St. Catharines Mayor tells Niagara chamber group 15,000 housing units coming to city

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Published March 10, 2023 at 9:41 am

Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce CEO Mishka Balsom and St. Catharines Mayor Mat Siscoe pose after his State of the City speech yesterday. (Photo: GNCC)

With accessible housing on everyone’s mind these days, St. Catharines Mayor Mat Siscoe assured a major Niagara chamber group that the city is on target to build 15,000 housing units over the next 10 years.

Delivering his State of the City address to the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce (GNCC) yesterday (March 9), Siscoe said he would make good on his election pledge opening the doors to development in order to close the city’s housing gap.

Siscoe also pointed out that the region’s tourism growth potential was there with a nod to the success of the Niagara 2022 Canada Summer Games months ago.  The construction of the Canada Games Park at the Walker Sports and Abilities Centre has now become a legacy for the future as the region’s newest multi-use recreation and sports complex.

In a sit-down interview with GNCC CEO Mishka Balsom, Siscoe said the City’s decision not to cut taxes even after huge reduction in costs offered by uploading transit to the Region made it very possible. Siscoe remarked that tax cuts were not possible without cuts in services, he told the crowd.

“We had a reserve for a rainy day,” he said, “and COVID was a monsoon.”

Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati, who was in the audience called Siscoe’s speech a “captivating presentation” and added, ” We look forward to working together to build a stronger Niagara community!”

Here is Siscoe’s full address to the GNCC yesterday.

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