Tia DeAgazio for Welland Ward 2

Go Welland!

"Saleh Waziruddin from Niagara Region Anti-Racism Association is thrilled with the election results across the region as well, noting at least two new candidates from racial minorities were elected to office, including “significant victories” by Sharmila Setaram representing Ward 3 in Welland and Mona Patel who was elected to Niagara Falls city council.

He said Setaram, who was born in Canada of Indo-Guyanese heritage, has a history of being involved in equity issues.

And Patel, an immigrant from Southeast Asia, is one of very few BIPOC representatives to have been elected in Niagara Falls in decades.

Setaram, the past-president of Amnesty International Canada and former chair of Equal Voice — a national bipartisan organization that encourages women to run for elected office — said she has “always been a human rights advocate and champion working on these issues in the community, and at a national level looking at policies and procedures, behind the scenes and also on the front lines at marches and protests.”

She said it has been at least 20 years since a woman has been elected in the ward she represents, and “it’s my understanding, too, that I’m the first person of colour to be elected to serve on city council here in Welland.

“It is incredible to win against incumbents. I had a huge uphill battle,” she said."

Diversity increasing among Niagara’s elected officials Nine women will serve on regional council

Ran around picking up lawn signs today. Still a few more to go, but... tomorrow! Rest now, LOL! :D

A heartfelt THANK YOU to all who supported me in this election! I'm happy that we got some new blood in council. As for me, I'll just keep doing what I love most, advocating for and supporting the best that Welland has to offer! Peace.

Looking forward to attending this play in an exciting new venue, The Bank Art House, 22 King Street!

‘In the Fire’ will ignite circus with dance at new Welland arts venue Shows scheduled for Oct. 28 and 29 at The Bank Art House

I’ve enjoyed working with Tia DeAgazio for Welland Ward 2, a strong, community minded, grass roots representative who loves her city and represents her constituents well. She has my support and I look forward to working with her for another 4 years.

Early voting at the Seaway Mall today!
10 AM to 5 PM, at the Seaway Branch of the Welland Library, near the food court.

https://www.wellandtribune.ca/local-welland/entertainment/2022/10/21/24th-annual-kacey-lynn-halloween-dance-returning-with-costume-contest-silent-auction.html?li_source=LI&li_medium=wellandtribune_recommended_for_you

Next Friday at the Welland Legion!

"The dance raises funds for The Kacey Lynn Fund, established in 1985 for Kacey Lynn, a five-year-old who died of cancer in 1988 at McMaster Hospital.

She noted the fund has spent over $800 to help a local boy with his sight.

“The glasses should be a lot of help,” said Dolan.

Earlier in the year, they helped send gift cards with the sneakers kids got for back to school.

The event will include music by a DJ, a bar, a costume contest with prizes and a silent auction, Dolan noted.

Tickets are $10 each and will also be sold at the door. The event is 19-plus. The doors open at 8 p.m.

All the proceeds will go to the Kacey Lynn Fund.

For ticket information, please contact Mary Dolan at 905-735-9526, Brenda Dolan at 905-401-8848 or email [email protected].

24th annual Kacey Lynn Halloween Dance returning with costume contest, silent auction The dance will take place on Oct. 28 at Royal Canadian Legion Branch 4 on Morningstar Avenue

https://www.wellandtribune.ca/local-niagara-falls/news/2022/10/21/women-s-place-launches-one-month-calendar-raffle-during-domestic-violence-awareness-month.html?source=newsletter&utm_content=a05&utm_source=ml_nl&utm_medium=email&utm_email=92612CFC6F571FE5E19F5A0FB4B87B65&utm_campaign=wtha_137418

Get your calendars at the Seaway Mall, this Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday, from 10 AM to 5 PM, near the CIBC.

Maybe after you vote? :)

Women’s Place launches one-month calendar raffle during Domestic Violence Awareness Month More than $12,000 in prizes up for grabs, ticket sales to benefit domestic violence prevention efforts

At the Bank Art House for a discussion on the future of art and culture in Welland. Great energy tonight!

Excerpt:

"The minister emphasized Queen’s Park would collaborate with municipalities to achieve their housing construction targets.

As first disclosed by the Star earlier this month, the Tories will scrap development charges on “inclusionary zoning” projects, which should encourage more affordable rental housing to be built.

