🌊 Monday, March 2, 2026
All the news that's fit to get wet
☁️ Weather — NY Side
Good morning, brave souls. March has arrived like that one neighbour who shows up unannounced, cold, and without snacks. Today on the NY side, expect sunny skies with a high near 30°F, with calm wind turning southeast around 5 mph. Last night was brutal — partly cloudy with a low around 9°F and northwest winds of 5 to 8 mph. Dress accordingly. Two layers minimum. Maybe three.
The good news? Things warm up this week — slowly, reluctantly, like a Bills fan at a Dolphins game.
| Day | Conditions | High | Low |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon Mar 2 | ☀️ Sunny | 30°F | 22°F |
| Tue Mar 3 | 🌧️ Snow/Rain likely | 39°F | 28°F |
| Wed Mar 4 | 🌧️ Periods of rain | 43°F | 38°F |
| Thu Mar 5 | 🌧️ Chance of rain | 46°F | 39°F |
| Fri Mar 6 | 🌦️ Chance of showers | 52°F | 39°F |
Tomorrow brings a chance of snow before 10 a.m., then rain likely, with a high near 39°F and a 60% chance of precipitation — though little or no snow accumulation is expected. So: March. Classic.
📍 National Weather Service Buffalo
🍁 Weather — Ontario Side
Bonjour, Canucks. On the Ontario side this morning, the Falls is wearing her best "frozen tundra with a hint of passive aggression" look. As of Sunday evening, the temperature at the St. Catharines/Niagara District Airport sat at -5.4°C, with a wind chill of -11 and northerly winds of 17 km/h. Tonight's low: a crisp -12°C — the kind of cold that makes you wonder why you didn't move to Halifax. Wait, never mind.
Today, Monday March 2, expect sunny skies with wind becoming east 20 km/h near noon and a high of -2°C. Wind chill will be -18 in the morning and -8 in the afternoon. The week gets... marginally better.
| Day | Conditions | High | Low |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon Mar 2 | ☀️ Sunny | -2°C | -5°C |
| Tue Mar 3 | 🌨️ 70% Snow or rain | +5°C | +1°C |
| Wed Mar 4 | 🌧️ 40% Periods of rain | +6°C | +6°C |
| Thu Mar 5 | 🌧️ 60% Chance of rain | +10°C | +6°C |
| Fri Mar 6 | 🌦️ 40% Chance of showers | +10°C | +7°C |
Tuesday brings a 70% chance of snow or rain with a high of +5°C. Yes, that's both snow AND rain. Ontario weather: committed to keeping your boots confused.
🗽 NY Side News
Arena vs. AI: Niagara Falls Mayor's $200M Dream Still Battling a $1.5B Data Center
The saga continues in Niagara Falls, NY, where the debate over what to do with a critical stretch of downtown land is still hotter than a Niagara summer sidewalk. Niagara Falls Redevelopment LLC, owned by Manhattan billionaires Howard and Edward Milstein, has proposed a $1.5 billion data center campus on 53 acres they already own — the Niagara Digital Campus, featuring nine buildings totaling 1.2 million square feet and an on-site electrical substation funded entirely by the developers.
Against that backdrop, Mayor Robert Restaino has steered the city away from the privately financed data-center campus — and toward his own taxpayer-funded $200M "Centennial Park" arena. The arena has no financing, no anchor tenant, and no feasibility study that wasn't written to his specifications. Meanwhile, the data center would pay the city $20 million annually in taxes, while the arena would cost the city an estimated $17 million annually in debt service and operations. The math, as they say, is the math.
(Niagara Reporter) (WIVB)
NYPA Power Rate Hike Goes Live Next Month — Your Electric Bill Is About to Evolve
Niagara Falls residents served by municipal electric systems are about to see a change on their bills. Power preference rates are set to increase after trustees with the New York Power Authority approved a proposal that was presented late last year — a move expected to be signed off by Governor Hochul.
The adjusted rates are scheduled to become effective on April 1, 2026. NYPA officials say the increase amounts to less than 3% annually and will amount to roughly $2–3 per month for the average user. The increase is being phased in over a six-year period and will impact roughly 370,000 end users.
The rates are tied to hydroelectric power generated at the Niagara Power Project — the very roaring water you can see from your window. Currently, NYPA rates are sold at $12.88 per megawatt hour, increasing to $14.57 on April 1, then rising annually through 2031 when they'll reach $23/MWh.
Local Wildlife Getting Frisky: Nature Doesn't Care It's Still Winter
Here's something to warm the cold, cold heart. Spring doesn't arrive officially until March 20, but Mother Nature controls the timing — and much local wildlife is preparing for spring now, as mating season is underway or starting soon.
Bald eagles are repairing their nests and breeding now, and some have already laid eggs. Meanwhile, wildlife such as fox and coyote started pairing up in January, ahead of mating which usually occurs in February or early March. These animals typically keep the same mates their whole lives and are now very active looking for den sites.
