Niagara Falls is a city in

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

, Canada, adjacent to, and named after,

Niagara Falls Niagara Falls is a group of three waterfalls at the southern end of Niagara Gorge, spanning the Canada–United States border, border between the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Ontario in Canada and the state of New York (s ...

. As of the 2021 census, the city had a population of 94,415. The city is located on the

Niagara Peninsula The Niagara Peninsula is an area of land lying between the southwestern shore of Lake Ontario and the northeastern shore of Lake Erie, in Ontario, Canada. Technically an isthmus rather than a peninsula, it stretches from the Niagara River in the ...

along the western bank of the

Niagara River The Niagara River ( ) flows north from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario, forming part of the border between Ontario, Canada, to the west, and New York, United States, to the east. The origin of the river's name is debated. Iroquoian scholar Bruce T ...

, which forms part of the

Canada–United States border The international border between Canada and the United States is the longest in the world by total length. The boundary (including boundaries in the Great Lakes, Atlantic, and Pacific coasts) is long. The land border has two sections: Canada' ...

, with the other side being the twin city of

Niagara Falls, New York Niagara Falls is a City (New York), city in Niagara County, New York, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a total population of 48,671. It is adjacent to the Niagara River, across from the city of Niagar ...

. Niagara Falls is within the

Regional Municipality of Niagara The Regional Municipality of Niagara, also colloquially known as the Niagara Region or Region of Niagara, is a regional municipality in southern Ontario, Canada, which occupies most of the Niagara Peninsula. As of 2024, the region had an estimate ...

and a part of the St. Catharines - Niagara Census Metropolitan Area (CMA). Tourism is a major part of the city's economy: its skyline consists of multiple high-rise hotels and observation towers that overlook the waterfalls and adjacent parkland. Souvenir shops, arcades, museums, amusement rides, indoor water parks, casinos, theatres and a

convention centre A convention center (American and British English spelling differences, American English; or conference centre in British English) is a large building that is designed to hold a Convention (meeting), convention, where individuals and groups ...

are located nearby in the city's large tourist area. Other parts of the city include historic sites from the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 was fought by the United States and its allies against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom and its allies in North America. It began when the United States United States declaration of war on the Uni ...

, parks, golf courses, commercial spaces, and residential neighbourhoods.

History

Prior to European arrival, present day Niagara Falls was populated by

Iroquoian The Iroquoian languages () are a language family of indigenous peoples of North America. They are known for their general lack of labial consonants. The Iroquoian languages are polysynthetic and head-marking. As of 2020, almost all surviving I ...

-speaking

Neutral people The Neutral Confederacy (also Neutral Nation, Neutral people, or ) was a tribal confederation of Iroquoian peoples. Its heartland was in the floodplain of the Grand River (Ontario), Grand River in what is now Ontario, Canada. At its height, its w ...

but, after attacks from the

Haudenosaunee The Iroquois ( ), also known as the Five Nations, and later as the Six Nations from 1722 onwards; alternatively referred to by the Endonym and exonym, endonym Haudenosaunee ( ; ) are an Iroquoian languages, Iroquoian-speaking Confederation#Ind ...

and Seneca, the Neutral people population was severely reduced. The Haudenosaunee people remained in the area until Europeans made first contact in the late 17th century. The Niagara Falls area had some European settlement in the 17th century.

Louis Hennepin Louis Hennepin, OFM (born Antoine Hennepin; ; 12 May 1626 – 5 December 1704) was a Belgian Catholic priest and missionary best known for his activities in North America. A member of the Recollects, a minor branch of the Franciscans, he travel ...

, a French

priest A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deity, deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in parti ...

and

missionary A missionary is a member of a Religious denomination, religious group who is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Thoma ...

, is considered to be the first European to visit the area in the 1670s. French colonists settled mostly in Lower Canada, beginning near the Atlantic, and in Quebec and Montreal. After surveys were completed in 1782 the area was referred to as ''Township Number 2'' as well as Mount Dorchester after Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester (and today is only honoured by Dorchester Road and the community of Dorchester Village). The earliest settlers of Township Number 2 were Philip George Bender (namesake of Bender Street and Bender Hill near Casino Niagara originally from Germany and later New Jersey and

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

) and Thomas McMicken (a Scottish-born British Army veteran). Increased settlement in this area took place during and after the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...