Inclusionary zoning allows municipalities to mandate affordable housing units in new developments.

The province will offset any lost revenue to cities — in Toronto, residential development fees range from $25,470 to $93,978 per unit depending on the size of the home — using Ontario’s $1.6-billion share of the federal government’s $4-billion “Housing Accelerator Fund.”

Clark said the government also plans to “streamline approvals” by removing barriers to building homes, such as duplication by regional governments.

That means “removing planning approvals for certain upper-tier municipalities,” according to the leaked cabinet submission.

Thirty of Ontario’s 444 municipalities are defined as “upper tier,” including the regional governments of Peel, York, Durham, Halton, Waterloo and Niagara.

Toronto is considered a “single-tier” municipality because it is not part of any regional administration, while those that are — such as Mississauga, Brampton and Vaughan, among others — are “lower tier.”

The document says the Tories want “disentanglement of upper tiers from planning decisions” in order to expedite housing construction.

“Remove planning decision making from certain upper-tier municipalities and limit their role to commenting on lower-tier planning decisions,” it continues.

Clark said next week’s legislation complements his September bill that gave “strong-mayor” powers to Toronto and Ottawa, Ontario’s two largest cities."

Doug Ford will override municipal zoning to allow more housing across Ontario, confidential document reveals The Ontario government wants to “remove rules that prevent missing middle” housing — multi-dwelling units curbed by local zoning laws favouring single-family homes.

Excerpt: "The minister emphasized Queen’s Park would collaborate with municipalities to achieve their housing construction targets.

As first disclosed by the Star earlier this month, the Tories will scrap development charges on “inclusionary zoning” projects, which should encourage more affordable rental housing to be built.

Inclusionary zoning allows municipalities to mandate affordable housing units in new developments.

The province will offset any lost revenue to cities — in Toronto, residential development fees range from $25,470 to $93,978 per unit depending on the size of the home — using Ontario’s $1.6-billion share of the federal government’s $4-billion “Housing Accelerator Fund.”

Clark said the government also plans to “streamline approvals” by removing barriers to building homes, such as duplication by regional governments.

That means “removing planning approvals for certain upper-tier municipalities,” according to the leaked cabinet submission.

Thirty of Ontario’s 444 municipalities are defined as “upper tier,” including the regional governments of Peel, York, Durham, Halton, Waterloo and Niagara.

Toronto is considered a “single-tier” municipality because it is not part of any regional administration, while those that are — such as Mississauga, Brampton and Vaughan, among others — are “lower tier.”

The document says the Tories want “disentanglement of upper tiers from planning decisions” in order to expedite housing construction.

“Remove planning decision making from certain upper-tier municipalities and limit their role to commenting on lower-tier planning decisions,” it continues.

Clark said next week’s legislation complements his September bill that gave “strong-mayor” powers to Toronto and Ottawa, Ontario’s two largest cities."

Doug Ford will override municipal zoning to allow more housing across Ontario, confidential document reveals The Ontario government wants to “remove rules that prevent missing middle” housing — multi-dwelling units curbed by local zoning laws favouring single-family homes.

Hey everyone!

Just wanted to drop a reminder that our next Meet & Greet Art Networking Event is next Friday (Oct 21) at 7pm at The Bank Art House (22 King St).

Did you know, one of Welland's murals resides on the outside of The Bank Art House?

"Main Street", by Mike Svob, contains two scenes of commercial activity in early downtown Welland

And directly across the parking lot sits another mural, "Downtown Welland", by Phillip Wolf, which depicts the commercial life of early Welland.

These 2 murals are some of the best condition of all the murals in Welland!

Come out next Friday and let's talk about murals! Lots of news coming regarding murals both existing, and upcoming! Some very interesting mural related events in the works!

Hope to see you there!

Early voting this Saturday and Sunday at the Seaway Mall, Welland Library Branch, near the food court.
10 AM to 5 PM.

Still need some volunteers to help with flyer deliveries. Please send me a message if you would like to help.

The Open Arms Mission Barbecue at Tailgates was a great success! Thanks to Ryan Nava for hosting and Scott Heil for cooking!

The pride and joy of the new fire station--a new fire truck with a 110 foot ladder.

