Ontario Votes 2025: Niagara Centre

• Read all of CBC Hamilton's coverage of the Ontario election here. 

In Niagara Centre, a New Democratic Party of Ontario candidate seeking re-election faces a sitting mayor running for the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario.

Containing the cities of Port Colborne, Thorold, Welland and part of St. Catharines, the provincial riding encompasses much of the land around the Welland Canal. Its border extends to Lake Erie in the south.

The population is about 120,000, per the 2021 census, and the average total income for residents in 2020 was $46,040. About 12 per cent of people in the riding are visible minorities, Statistics Canada reports. Major industries include retail trade, health care and social assistance, and accommodation and food services.

While riding boundaries have changed, much of this region has been represented by the New Democratic Party of Ontario since at least the 1970s. 

In the 2022 general election, NDP candidate Jeff Burch was re-elected for a second term, beating second-place PC candidate Fred Davies by 850 votes and capturing about 40 per cent of the popular vote. Burch is running again. 

Davies was elected by acclamation to represent Port Colborne at Niagara's regional council later in 2022. This time around, Port Colborne mayor Bill Steele is the conservative candidate for Niagara Centre. 

Two other Niagara Centre mayors, St. Catharines Mayor Matt Siscoe and Welland Mayor Frank Campion, endorsed the PC Party alongside Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati at a January campaign stop in Niagara Falls. 

Damien O'Brien is running for the Ontario Liberal Party and Natashia Begen is running for the Green.

One issue on voters' minds is the reduction of hours at the Port Colborne and Fort Erie urgent care centres in 2022. The Niagara Health hospital network said the decision was "to help maintain capacity" at ERs in Welland, St. Catharines and Niagara Falls, but many residents have said the changes left them without adequate service. They're calling for change this election.  

CBC Hamilton sent a survey to major party candidates, or their party representatives. Their responses, edited for length and clarity, are reflected below.

Other candidates running include Angela Browne with the Ontario Alliance, Jimmy Jackson with the New Blue Party and Darryl Weinberg, with the Ontario Party.

Natashia Bergen, Green

Bergen did not respond to CBC Hamilton's survey. According to her website, she grew up in Saskatoon and has lived in Ontario for 10 years.

"With experience in the health-care system, Natashia is a passionate advocate for strengthening and improving access to care," her website said, adding she provided meals to people in need during the pandemic.

Jeff Burch, NDP

Burch, 55, is a former union representative and negotiator who worked with organizations including United Steelworkers and SEIU Healthcare. Now a Thorold resident, he served two terms as a St. Catharines city councillor.

Health care is a top issue Burch said he hears from voters. He said the NDP's plan includes restoring 24-hour service to the Port Colborne Urgent Care Centre and opening a "fully staffed" hospital in Welland, as well as legislating nurse-to-patient staffing ratios "to ensure every patient receives the care they deserve."

"Like everyone, I am deeply concerned about the impact of President Trump's tariffs on the economy and workers," Burch said, adding an NDP government would work with "trade-exposed industries" like the auto sector, to "provide direct support, create new supply chains, and identify new export markets for their products both in Canada and abroad." 

Damien O'Brien, Liberal

O'Brien, 39, is a "public affairs professional" who has worked in government for over 20 years, as well as a community organizer. His experience, O'Brien said, would allow him to "hit the ground running" if elected. 

"I have kids. Their futures, and the future of millions of Ontarians is in jeopardy. For too long the people of Niagara Centre have been overlooked and taken for granted at Queen's Park," he said, adding health care and education in Niagara are "in crisis" under the PC government.

If elected, the Liberals would work to improve health care in part by creating two new medical schools, O'Brien said. They would address affordability with a tax cut for families and eliminating development charges and the provincial land transfer tax for some people, he said.

Bill Steele, PC Party of Ontario

Steele did not respond to CBC Hamilton's survey. He's serving his second term as Port Colborne's mayor and was a city councillor for 17 years. Port Colborne is his hometown and his family is in the insurance business. 

According to Steele's campaign website, he "helped fight crime and improve safety across Niagara" by "building up local law enforcement" as chair of the Niagara Police Service Board. 

As mayor, Steele worked to secure investments including a battery plant, the expansion of a xanthan gum facility and a biofuel terminal.

Also running

• Angela Browne, Ontario Alliance: Campaign information for Browne was not readily available online.

• Jimmy Jackson, New Blue Party: Jackson's campaign information was not readily available online.

• Darryl Weinberg, Ontario Party: Weinberg's website said he advocates for smaller government, stopping "indoctrination" in schools, and for the "sanctity of life and medical freedom."