, when the British Crown made land grants to Loyalists to help them resettle in Upper Canada and provide some compensation for their losses after the United States became independent. Loyalist Robert Land received and was one of the first people of European descent to settle in the Niagara Region. He moved to nearby

Hamilton Hamilton may refer to: * Alexander Hamilton (1755/1757–1804), first U.S. Secretary of the Treasury and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States * ''Hamilton'' (musical), a 2015 Broadway musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda ** ''Hamilton'' (al ...

three years later due to the relentless noise of the falls. Whirlpool House-3011 Portage Road-Niagara Falls-Ontario-HPC9793-20221023

In 1791,

John Graves Simcoe Lieutenant-General (United Kingdom), Lieutenant-General John Graves Simcoe (25 February 1752 – 26 October 1806) was a British army officer, politician and colonial administrator who served as the lieutenant governor of Upper Canada from 1791 u ...

renamed the town as Stamford after

Stamford, Lincolnshire Stamford is a market town and civil parish in the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. The population at the 2011 census was 19,701 and estimated at 20,645 in 2019. The town has 17th- and 18th-century stone buildings, older timber ...

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

but today Stamford is only used for an area northwest of downtown Niagara Falls as well as Stamford Street. During the war of 1812, the battle of Lundy's Lane took place nearby in July 1814. In 1856, the Town of Clifton was incorporated by Ogden Creighton after

Clifton, Bristol Clifton is an inner suburb of Bristol, England, and the name of one of the city's thirty-five Wards and electoral divisions of the United Kingdom, electoral wards. The Clifton ward also includes the areas of Cliftonwood and Hotwells. The easter ...

. The name of the town was changed to Niagara Falls in 1881. In 1882, the community of Drummondville (near the present-day corner of Lundy's Lane and Main Street) was incorporated as the village of Niagara Falls (South). The village was referred to as Niagara Falls South to differentiate it from the town. In 1904, the town and village amalgamated to form the City of Niagara Falls. In 1963, the city amalgamated with the surrounding Stamford Township. In 1970, the Niagara regional government was formed. This resulted in the village of Chippawa, Willoughby Township, and part of Crowland Township being annexed into Niagara Falls. An

internment camp Internment is the imprisonment of people, commonly in large groups, without Criminal charge, charges or Indictment, intent to file charges. The term is especially used for the confinement "of enemy citizens in wartime or of terrorism suspects ...

for Germans was set up at The Armoury (now Niagara Military Museum) in Niagara Falls from December 1914 to August 1918.

Black history

Nathaniel Dett Chapel 2012-09-17 23-02-42

Niagara Falls has had a Black population since at least 1783. Up to 12 African-Americans were a part of the

Butler's Rangers Butler's Rangers (1777–1784) was a Loyalist provincial military unit of the American Revolutionary War, raised by American loyalist John Butler. Most members of the regiment were Loyalists from upstate New York and northeastern Pennsylvania. T ...

, including Richard Pierpoint. When they were disbanded in 1783, they tried to establish themselves through farming nearby, making them among the first Black settlers in the region. It is estimated that nearly 10 percent of the Loyalists to settle in the area were

Black Loyalists Black Loyalists were people of African descent who sided with Loyalist (American Revolution), Loyalists during the American Revolutionary War. In particular, the term referred to men enslaved by Patriot (American Revolution), Patriots who served ...

. Niagara Falls' Black population increased in the following decades, as a destination on the

Underground Railroad The Underground Railroad was an organized network of secret routes and safe houses used by freedom seekers to escape to the abolitionist Northern United States and Eastern Canada. Enslaved Africans and African Americans escaped from slavery ...

. In 1856, a British Methodist Episcopal (BME) Church was established for African-Canadian worshipers. The BME Church, Nathaniel Dett Memorial Chapel is now a National Historic Site, remaining in operation into the 21st century. Composer, organist, pianist and music professor Nathaniel Dett was born in Niagara Falls in 1882. In 1886, Burr Plato became one of the first African Canadians to be elected to political office, holding the position of City Councillor of Niagara Falls until 1901.

