Latest news with #Diodati
Global News
8 hours ago
- Global News
‘A dangerous situation': Ontario mayor outlines city effort to curb panhandling
It is not uncommon to roll up to an Ontario intersection and see someone asking for help, and one city is taking steps in an effort to put an end to the practice. 'It's a dangerous situation and it's an illegal situation,' said Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati, while citing the Safe Cities Act. 'You cannot be walking through canvassing in intersections.' There was a successful court challenge to portions of the Safer Streets Act last year, but the ruling judge upheld a ban on walking onto a street to ask drivers for money. Niagara Falls erected signs at the intersection of Morrison Street and Dorchester Road a couple of months back that ask people not to give money to panhandlers, while also including the logos of a local food bank and a local soup kitchen in the hopes that people will contribute there instead. Story continues below advertisement 'If you want to help these individuals, there's a way to help them,' the mayor said. 'You do it with the food bank, the soup kitchen, or one of the other social services that we provide. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'We are not trying to deny anybody what they need, we are trying to get them to stop breaking the law and stop endangering themselves and everybody else that's entering that intersection.' The signs do not appear to have put an end to the practice of people helping people just yet, according to the mayor. 'It hasn't stopped, but if people stop giving money and giving them food there, they're going to stop coming there,' Diodati said. The postings are not necessarily permanent, as they are a pilot project which Diodati expects to last through the summer months. 'We'd like to have it through the summer when it's busy and more people are out,' he explained, noting 'it could last into the fall.' 'And then we're hoping to come back to city council with a report with recommendations from our staff, our traffic engineers, on how well it's working or not working, what we would change and any other suggestions that we would have.' While it is uncertain what the measuring sticks are for success, Diodati said other municipalities are keen to see how effective the signs are in Niagara Falls. Story continues below advertisement 'I know a number of other municipalities are watching us. They've asked about it, and they want to know the results because we're the only community that is having this kind of a problem. It seems panhandling has really kicked up since the pandemic,' he said. — with files from The Canadian Press
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Boil-water order lifted for all remaining SLO County areas
San Luis Obispo County lifted the boil-water order for all remaining areas on Saturday afternoon, following a water-contamination alert that lasted four days. According to an alert from the county, the boil-water order was lifted shortly after noon, allowing residents in Pismo Beach and Avila Beach to resume normal water use, after the State Division of Drinking Water gave the all-clear. 'After extensive testing, the drinking water supply has been confirmed safe,' the county said in its news release. 'Residents can return to using their tap water for ordinary purposes without taking any further action,' it added. 'Restaurants can return to normal operations if they follow Environmental Health Department guidance.' The county advised residents and businesses with reverse osmosis systems to refer to their user manual for instructions on how to safely resume using the system. The county said it was working with state officials to investigate the cause of a single positive E. coli test result that spurred the boil order. The investigation is expected to take 30 days. Director of Public Works John Diodati said the drinking water is safe and will be monitored and tested as the county investigates the cause. 'I recognize the last few days have been extremely impactful for our Five Cities communities. We take our mission to provide you clean and drinkable water very seriously and when there is an issue, our team immediately jumps into action to keep you safe. That is exactly what happened this week. Normal testing protocol caught a problem, and through strong collaboration and coordination with the state, cities and community service districts we were able to quickly implement preventative safety measures,' Diodati said. 'Like you, we want to know why this happened. Over the next few weeks, as the investigation unfolds, we will share information with the public on what we know and what measures we will take to prevent this from happening again.' District 3 Supervisor Dawn Ortiz-Legg also emphasized the effort that went into the alert and testing. 'Our county and cities teams have worked diligently alongside state officials to ensure the safety and quality of our water supply,' she said. 