.6-billion-dollar contract with EllisDon Infrastructure Healthcare. The hospital is expected to open around 2028 and will feature centres of excellence in complex care, wellness in aging, and stroke treatment.

Urgent care closures in Fort Erie became a flashpoint. The Douglas Memorial urgent care centre, converted from a full emergency department in 2009, saw its operating hours reduced in 2023 due to physician shortages, with further weekend and holiday closures announced in 2024. Gates presented petitions at Queen's Park calling for the restoration of 24/7 health care at the facility, while residents feared the centre would close permanently once the new hospital opened. The lack of a hospital or emergency department in Fort Erie left thousands of residents without nearby acute care access.

Tourism recovery continued after the pandemic-era devastation of the hospitality sector. Casino operations at Fallsview and Casino Niagara had returned to full capacity, and the city's tourism-dependent economy benefited from renewed cross-border travel, though labour shortages in the hospitality industry persisted.