Geography

Niagara Falls is approximately by road from Ontario's capital of

Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...

, which is across Lake Ontario to the north. The area of the Niagara Region is approximately .

Topography

The city is built along the

waterfalls and the

Niagara Gorge Niagara Gorge is an long canyon carved by the Niagara River along the Canada–United States border, between the U.S. state of New York (state), New York and the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. It begins at the ...

on the

, which flows from

Lake Erie Lake Erie ( ) is the fourth-largest lake by surface area of the five Great Lakes in North America and the eleventh-largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and also has the shortest avera ...

Lake Ontario Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north, west, and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south and east by the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. The Canada–United Sta ...

Climate

The city of Niagara Falls has a

humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers, and cold ...

(

Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...

''Dfa'') which is moderated to an extent in all seasons by proximity to bodies of water. Winters are cold, with a January high of and a low of . However, temperatures above are common during winter. The average annual snowfall is , in which it can receive lake effect snow from both lakes Erie and Ontario. Summers are warm to hot and humid, with a July high of and a low of . The average annual precipitation is , which is relatively evenly distributed throughout the year. Niagara Falls holds the record for the highest temperature recorded in Canada in January, when it reached 22.2 °C (72 °F) on January 26, 1950.

Communities and neighbourhoods

Although more historical and cultural diversity exists, Niagara Falls has 11 communities and 67 neighbourhoods defined by Planning Neighbourhoods and Communities for the City of Niagara Falls. *Beaverdams **Hyott **N.E.C. West **Nichols **Shriners **Warner * Chippawa **Bridgewater **Cummings **Hunter **Kingsbridge **Ussher **Weinbrenner *Crowland **Crowland *Drummond **Brookfield **Caledonia **Coronation **Corwin **Drummond Industrial Basin **Hennepin **Leeming **Merrit **Miller **Orchard **Trillium *Elgin **Balmoral **Central Business District **Glenview **Hamilton **Maple **Oakes **Ryerson **Valleyway *Grassybrook **Grassybrook Industrial Basin **Oakland **Rexinger *Northwest **Carmel **Kent **Mulhearn *Queen Victoria ** Clifton Hill ** Fallsview North ** Fallsview South **Marineland **Queen Victoria * Stamford **Burdette **Calaguiro **Church **Cullimore **Gauld **Ker **Mitchellson **Mountain **N.E.C. East **Olden **Pettit **Portage **Queensway Gardens **Rolling Acres **Thompson **Wallice *Westlane **Garner **Hodgson ** Lundy **Munro **Oakwood **Royal Manor **Westlane Industrial Basin * Willoughby **Niagara River Parkway **Willoughby

Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by

Statistics Canada Statistics Canada (StatCan; ), formed in 1971, is the agency of the Government of Canada commissioned with producing statistics to help better understand Canada, its population, resources, economy, society, and culture. It is headquartered in ...

, Niagara Falls had a population of living in of its total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of . With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2021. At the

census metropolitan area The census geographic units of Canada are the census subdivisions defined and used by Canada's federal government statistics bureau Statistics Canada to conduct the country's quinquennial census. These areas exist solely for the purposes of stat ...

(CMA) level in the 2021 census, the St. Catharines - Niagara CMA had a population of living in of its total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of . With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2021. As of the 2021 Census, 20.9% of the city's population were visible minorities, 3.5% had Indigenous ancestry, and the remaining 75.6% were White. The largest visible minority groups were South Asian (6.3%), Black (3.1%), Filipino (3.0%), Chinese (2.4%), Latin American (1.6%) and Arab (1.1%). 60.1% of Niagara Falls city residents self-identified with

Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...

denominations in 2021, down from 74.1% in 2011. 33.2% of residents were

Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

, 13.9% were

Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...

, 7.1% were Christians of unspecified denomination, and 2.4% were Christian Orthodox. All other Christian denominations/Christian related traditions made up 3.5%. 30.9% of residents were irreligious or secular, up from 22.5% in 2011. Overall, followers of non-Christian religions/spiritual traditions were 9.0% of the population. The largest of these were

Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...

