Гэри Залепа не баллотируется на пост мэра Ниагара-он-тейк в 2026 году и претендует на роль председателя регионального совета

For the first time since 2006, Gary Zalepa’s name won’t be on a Niagara-on-the-Lake’s ballot for the 2026 municipal election. Zalepa decided not to seek reelection for lord mayor, and instead has submitted his name to become the next Niagara Regional chair. “The decision to not run again was difficult,” said Zalepa in a statement to Niagara This Week. “It has been such a pleasure and privilege to represent Niagara-on-the-Lake residents as the Lord Mayor. I have always been humbled by the trust provided by residents to serve as their representative.” Zalepa said he has completed an application by the province and is still waiting for a decision. Earlier this year the province announced all regional chairs would be appointed and they will have “strong chair” powers similar to the strong-mayor powers Ontario granted to many lower-tier municipalities. The Niagara Region council is also being reduced from 32 members to just the 12 mayors of the peninsula’s municipalities, plus the chair. Applicants to become chair are “expected to possess exemplary leadership skills” and have “previous elected political experience and a strong understanding of regional and provincial priorities…,” said the province. The term of the chair will be from Nov. 15, 2026 to Nov. 14, 2030. “At this point, I have not been informed of any decision regarding that (position),” said Zalepa. “I look forward to hearing about next steps if I am selected.” Seeking to replace Zalepa are Deputy Lord Mayor Erwin Wiens, who was first elected councillor in 2018, Andrea Kaiser, Niagara-on-the-Lake’s regional councillor, and philanthropist Vaughan Goettler, who finished third behind Zalepa in the 2022 municipal election. Kaiser, owner of Drea’s Wine Co., served as a town councillor from 2003 to 2014. She won the regional councillor contest in 2022 with 44 per cent of the vote ahead of second place finisher Paolo Miele’s 29 per cent. Kaiser finished second to incumbent Conservative MP Tony Baldinelli with 44 per cent of the vote to Baldinelli’s 49 per cent in the 2025 federal election. Kaiser also ran as the federal Liberal candidate for the Niagara Falls riding in 2019 and 2022, both times finishing second to Baldinelli. Goettler created, with his wife Lauren, the Goettler Family Foundation to champion projects in Niagara-on-the-Lake, such as the museum expansion, extending the Upper Canada Heritage Trail and rehabilitating The Wilderness property. There are 11 certified candidates for the six Niagara-on-the-Lake council positions. All but one incumbent councillor is seeking re-election, including Tim Balaisuk, Gary Burroughs, Andrew Niven, Maria Mavridis, Adriana Cater-Vizzari and Sandra O’Connor. Wendy Cheropita, who was first elected in 2018 and finished fifth, finished third in the 2022 municipal election. She did not return a request for comment about not running in 2026. The majority of the non-councillor candidates have each been critical of council’s decisions during this term, particularly about allowing large-scale development projects to move ahead. Real estate salesperson Weston Miller is president of the Chautauqua Residents Association, and wants “thoughtful development that fits our town,” while Steve McGuinness, a retired accountant, wants “responsible land use planning decisions that regulate private property rights appropriately to respect our official plan and zoning bylaws.” He also wants to “control growth that will enhance services for permanent residents, sustain the local tourism sector, while guarding us against the risks of over tourism.” Karen Jones-Taylor, who registered on Aug. 21, helped to organize a July 2024 protest at the Niagara-on-the-Lake municipal office that attracted hundreds of people. The protest was prompted by council’s approval of a four-storey, 129-room hotel on the former Parliament Oak school site on King Street. “These people (councillors) are out of control,” she told Niagara This Week at the protest. Also running is Nicholas Colaneri, president of Centurion Building Corporation, a critic of council’s planning decisions, including approving of the demolition and rebuilding of the Shaw Festival’s Royal George Theatre on Queen Street. Colaneri took legal action against the Shaw to prevent the building’s demolition, but lost. Also filing for a council position prior to the registration deadline closing on Aug. 21 at 2 p.m. was Rick Mills, a pastor at Abundant Life Christian Fellowship. There are also nine candidates vying to become a Niagara District School Board trustee, and four candidates for the Niagara Catholic District School Board trustee race. The Niagara-on-the-Lake Residents Association is hosting a mayor and councillor forum on three dates starting with the candidates for mayor on Sept. 14 at Crossroads Elementary School from 5:30 to 9 p.m. The association will host the councillor forum on two days, the first on Sept. 25, also at Crossroads Elementary School from 5:30 to 9 p.m. with five candidates, and the second event on Oct. 2 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. with six candidates. The municipal election is scheduled for Oct. 26. In the 2022 election, voter turnout was about 48 per cent, the highest in the Niagara Region, compared to the 2018 election, which was about 58 per cent. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? 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