'We appreciate the community's patience and cooperation. This health and safety incident underscores the importance of people getting proper information, and we urge signing up for notifications at Public Alerting — San Luis Obispo County.' Wednesday's boil-water order encompassed around 50,000 San Luis Obispo County residents and said that all water used for drinking and food preparation should be boiled or purified using bleach or water purification tablets through Sunday. The order was instituted in response to the 'unprecedented' detection of coliform bacteria in the Lopez water distribution system. Coliform bacteria, the contaminant first identified in the Lopez distribution system, is an indicator of the potential presence of E. coli, county Department of Public Works public information specialist Shelly Cone told The Tribune on Thursday. E. coli is a particular strain of fecal coliform bacteria that can cause illness in humans. Cone said the county had not detected E. coli specifically since Monday, and was working with the state to identify the cause of the contamination. A second sample taken on Tuesday found only elements of total coliform bacteria, not E. coli, Cone said. Though E. coli hadn't been detected since Monday, the initial positive for both coliform and E. coli bacteria triggered the boil water notice, she said. 'The presence of coliform does not necessarily mean the water is unsafe, but it does trigger further testing to rule out the presence of harmful pathogens,' Cone said in an email. 'If coliform or E. coli is detected, follow-up sampling is immediately conducted until no evidence of contamination remains.' The boil-water order created widespread impacts across the area, shutting some food-service business, forcing others to adopt safety protocols and prompting a run on bottled water from local grocery stores. On Friday, the order was lifted for Arroyo Grande, Grover Beach, Oceano and for customers of the San Miguelito Mutual Water Co., before the remaining communities were cleared on Saturday. For more information on the alert, visit
Daily Mail
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Niagara Falls 'at breaking point' over migrant surge
By Niagara Falls is at a 'breaking point' after 'thousands of asylum seekers' have taken refuge in the popular tourist hotspot, the city's mayor has warned. The famous southeastern Ontario city has more migrants per capita than any other city in Canada, Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati told The Telegraph. The influx has placed strain on the city's services, hospitals and schools, Diodati claimed, adding that 'our shelters are full, our transitional housing is full, the drug problem is like it's never been before'. He also claimed that many of the city's 15,000 hotel rooms have become temporary housing for migrants waiting for their asylum claim to be processed, which Diodati alleges is creating problems for the properties and other local businesses. 'There's been people who've called and said, 'Are there asylum seekers at this hotel?' Diodati told the newspaper. 'They want to stay where they feel like they're on vacation with other travellers.' Over 54,000 asylum seekers arrived in Canada last year, according to the Telegraph's report. At its peak, Niagara Falls - with a population of just over 100,000 people - hosted 5,000 asylum seekers. But Diodati now fears his country and city will face a surge in border crossings as illegal migrants in the US try to flee President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown. It comes as Canadians go to the polls today to elect a new prime minister, with conservative firebrand Pierre Poilievre, who campaigned with Trump-like bravado, promising a hardline approach to illegal migration. Poilievre had hoped to make the election a referendum on former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau , whose popularity declined toward the end of his decade in power as food and housing prices rose and immigration surged. Immigration is a key issue in today's election, fuelled in part by housing shortages and the surging cost of living crisis. Poilievre has accused the 'out-of-touch' Liberal Party, which has been in power since 2015, inflating housing costs, driving up food prices, having 'unleashed crime on our streets' and 'ruined our immigration system'. Diodati echoed Poilievre's claim, alleging that migrants in Niagara Falls have taken the 'lower rental' housing in the city, which he says 'leaves less for the locals'. He also highlighted the impact the migrant surge has on tourism, alleging that upper-scale restaurants in Niagara Falls are struggling because the hotels are filled with people who cannot afford to pay for fine dining. Asylum seekers, who are eligible to work while their case is being decided, do provide a 'steady stream' of 'entry level labour' for the tourism-dependent city, according to the Telegraph. However, Diodati warns that a decline in American tourists visiting Canada will leave a 'devastating' impact on Niagara Falls Canadian tourists crossing into the US has already fallen by 25 percent under the Trump Administration, the report states. Canadians will decide Monday whether to extend the Liberal Party's decade in power or instead hand control to the Conservatives after an election campaign in which Trump's tariffs and musings about annexing Canada became the central issue. Trump's threats ignited a wave of patriotism that swelled support for Liberal Prime Minister Mark Carney, a political