(4.1%),

Hinduism Hinduism () is an Hypernymy and hyponymy, umbrella term for a range of Indian religions, Indian List of religions and spiritual traditions#Indian religions, religious and spiritual traditions (Sampradaya, ''sampradaya''s) that are unified ...

(2.0%),

Sikhism Sikhism is an Indian religion and Indian philosophy, philosophy that originated in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent around the end of the 15th century CE. It is one of the most recently founded major religious groups, major religio ...

(1.4%) and

Buddhism Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...

(0.8%)

Economy

Tourism started in the early 19th century and has been a vital part of the local economy since that time. The falls became known as a natural wonder, in part to their being featured in paintings by prominent American artists of the 19th century such as Albert Bierstadt. Such works were reproduced as lithographs, becoming widely distributed. Niagara Falls marketed itself as a

honeymoon A honeymoon is a vacation taken by newlyweds after their wedding to celebrate their marriage. Today, honeymoons are often celebrated in destinations considered exotic or romantic. In a similar context, it may also refer to the phase in a couple ...

destination, describing itself as the "honeymoon capital of the world". Its counterpart in New York also used the moniker. The phrase was most commonly used in brochures in the early twentieth century and declined in usage around the 1960s. With a plentiful and inexpensive source of

hydroelectric power Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is Electricity generation, electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies 15% of the world's electricity, almost 4,210 TWh in 2023, which is more than all other Renewable energ ...

from the waterfalls, many electro-chemical and electro-metallurgical industries located there in the early to mid-20th century. Industry began moving out of the city in the 1970s and 80s because of economic

recession In economics, a recession is a business cycle contraction that occurs when there is a period of broad decline in economic activity. Recessions generally occur when there is a widespread drop in spending (an adverse demand shock). This may be tr ...

and increasing global competition in the manufacturing sector. Tourism increasingly became the city's most important revenue source. Recent development has been mostly centred on the Clifton Hill and Fallsview areas. The Niagara Falls downtown (Queen Street) is undergoing a major revitalization; the city is encouraging redevelopment of this area as an arts and culture district. The downtown was a major centre for local commerce and night life up until the 1970s, when the Niagara Square Shopping Centre began to draw away crowds and retailers. Since 2006, Historic Niagara has brought art galleries, boutiques, cafés and bistros to the street. Attractions include renovation of the Seneca Theatre. In 2004, several tourist establishments in Niagara Falls began adding additional fees to bills. These fees have various different names and range in what percentage of the bill they take. The collected money is untraceable and there are no controls over how each establishment spends it. The Ontario government—concerned tourists could be misled into believing the fees were endorsed by the government—warned hotels and restaurants in 2008 not to claim the fee if it was not being remitted to a legitimate non-profit agency that promotes tourism. The practise continues and takes in an estimated $15 million per-year. Hotels specifically charge a Municipal Accommodation Tax (MAT) fee, a percentage of which goes to the city. Fees that are present elsewhere only benefit the owners of the business itself, leading to these fees being criticized as deceptive. Some tourists have effectively fought the additional charge, while other businesses have enforced it as mandatory.

Comparison to Niagara Falls, New York

In the 20th century, there was a favourable exchange rate when comparing Canadian and U.S. currencies.

, struggles to compete against Niagara Falls, Ontario; the Canadian side has a greater average annual income, a higher average home price, and lower levels of vacant buildings and blight, as well as a more vibrant economy and better tourism infrastructure. The population of Niagara Falls, New York fell by half from the 1960s to 2012. In contrast, the population of Niagara Falls, Ontario more than tripled. The Ontario government introduced legal

gambling Gambling (also known as betting or gaming) is the wagering of something of Value (economics), value ("the stakes") on a Event (probability theory), random event with the intent of winning something else of value, where instances of strategy (ga ...

to the local economy in the mid-1990s. Casino Niagara precipitated an economic boom in the late 1990s as numerous luxury hotels and tourist attractions were built, and a second casino, Niagara Fallsview, opened in 2004. Both attracted American tourists due in part to the comparatively less expensive Canadian dollar, and despite the opening of the Seneca Niagara Casino on the American side. When the Canadian and US currencies moved closer to parity in the 2000s, Niagara Falls, Ontario continued to be a popular destination for Americans, while Niagara Falls, New York, experienced a prolonged economic downturn. Ontario's legal drinking age is 19, which attracts potential alcohol consumers from across the border, as the American drinking age is 21.