Tia De Agazio, Councillor Welland Ward 2 - Canadian Federation of University Women For the last 30+ years, I have exemplified what it means to be a community leader. Throughout my career working in a number of community engagement, education, advocacy, administrative, & […]

Posting again, because it is important to many of us.
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Commentary by Liz Benniean, of Biodiversity & Climate Action Committee. Too often, developers, and some municipalities, have been using the existence of a few dead ash trees as an excuse to cut down entire woodlands. While the Emerald Ash Borer, a pest from China has killed millions of trees since it arrived in Ontario more than two decades ago, we should be making up for that loss by replanting, not continuing to diminish our forests. In Niagara, we only have 17% tree canopy when Environment Canada says 30% is the minimum required for ecosystem and human health. Dealing with the losses caused by the Emerald Ash Borer should be seen as an opportunity to plant more trees of more diverse species.
Part of the reason we lost so many million ash trees in Southern Ontario is because we didn't learn our lesson from Dutch Elm disease. During the last century, elms were widely planted by municipalities, with street after street lined with them. In doing so, they created a monoculture and when Dutch Elm came along our urban forests were devastated. Decades later, having learned nothing, we did the same thing, planting ash heavily in our cities because it grows well in urban conditions. Then one little pest hitched a ride on some wood pellets from Asia and we suffered significant tree loss again.
The time has come for us to learn that diversity is the key to healthy urban forests. We need to replant with diverse, native species so one pest/disease cannot wipe out a big percentage of our tree canopy.
And we need our municipalities to recognize that every tree counts, every woodland counts. Dead trees can be replaced, our woodlands and urban forests can be enhanced and we can plant for a better, healthier, more resilient future.
Liz Benneian

Don't worry if you did not receive your voter's card. You can still vote with acceptable identification. Bring an additional piece that shows your name and address. :)

With or without your voter's card, you will need to prove your identity.

You must present one of the following documents showing your name and address:

Ontario driver’s licence
Ontario Health Card (photo card)
Ontario Photo Card
Ontario motor vehicle permit (vehicle portion)
cancelled personalized cheque
mortgage statement, lease or rental agreement relating to property in Ontario
insurance policy or insurance statement
loan agreement or other financial agreement with a financial institution
document issued or certified by a court in Ontario
any other document from the government of Canada, Ontario or a municipality in Ontario or from an agency or such a government
any document from a Band Council in Ontario established under the Indian Act (Canada)
income tax assessment notice
child tax benefit statement
statement of employment insurance benefits paid T4E
statement of old age security T4A (OAS)
statement of Canada Pension Plan benefits T4A(P)
Canada Pension Plan statement of contributions
statement of direct deposit for Ontario Works
statement of direct deposit for Ontario Disability Support Program
Workplace Safety and Insurance Board statement of benefits T5007
property tax assessment
credit card statement, bank account statement, or RRSP, RRIF, RHOSP or T5 statement
CNIB Card or a card from another registered charitable organization that provides services to persons with disabilities
hospital card or record
document showing campus residence, issued by the office or officials responsible for student residence at a post-secondary institution
document showing residence at a long-term care home under the Long-Term Care Homes Act, 2007, issued by the Administrator for the home
utility bill for hydro, water, gas, telephone or cable TV or a bill from a public utilities commission
cheque stub, T4 statement or pay receipt issued by an employer
transcript or report card from a post-secondary school

Advance Poll Dates:

October 15, 16 and 22, 23, 2022
from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
– Seaway Mall, Welland Public Library, 800 Niagara Street

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Election Day – October 24th – 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Seaway Mall, Welland Public Library, 800 Niagara Street
Wesley United Church, 244 First Avenue
Wellspring Community Church, 370 South Pelham Road
Casa Dante Lodge, 34 Lincoln Street
Welland Community Centre, 145 Lincoln Street
Eastdale Secondary School, 170 Wellington Street
Royal Canadian Legion, 383 Morningstar Avenue
Croatian National Home, 6 Broadway Avenue

Eligibility to Vote

On election Day you are:
a Canadian citizen;
at least 18 years old;
a resident, or the owner or tenant of land in the City of Welland or the spouse of such owner or tenant;
not prohibited from voting under the Municipal Elections Act, 1996 or otherwise by law.

Review the list of acceptable documents for voter identification for more information on acceptable forms of voter identification.

Poverty Reduction Strategy Survey The Niagara Prosperity Initiative is an annual investment by Niagara Region to support poverty reduction and prevention activities.