What Lori’s advocated for and took positions on

This past term has been an awesome learning experience, an opportunity to advance issues that are important to residents and to discover new areas to focus on.

Lori is proud of the issues that she has raised, her motions approved and discussions that she has started.

Issues/processes that Lori has advocated for and were approved by Council:

• Establish Infill Guidelines to address construction issues
• Change notification distance for planning matters in rural areas
• Add notification of condominium owners for planning matters
• Address litter concerns by reviewing cleanup programs – Read More
• Advocate Provincial government for water safety education
• Review Casino policing agreements – provide quarterly reports – Read More
• Review current trailer by-law and streamline by-law to include different types of trailers
• Add Specialized transit to Firemen’s Park
• Arrange community meeting with Niagara Region and stakeholders regarding homelessness, mental health and addiction
• Advocate to the Province regarding abandoned cemetery property
• Worked with resident, staff and Veterans regarding installation of veteran crosswalks
• Participatory Budgeting – Read More
• People with Disabilities Water and Property Tax Rebate Programs
• Living Wage for City employees
• Creation of Anti-Racism and Diversity & Inclusion Committees – Read More
• Expression of Interest for the Chippawa Town Hall instead of selling the building – Read More
• Increase the notification distance for rural planning matters
• Investigate options to help alleviate the housing crisis – Read More
• Naloxone being made available at City facilities – Read More
• Requested Record of Site Condition be added to Condominium Agreement for the Fourth Avenue property beside Cyanamid
• Requested Province/Region to review Homelessness funding allocation – Read More
• Tree by-law, canopy and protection report – Read More
• Vacancy Tax on vacant residential buildings report – Read More
• Tiny homes, shipping containers, other forms of alternate housing, inclusionary zoning report – Read More

Issues/processes that Lori has advocated for:

• Being fiscally responsible and looking at needs and wants throughout the year and at budget time
• Review of strategic master plans to control spending – Read More
• Zero based budgeting.  Review all programs, infrastructure and expenses – Read More
• Advocate the Province to review the “Heads and Beds” levy
• Provide summary of impacts of Bill 5 and how it will affect the City’s Climate Adaptation Plan
• Re-instate the Homelessness Committee
• Review the university students use of resources – social services, medical, education and accommodations – Read More
• Preserving and retaining ownership of the Chippawa Town Hall and the Willougby Historical Museum –  Read More      Read More
• Not increasing the Integrity Commissioner complaint fee to $1,000 – Read More
• Send comments to the Province regarding Bill 23 and inquire about the funding for infrastructure
• A governance review of Niagara Region and the City of Niagara Falls
• Extension of the deadline to designate listed heritage properties
• Investigating the amalgamation of transit and the increased fees – Read More
• Hosting Town Hall meetings for the residents
• Not extending the urban boundaries and using current infrastructure for growth
• Preserving trees, utilizing permeable surfaces and increasing our tree canopy – Read More
• Concerns regarding the reduction of parking spaces required in new developments
• Investigate alternative dispute resolution such as mediation as opposed to Integrity Commission Complaints
• Homeless, Out of the Cold Shelter, funding, affordable housing, warming and cooling stations, transportation, showers
• To add Council members to the Mayor’s Back to Business Committee – Read More
• The Living Wage designation for the City of Niagara Falls as an employer
• 5G services – health and lack of notification to residents
• UNESCO Geopark designation – Read More
• Supporting the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police call to decriminalize small amounts of drugs – Read More
• Naloxone ready community and providing kits on fire trucks – Read More
• Investigation of firework alternatives – Read More
• Not Increasing the Integrity Commissioner Complaint fees – Read More
• Investigate options to alleviate housing crisis – Read More

Some notable positions that Lori has taken a stance on:

• Although the South Niagara Hospital is a necessity, questioned the amount of funding for land, local share and infrastructure – Read More   Read More
• The use of the notwithstanding clause to remove homeless encampments – Read More
• Having open public discussions about Niagara Region governance – Read More
• Concern of the process of the Development Charge Study, the use of the development charges and the decreased amount of development charges for infrastructure
• Increased frequency of Council meetings
• Fairness and transparency when administering funding or programs
• For environmental and infrastructural reasons, opposed the development on River Road, Thundering Waters, old Cyanamid property on Fourth Avenue and numerous Chippawa properties
• Opposed the removal of the Heritage designation and demolition of the former Parks and Recreation building on Lundy’s Lane – Read More
• Led the Cannabis discussion to ensure protection of residents and compliance of federal and provincial laws
• Opposed to the process of the Minister’s Zoning Order for Downtown for lack of transparency and notification to residents and businesses