Arts and culture

Some cultural areas of Niagara Falls include Queen Street, Main and Ferry Streets, Stamford Centre and Chippawa Square. Community centres that are host to cultural activities include the City of Niagara Falls Museums, Niagara Falls Public Libraries, Coronation 50 Plus Recreation Centre, Club Italia and Scotia Bank Convention Centre.

Visual arts

* Niagara Falls Art Gallery * Peterson's Community Gallery

Performing arts

* Niagara Falls Centre for the Arts * Seneca Queen Theatre

History

* Niagara Falls History Museum * Battle Ground Hotel Museum * Willoughby Historical Museum * Niagara Military Museum * Niagara Falls Wedding and Fashion Museum * Lundy's Lane Historical Society * Battle of Lundy's Lane Walking Tour * Historic Drummondville * Stamford Historic Area

Nature, parks and gardens

* Queen Victoria Park * Rosberg Family Park / Olympic Torch Trail

Festivals and events

* Winter Festival of Lights * Niagara Integrated Film Festival * Springlicious * Mount Carmel Fine Art and Music Festival * Niagara Icewine Festival * Niagara Woodworking Show * Greater Niagara Home and Garden Show * Niagara Night of Art * Niagara Region Jazz Festival

Conventions and conferences

* Niagara Falls Convention Centre * Sheraton on the Falls Hotel and Conference Centre

Sports teams and leagues

Attractions

Notable attractions in Niagara Falls include: * Table Rock Welcome Centre * Journey Behind the Falls * Skylon Tower * Niagara SkyWheel * Winter Festival of Lights * Niagara Parks Butterfly Conservatory * Niagara Heritage Trail * Dufferin Islands * Niagara Parks School of Horticulture * The Rainbow Carillon, which sounds from the Rainbow Tower * Clifton Hill, Niagara Falls — Tourist promenade featuring a Ripley's Believe It Or Not Museum, arcades, five

haunted house A haunted house, spook house or ghost house in ghostlore is a house or other building often perceived as being inhabited by disembodied spirits of the deceased who may have been former residents or were otherwise connected with the property ...

s, four wax museums including a Louis Tussauds Wax Works, and themed restaurants including the

Hard Rock Cafe Hard Rock Cafe, Inc. is a chain of theme restaurant, theme bar-restaurants, memorabilia shops, casinos, hotels and museums founded in 1971 by Isaac Tigrett and Peter Morton in London. In 1979, the cafe began covering its walls with rock and roll ...

and

Rainforest Cafe Rainforest Cafe is a jungle-Theme restaurant, themed restaurant chain owned by Landry's, Landry's, Inc. of Houston. The first location opened in the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota, on February 3, 1994. By 1997, the chain consisted of ...

. * Marineland — Aquatic theme park * Casinos — Casino Niagara and Niagara Fallsview Casino Resort *

IMAX IMAX is a proprietary system of High-definition video, high-resolution cameras, film formats, film projectors, and movie theater, theaters known for having very large screens with a tall aspect ratio (image), aspect ratio (approximately ei ...

Theatre and Daredevil museum * Fallsview Tourist Area * Fallsview Indoor Waterpark * Tower Hotel (Niagara Falls)

Government

Niagara Falls City Council consists of eight councillors and a mayor. City elections take place every four years with the most recent election held on 24 October 2022. Council is responsible for policy and decision making, monitoring the operation and performance of the city, analysing and approving budgets and determining spending priorities. Due to regulations put forward by the Municipal Elections Act 1996, elections are held on the fourth Monday in October except for religious holidays or if a member of council or if the mayor resigns. Jim Diodati has been the mayor of Niagara Falls since 2010. As of 2023, the city's fire and emergency services are staffed by 130 firefighters and 104 volunteers. Provincial roads (namely the

Queen Elizabeth Way The Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) is a 400-series highways, 400-series highway in the Canadian province of Ontario linking Toronto with the Niagara Peninsula and Buffalo, New York. The highway begins at the Canada–United States border on the Pea ...

