Doug Ford says ‘status quo is unacceptable’ for Niagara Falls as a tourist destination - Toronto Star

Premier Doug Ford says Niagara Falls is in decline and needs the momentum of his billion-dollar casino strategy, despite a formal request from its mayor-elect to first hold in-depth consultations with residents.

Premier Doug Ford speaks to reporters at Queen’s Park on Nov. 4, 2026.

Premier Doug Ford says Niagara Falls is in decline and needs the momentum of his billion-dollar casino strategy, despite a formal request from its mayor-elect to first hold in-depth consultations with residents.

Lori Lococo sent Tourism Minister Zee Hamid a letter on Nov. 3 asking for collaboration between the provincial government and the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation before moving forward with the next phase of its plan — a recent “call for investment” requiring a $100 million entrance fee from “top tier” casino operators interested in developing up to three new projects in the region.

“In Niagara Falls, you just can’t sit back, you know, it’s not good,” Ford told reporters Wednesday in Toronto. “It’s just not a great destination. We want to make it the greatest destination in the world and the status quo is unacceptable.

“I’m going to work with all the mayors, not just the Niagara Falls mayor but all the mayors that got elected in the two regions and continue communicating, making sure they get out to their constituents, talk to them, and talk about the prosperity and growth.” 

Lococo, who will be sworn in on Nov. 16, asked Hamid for studies on the proposed expansion and called for consultations with residents on potential job opportunities and local concerns “regarding the success of bricks and mortar casinos in the new era of online gaming.”

The public consultation, she said, should look at potential benefits and “considerations related to local employment, infrastructure, municipal revenues and responsible gambling.”

Lococo also called for details on the potential impact of Ontario’s overall gambling expansion — including the surge in online gaming — on any new casinos in her city.

Interim Liberal leader John Fraser said Lococo’s concerns are legitimate.

“Why are we getting more people to gamble? Why are we basing a local economy on gambling?” Fraser said.

“I know all governments have them, but maybe it’s time just to stop, take a look at the expansion,” he said. “The premier’s got wrong priorities.”

The Ministry of Tourism announced the latest phase of its strategy two days after the Oct. 26 municipal election, when Lococo defeated 16-year mayoral incumbent Jim Diodati, who supported the gambling expansion.

With submission details now posted in the investment call for the “Development and Operation of a New World-class Integrated Resort Casino in the City of Niagara Falls,” it is up to casino operators to decide if the market is viable, said Paul Burns, president and CEO of the Canadian Gaming Association. 

Competition for gambling dollars in Ontario has increased over the years, he noted, with the addition of new casinos and more options for table games that were previously limited to certain locations.

Ontario is calling for a minimum investment of $1.5 billion which will, Burns said, determine whether the largest operators are interested.

And that, he added, might depend on whether infrastructure is built first, including the government’s $10 million expansion of the Niagara District Airport, which was announced last July as part of its Niagara tourism strategy.

“We’ll find out what the (operators’) interest is in terms of, is there market potential there? Is there market potential now?” he said.

“This process is going to probably better educate and enlighten them on what is the art of the possible.”

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Moira Welsh is a Toronto-based reporter covering Ontario politics for the Star. Follow her on X: @moirawelsh.