newcomer who previously led two G7 central banks. The campaign ended on a sombre note on Sunday after a man rammed an SUV through a crowd at a Filipino community festival in Vancouver, killing at least 11 people and injuring dozens. Carney briefly paused his campaign, and both he and Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre mentioned the tragedy in their final campaign events. It was unclear if the mass casualty event would have any impact on the election. Duane Bratt, professor of political science at Calgary's Mount Royal University, said he did not expect it to deter voters. Carney's Liberals held a four-point lead over Poilievre's Conservatives in separate polls by Ipsos and Angus Reid, suggesting little movement in the final days. Ipsos on Sunday pegged the Liberals at 42 percent support and the Conservatives at 38 percent. Angus Reid's Saturday poll placed the Liberals at 44 percent support, over the Conservatives' 40 percent support. Those results would likely produce a fourth consecutive Liberal mandate, but Carney might only win a minority of seats in the 343-seat House of Commons, leaving him reliant on smaller parties to govern. Trump re-emerged as a campaign factor last week, declaring that he might raise a 25 percent tariff on Canadian-made cars because the US does not want them. He said earlier he might use 'economic force' to make Canada the 51st US state. Carney has emphasized his experience handling economic issues makes him the best leader to deal with Trump, while Poilievre has tapped into concerns about the cost of living, crime and a housing crisis. Carney has sought to distance himself from Trudeau, who was deeply unpopular when he said in January he would resign after nearly a decade in power. The Conservatives led polls by some 20 points around that time. Want more stories like this from the Daily Mail? Visit our profile page and hit the follow button above for more of the news you need.
Daily Mail
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Niagara Falls 'at breaking point' with migrants filling hotels amid fears Trump crack down will send surge of asylum seekers across Canada border - as country goes to polls
Niagara Falls is at a 'breaking point' after 'thousands of asylum seekers' have taken refuge in the popular tourist hotspot, the city's mayor has warned. The famous southeastern Ontario city has more migrants per capita than any other city in Canada, Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati told The Telegraph. The influx has placed strain on the city's services, hospitals and schools, Diodati claimed, adding that 'our shelters are full, our transitional housing is full, the drug problem is like it's never been before'. He also claimed that many of the city's 15,000 hotel rooms have become temporary housing for migrants waiting for their asylum claim to be processed, which Diodai alleges is creating problems for the properties and other local businesses. 'There's been people who've called and said, 'Are there asylum seekers at this hotel?' Diodati told the newspaper. 'They want to stay where they feel like they're on vacation with other travellers.' Over 54,000 asylum seekers arrived in Canada last year, according to the Telegraph's report. At its peak, Niagara Falls - with a population of just over 100,000 people - hosted 5,000 asylum seekers. But Diodati now fears his country and city will face a surge in border crossings as illegal migrants in the US try to flee President Donald Trump 's immigration crackdown. It comes as Canadians go to the polls today to elect a new prime minister, with conservative firebrand Pierre Poilievre, who campaigned with Trump-like bravado, promising a hardline approach to illegal migration. Poilievre had hoped to make the election a referendum on former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, whose popularity declined toward the end of his decade in power as food and housing prices rose and immigration surged. Immigration is a key issue in today's election, fuelled in part by housing shortages and the surging cost of living crisis. Poilievre has accused the 'out-of-touch' Liberal Party, which has been in power since 2015, inflating housing costs, driving up food prices, having 'unleashed crime on our streets' and 'ruined our immigration system'. Diodati echoed Poilievre's claim, alleging that migrants in Niagara Falls have taken the 'lower rental' housing in the city, which he says 'leaves less for the locals'. He also highlighted the impact the migrant surge has on tourism, alleging that upper-scale restaurants in Niagara Falls are struggling because the hotels are filled with people who cannot afford to pay for fine dining. Asylum seekers, who are eligible to work while their case is being decided, do provide a 'steady stream' of 'entry level labour' for the tourism-dependent city, according to the Telegraph. However, Diodati warns that a decline in American tourists visiting Canada will leave a 'devastating' impact on Niagara Falls Canadian tourists crossing into the US has already fallen by 25 per cent under the Trump Administration, the report states. Canadians will decide Monday whether to extend the Liberal Party's decade in power or instead hand control to the Conservatives