) are patrolled by the

Ontario Provincial Police The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) is the State police, provincial police service of Ontario, Canada. The OPP patrols Provincial highways in Ontario, provincial highways and waterways; protects Government of Ontario, provincial government buil ...

(OPP) and the rest by Niagara Regional Police (NRPS) for city streets and general policing or Niagara Parks Police (NPP) on property relating to Niagara Parks Commission. Policing on the Canadian side of bridges (Whirlpool and Rainbow Bridges) are conducted by both

Canadian Border Services Agency The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA; , ''ASFC'') is a federal law enforcement agency that is responsible for border control (i.e. protection and surveillance), immigration enforcement, and customs services in Canada. The CBSA is responsib ...

(CBSA) and

U.S. Customs and Border Protection United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is the largest federal law enforcement agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security. It is the country's primary border control organization, charged with regulating and facilita ...

(CBP) operations, but may involve Niagara Regional Police and/or OPP, as well as US agencies. Michigan Central Railway Bridge is an inactive railway bridge; it is closed off by the Canadian Pacific Railways to prevent trespassing but can be accessed by NRPS or CBSA/CBP if required.

Transportation

Highways

Niagara Falls is linked to major highways in Canada. The

(QEW), stretching from Fort Erie to

, passes through Niagara Falls. Highway 420 (along with Niagara Regional Road 420) connect the Rainbow Bridge to the QEW. The Niagara Parkway is a road operated under the Niagara Parks Commission which connects Niagara-on-the-Lake to Fort Erie via Niagara Falls. Niagara Falls formerly had King's Highways passing through the city. These included: * The original routing of Highway 3 (later to become Highway 3A), which ended at the Whirlpool Rapids Bridge via River Road * Highway 8, which ended at the Whirlpool Rapids Bridge via Bridge Street * Highway 20, which initially ended at the Honeymoon Bridge and later at the Rainbow Bridge via Lundy's Lane and Clifton Hill

Rail

Via Rail Canada and Amtrak jointly provide service to the Niagara Falls station via their ''

Maple Leaf The maple leaf is the characteristic leaf of the maple tree. It is most widely recognized as the national symbols of Canada, national symbol of Canada. History of use in Canada By the early 1700s, the maple leaf had been adopted as an emblem by ...

'' service between Toronto Union Station and New York Penn Station. In summer 2009,

GO Transit GO Transit is a regional public transit system serving the Greater Golden Horseshoe region of Ontario, Canada. With its hub at Union Station in Toronto, GO Transit's green-and-white trains and buses serve a population of more than seven mil ...

started a pilot project providing weekend and holiday train service from Toronto to Niagara Falls from mid June to mid October. These GO Trains run seasonally between Toronto Union Station and Niagara Falls at weekends. At other times, regular hourly GO train services are provided between Toronto Union and Burlington station, where connecting bus services operate to and from the rail station at Niagara. As of January 2019,

offers two-way, weekday commuter service from Niagara Falls station (Ontario) to

Union Station (Toronto) Union Station is a major railway station and intermodal transit hub, transportation hub in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The station is located in downtown Toronto, on Front Street (Toronto), Front Street West, on the south side of the block boun ...

as part of the Niagara GO Expansion. The full expansion project is expected to be complete by 2025.

Bus

* Coach Canada has daily runs to and from Toronto and

Buffalo, New York Buffalo is a Administrative divisions of New York (state), city in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York and county seat of Erie County, New York, Erie County. It lies in Western New York at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of ...

. *

offers daily bus service between Niagara and Burlington GO Station. * Megabus has daily runs on its route to New York City starting in Toronto. * Niagara Falls Transit is the public transit operator in the city.

Active transportation

The City of Niagara Falls is working toward Bike Friendly designation and providing more resources to encourage active transportation.

Air

The closest major international airport to Niagara Falls is Toronto Pearson Airport (YYZ).

Education

Niagara is served by the District School Board of Niagara and the Niagara Catholic District School Board which operate elementary and secondary schools in the region. Secondary schools include A.N. Myer, Westlane, Stamford Collegiate,

Saint Michael Michael, also called Saint Michael the Archangel, Archangel Michael and Saint Michael the Taxiarch is an archangel and the warrior of God in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. The earliest surviving mentions of his name are in third- and second- ...