Basically, our local wildlife is doing better at planning ahead than the Niagara Falls city budget. Good for them.
Niagara County Local Politics Heating Up Alongside the Primroses
Elections commissioners say there's no sign of voter fraud in Niagara in years — while local campaigns are already in motion, with candidates including Mooradian launching a bid for the Niagara County Legislature and McKimmie seeking reelection to the Legislature's Third District seat.
The Democrats, meanwhile, talked teamwork at the McMurray campaign kickoff. Political season, much like pothole season, has officially arrived. You know it's an election year when you can't drive down a Niagara Falls side street without hitting both a crater and a campaign sign.
SUNY Niagara Wrestling Makes History — Again
Local athletic pride alert! For the third time in 14 years, SUNY Niagara wrestling is sending 10 wrestlers to the national championships. That's a remarkable feat for a community college program and a testament to the coaches and student-athletes who've built something real on this side of the gorge.
Meanwhile, over in Albany at the NYSPHSAA State Wrestling Championships held Feb. 26-28, Gabriella Barone of Niagara Wheatfield competed at the girls state championships, as the region showed up on the mat in force. Proud days for Niagara County wrestling fans — and for parents who drove hundreds of miles in February weather without complaining. That last part deserves its own championship.
🏒 Sabres Update: Buffalo's Favourite Hockey Team Is Actually Good Now
Hold on to your "12 Years of Pain" t-shirts, Buffalo — the Sabres are buyers at the trade deadline. The Sabres have won three straight and are second in the Atlantic Division after a 6-2 win at the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday — just four points behind the division-leading Lightning, with Tampa Bay having two games in hand.
Concerns over whether the Sabres would recapture their winning momentum after the Olympic break have been put to the side, as the club swept all three games since the lengthy hiatus — edging New Jersey and the Florida Panthers with one-goal wins before punctuating the sweep with a dominating 6-2 victory over the Atlantic Division-leading Lightning.
The Sabres have not made the Stanley Cup Playoffs since 2011 and are set up to be genuine buyers for the first time in a long time. The NHL trade deadline is this Friday, March 6. The unknown is whether GM Jarmo Kekäläinen will take the opportunity to add to the roster before 3 p.m. Friday. Every Sabre fan in Niagara County is refreshing Twitter every 37 seconds. You know who you are.
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Niagara Amalgamation: Regional Council Pumps the Brakes on Chair Gale's Big Idea
It's been the talk of every kitchen table and Tim Hortons drive-through in the Niagara Region this week. Niagara Region council voted to direct chair Bob Gale to stop any further action connected to his amalgamation efforts — just two days after his appearance in NOTL's council chambers to advocate for the amalgamation of Niagara.
On February 19, 2026, Gale sent letters to all 12 Niagara mayors and to Ontario's Minister of Municipal Affairs, framing municipal governance change as urgent and explicitly raising structural options that would fundamentally reshape Niagara — moving toward either a four-city model or a single-city model. Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati expressed support, while NOTL's Lord Mayor Gary Zalepa was decidedly less enthused. "Any conversation about restructuring local government must begin with evidence," said Lord Mayor Zalepa.
Two senior PC sources told The Trillium that they believe Niagara's municipalities will be amalgamated by legislation tabled this spring, in time for the upcoming municipal elections scheduled for October. Whether that happens or not, March 3 is the deadline for municipal feedback — meaning today, towns across the region are putting pen to paper on their futures. Nothing like a Monday deadline for a decision that affects half a million people.
(Niagara Now) (CTV News) (Village Report)
NOTL Says "Non, Merci" to Amalgamation — Council Unanimously Pushes Back
Niagara-on-the-Lake, that jewel of wine country and heritage inns, is not going quietly. Council unanimously supported submitting formal feedback to Chair Gale and the Province opposing amalgamation and advocating for the protection of Niagara-on-the-Lake's municipal independence.
Council expressed concern that amalgamation could risk redistribution of NOTL's tax base, dilute local representation, and impact service levels. "Niagara-on-the-Lake is not just another municipality," noted the Lord Mayor. "We are a globally recognized community with a distinct identity and significant agricultural lands that reflect our size and character. Protecting that identity matters."
The Town will submit its formal opposition to the Province today, March 3. "Forced amalgamation is not something our communities have asked for," the Lord Mayor added. Bold words from a community whose strongest municipal superpower is exceptional Pinot Noir and the world's most charming Shaw Festival gift shop.
(NOTL.com) (Niagara Now)
Niagara Falls, ON Named a Top Employer for 2026
Some good news with your morning coffee — the City of Niagara Falls, Ontario, has been selected as one of Hamilton-Niagara's Top Employers for 2026. That's a nod to the City's working environment, benefits, and culture at a time when recruiting and retaining talent is harder than ever.