, and Saint Paul. The University of Niagara Falls Canada is the only post-secondary institution based in the city itself, while Niagara College and

Brock University Brock University is a public university, public research university in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. It is the only university in Canada in a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, at the centre of Canada's Niagara Peninsula on the Niagara Escarpment. The ...

operate in nearby localities. The city also has a public library system named the Niagara Falls Public Library, which has three branches.

Media

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

Newspapers

Local newspapers are: *''

Niagara Falls Review The ''Niagara Falls Review'' is a daily newspaper distributed in Niagara Falls and also serving the nearby towns of Fort Erie and Niagara-on-the-Lake area in Ontario, Canada. The paper is owned by Metroland Media Group, a subsidiary of Torst ...

'' *''Niagara This Week'' Due to its proximity to Hamilton and Toronto, local residents have access to the papers like '' The Hamilton Spectator'', the ''

Toronto Star The ''Toronto Star'' is a Canadian English-language broadsheet daily newspaper. It is owned by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary of Torstar Corporation and part of Torstar's Daily News Brands (Torstar), Daily News Brands division. ...

'', and the ''

Toronto Sun The ''Toronto Sun'' is an English-language tabloid format, tabloid newspaper published daily in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The newspaper is one of several ''Sun'' tabloids published by Postmedia Network. The newspaper's offices are located at Pos ...

''.

Radio

*91.7 FM -

CIXL-FM CIXL-FM is a Canadian radio station, broadcasting in Welland, Ontario. It uses the on-air brand name ''Classic Rock 91.7 Giant FM'', and broadcasts a classic rock format at 91.7 MHz. It is one of the few commercial FM radio stations on its frequ ...

, "Giant FM" Classic Rock *97.7 FM – CHTZ-FM, "97.7 HTZ-FM"

Mainstream Rock Mainstream rock (also known as heritage rock) is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations in the United States and Canada. Format background Mainstream rock stations represent a cross between classic rock, active rock and alternativ ...

*101.1 FM – CFLZ-FM, "More FM" CHR *105.1 FM – CJED-FM, "105.1 The River FM" adult hits The area is otherwise served by stations from

and Buffalo.

Television

* Cogeco is the local cable television franchise serving Niagara Falls; the system carries most major channels from Toronto and Buffalo, as well as YourTV, a community channel serving Niagara Falls. * CHCH-DT (UHF channel 15 - virtual channel 11) from Hamilton, Ontario also serves the Niagara Region. Television stations from Toronto and Buffalo are also widely available. Officially, Niagara Falls is part of the Toronto television market, even though it is directly across the Niagara River from its American twin city, which is part of the Buffalo market.

Notable people

* Bruno Agostinelli, professional tennis player * Ray Barkwill, Canadian national rugby player * Murda Beatz, Producer and DJ * Harold Bradley, classical pianist *

James Cameron James Francis Cameron (born August 16, 1954) is a Canadian filmmaker, who resides in New Zealand. He is a major figure in the post-New Hollywood era and often uses novel technologies with a Classical Hollywood cinema, classical filmmaking styl ...

, film director * Bill Cupolo, NHL player * Kevin Dallman, NHL player * Marty Dallman, NHL player * Frank Dancevic, professional tennis player * Sandro DeAngelis, CFL kicker * Robert Nathaniel Dett, composer born in Drummondville * Joe Fletcher, referee at

FIFA World Cup The FIFA World Cup, often called the World Cup, is an international association football competition among the senior List of men's national association football teams, men's national teams of the members of the FIFA, Fédération Internatio ...

* Tre Ford, CFL quarterback * Tyrell Ford, former CFL and NFL cornerback * Barbara Frum, CBC broadcaster * William Giauque, recipient of 1949

Nobel Prize in Chemistry The Nobel Prize in Chemistry () is awarded annually by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences to scientists in the various fields of chemistry. It is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the will of Alfred Nobel in 1895, awarded for outst ...