The City of Niagara Falls and City Council are also offering a unique opportunity for local singers and musicians to perform O Canada at Council meetings throughout 2026. So if you've been waiting your whole life to belt out the national anthem in front of regional councillors arguing about recycling collection, friend, your moment has come.
Doug Ford: Niagara Amalgamation Must Come From Niagara
Premier Doug Ford weighed in on the hot-button regional governance debate this week, drawing a clear line. Ontario Premier Doug Ford says any amalgamation of local councils in Niagara Region would have to come from a local proposal and have substantial support for it to move ahead.
At an unrelated event in Niagara, Ford expressed support for the region's amalgamation but stressed the change must come through a local proposal. "It has to be from Niagara by Niagara, it has to have approvals from the majority of mayors, it has to have approval from the majority of the elected officials," Ford said. "I'm going to look at their proposal; it has to be led by Niagara, simple as that. If it's not led by Niagara, then I guess the people of Niagara are going to have to pay double-digit tax increases for quite some time."
Subtle. Very subtle.
(Global News) (BlogTO)
Niagara Falls, ON: Unhoused Action Plan Underway
On a more sobering note, the City of Niagara Falls, Ontario, has initiated development of an Unhoused Action Plan 2026, a strategic initiative to strengthen the municipality's support for unhoused and vulnerable residents, and is inviting the community to provide feedback as part of the process.
The plan comes as pressure on municipal housing supports has grown across the region this winter. Residents can participate in public consultations — details available at niagarafalls.ca.
📅 Events — Both Sides of the Border
Thu Mar 5 | Boy George & Culture Club — OLG Stage at Fallsview Casino, Niagara Falls, ON. 8:00 p.m. Karma chameleon meets casino royale — one of the iconic voices of the '80s at a great room. (Ticketmaster)
Fri Mar 6 | Charley Crockett — OLG Stage at Fallsview Casino, Niagara Falls, ON. 8:00 p.m. The Texas country troubadour brings his distinctive roots sound across the border. From $86. (SeatGeek)
Sat Mar 7 | The My Generation Tour (Gary Lewis & others) — OLG Stage at Fallsview Casino, Niagara Falls, ON. 7:00 p.m. A classic rock nostalgia night — bring your parents, impress your grandparents. From $68. (Ticketmaster)
Sun Mar 8 | Hacken Lee: Best Wishes — OLG Stage at Fallsview Casino, Niagara Falls, ON. 7:30 p.m. Cantonese pop legend Hacken Lee makes a rare Canadian appearance. (Ticketmaster)
Fri Mar 6 | NHL Trade Deadline Day — KeyBank Center, Buffalo, NY. 3:00 p.m. Not technically a ticketed event, but the Sabres' front office will be working the phones. Will GM Jarmo Kekäläinen pull the trigger on a big move? Watch it unfold online. The trade deadline is Friday, March 6. (NHL.com)
Daily | Niagara Falls Illumination — Both sides of the border. Niagara Falls Illumination runs daily from 5:30 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. Fireworks won't resume until summer. Free to watch from both shores. (Niagara Falls State Park)
Fri Mar 13 | Glass Tiger & Trooper — OLG Stage at Fallsview Casino, Niagara Falls, ON. 8:00 p.m. Two beloved Canadian acts on one stage — Glass Tiger's synth-pop meets Trooper's arena rock. Does it get more CanCon than this? No. No it does not. (Ticketmaster)
Wed–Sun, Mar 18–22 | Le Grand Cirque: Maximum Velocity — OLG Stage at Fallsview Casino, Niagara Falls, ON. Multiple shows. A high-energy acrobatic spectacular running multiple performances across the week. From $63. (AXS)
🌉 Across the Border
This week, both Niagaras are dealing with a shared affliction: powerful people with big ideas who may or may not have run the numbers. On the NY side, Mayor Restaino continues his quixotic quest to build a publicly funded arena on land he doesn't own, while turning away a $1.5 billion private data campus. On the Ontario side, Regional Chair Bob Gale sent 12 mayors a governance-reshaping proposal with a two-week response window, got slapped down by his own regional council, and is now watching the towns file their very politely worded objections. Both men, in their own way, have managed to unite their communities in something: shared frustration.
Meanwhile, the Sabres are surging toward their first playoff berth since 2011, and both sides of the river are quietly, cautiously, desperately hoping this is the year. Niagara Falls, NY bars and Niagara Falls, ON sports pubs are experiencing the same phenomenon: someone keeps turning the Sabres game up and then nervously turning it down again. The trade deadline hits Friday. Hold onto your poutine.
And through all of it — the political drama, the hockey fever, the freeze-thaw cycle currently destroying every road in both cities — the Falls just keeps going. About 2.3 million gallons of water per second, roaring away without a care for municipal governance or NHL standings. There's something comforting about that. Two cities, one waterfall, endless drama. Same as it ever was.
🌊 The Falls — "We cover both sides so you don't have to cross in this weather."
📸 Feature photo by Anton Marchuk on Unsplash