* Mike Glumac, professional hockey player * Brian Greenspan, lawyer * Eddie Greenspan, lawyer * Bobby Gunn, boxer * Obs Heximer, NHL player * Tim Hicks, country singer *

Honeymoon Suite Honeymoon Suite is a Canadians, Canadian rock band formed in 1981 in Niagara Falls, Ontario. The band's name was a nod to the fact that Niagara Falls is the unofficial honeymoon capital of the world. History 1981–1985 The band was origina ...

, rock band * Harold Howard, retired

mixed martial artist Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a full-contact fighting sport based on striking and grappling; incorporating techniques from various combat sports from around the world. In the early 20th century, various inter-stylistic contests took place t ...

and UFC fighter * Jon Klassen, illustrator and children's book author * Johnathan Kovacevic, NHL player * Greg Kovacs, bodybuilder * Judy LaMarsh, second female federal cabinet minister in Canadian history * Steve Ludzik, NHL player * Denise Matthews, evangelist, singer * Bob Manno, NHL player * John McCall MacBain, philanthropist, billionaire businessman, founder and former CEO of Trader Classified Media * Nenad Medic, poker player * Stephan Moccio, musician, arranger, composer * Tom Moore, trade unionist * Rick Morocco, ice hockey executive and professional player * Johnny Mowers, NHL goalie *

Rob Nicholson Robert Douglas Nicholson (born April 29, 1952) is a Canadian politician who represented the riding of Niagara Falls in the House of Commons of Canada from 2004 to 2019 as a member of the Conservative Party. Under Prime Minister Stephen Harpe ...

, former

Minister of Justice A justice ministry, ministry of justice, or department of justice, is a ministry or other government agency in charge of the administration of justice. The ministry or department is often headed by a minister of justice (minister for justice in a ...

and Attorney General for Canada * Terry O'Reilly, NHL player and head coach * Roula Partheniou, contemporary artist * Frank Pietrangelo, NHL goalie * Burr Plato, politician *

deadmau5 Joel Thomas Zimmerman (born January 5, 1981), known professionally as deadmau5 (pronounced "dead-mouse"), is a Canadian electronic music producer and disc jockey, DJ. His musical style mostly includes progressive house and electro house music, ...

, musician and DJ * Isabelle Rezazadeh, DJ and record producer * Phil Roberto, NHL player * Gillian Robertson, UFC Fighter * Derek Sanderson, NHL player * Jarrod Skalde, NHL player * Russell Teibert, soccer player *

Steve Terreberry Steven Roger Terreberry (, born September 30, 1987), also known as Stevie T, is a Canadian YouTuber and musician based in Welland, Ontario. He is known for his comedic videos involving music and for being a notable player of the djent subgenre. ...

, musician, comedian, and YouTuber * Frank Thomas, MLB player * Jay Triano, former NBA head coach * Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond, lawyer and professor; former judge * Tvangeste,

symphonic black metal Symphonic black metal is a subgenre of black metal that emerged in the 1990s and incorporates symphonic and orchestral elements. History One of the earliest forerunners in what would come to be the sound of symphonic metal was Celtic Frost ...

band formerly based on

Kaliningrad Kaliningrad,. known as Königsberg; ; . until 1946, is the largest city and administrative centre of Kaliningrad Oblast, an Enclave and exclave, exclave of Russia between Lithuania and Poland ( west of the bulk of Russia), located on the Prego ...

Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...

* Ken Walker, medical columnist using the pen name W. Gifford-Jones, M.D. *

Wave In physics, mathematics, engineering, and related fields, a wave is a propagating dynamic disturbance (change from List of types of equilibrium, equilibrium) of one or more quantities. ''Periodic waves'' oscillate repeatedly about an equilibrium ...

, pop band * Sherman Zavitz, historian

References

External links

* * {{Authority control Cities in Ontario Lower-tier municipalities in Ontario

History

Black history

Geography

Topography

Climate

Communities and neighbourhoods

Demographics

Economy

Comparison to Niagara Falls, New York

Arts and culture

Visual arts

Performing arts

History

Nature, parks and gardens

Festivals and events

Conventions and conferences

Sports teams and leagues

Attractions

Government

Transportation

Highways

Rail

Bus

Active transportation

Air

Education

Media

Newspapers

Radio

Television

Notable people

See also

References

Further reading

External links