after an election campaign in which Trump's tariffs and musings about annexing Canada became the central issue. Trump's threats ignited a wave of patriotism that swelled support for Liberal Prime Minister Mark Carney, a political newcomer who previously led two G7 central banks. The campaign ended on a sombre note on Sunday after a man rammed an SUV through a crowd at a Filipino community festival in Vancouver, killing at least 11 people and injuring dozens. Carney briefly paused his campaign, and both he and Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre mentioned the tragedy in their final campaign events. It was unclear if the mass casualty event would have any impact on the election. Duane Bratt, professor of political science at Calgary's Mount Royal University, said he did not expect it to deter voters. Carney's Liberals held a four-point lead over Poilievre's Conservatives in separate polls by Ipsos and Angus Reid, suggesting little movement in the final days. Ipsos on Sunday pegged the Liberals at 42 per cent support and the Conservatives at 38 per cent. Angus Reid's Saturday poll placed the Liberals at 44 per cent support, over the Conservatives' 40 per cent support. Those results would likely produce a fourth consecutive Liberal mandate, but Carney might only win a minority of seats in the 343-seat House of Commons, leaving him reliant on smaller parties to govern. Trump re-emerged as a campaign factor last week, declaring that he might raise a 25 per cent tariff on Canadian-made cars because the US does not want them. He said earlier he might use 'economic force' to make Canada the 51st US state. Carney has emphasised his experience handling economic issues makes him the best leader to deal with Trump, while Poilievre has tapped into concerns about the cost of living, crime and a housing crisis. Carney has sought to distance himself from Trudeau, who was deeply unpopular when he said in January he would resign after nearly a decade in power. The Conservatives led polls by some 20 points around that time.
Yahoo
27-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Niagara Falls ‘at breaking point' after surge in migrants
The lobby of the Wyndham Garden Tower Hotel in Niagara Falls at 8am is busy with chatter in all manner of languages. The chatter is not from tourists heading out to admire the mist-covered waterfalls, however, but from children who are living at the hotel after arriving from Africa with parents seeking asylum. Minutes later they are gone, climbing into two yellow buses to take them to school. The scene plays out in 11 nearby hotels each morning. The influx of migrants has taken the city to breaking point, according to its mayor, who has to manage the stress of having more asylum seekers per capita than anywhere else in the country, with all the strains that places on schools, hospitals and other services. 'I gotta tell you our shelters are full, our transitional housing is full, the drug problem is like it's never been before,' said Jim Diodati. 'We've got thousands of asylum seekers, we're just coming out of Covid which was difficult for a tourist destination like Niagara Falls. We've been hit from all sides continuously.' Niagara Falls, with its 15,000 hotel rooms, is where many asylum seekers end up as they find their feet and wait for their claim to be processed. Now Mr Diodati's fears that Canada and his city are set for an influx of illegal immigrants fleeing a Donald Trump crackdown. 'It's a big border, and in a lot of places there's no fences, and we're just thinking, how much can one country handle?' he said, sitting at a table filled with gifts from visiting delegations, including tea from Taiwan and a box of Turkish Delight. 'How much can one city handle?' Canadians go to the polls on Monday to elect a prime minister. Mark Carney, the Liberal leader who succeeded Justin Trudeau, is favourite to win. Pierre Poilievre, a populist Conservative with Trump-inspired nicknames and bombast, has seen his fortunes stall after the American president infuriated Canadians by imposing tariffs and promising to seize their country. Housing shortages and a cost of living crisis have made immigration one of the key battlegrounds. The Liberal government capped the number of new permanent residents at 395,000 in 2025, down from 500,000 a year earlier, in a country of 41 million. Further cuts will follow. Mr Poilievre has also promised to lower the numbers without offering specifics. 'These out-of-touch Liberals inflated housing costs, drove up the cost of food, pushed two million people to food banks, unleashed crime on our streets, ruined our immigration system,' Mr Poilievre said. Mr Diodati, who has fought and won four elections as an independent, has seen it all from his cluttered office. At its peak Niagara Falls (not to be muddled with a city of the same name on American soil) was home to 5,000 asylum seekers among a population of a little over 100,000. 'They usually take some of the lower rental places, which means it leaves less for the locals,' he said. It brings challenges for local businesses and for the hotels, even if some are happy to pocket cash from the federal government. 'There's been people who've called and said, 'Are there asylum seekers at this hotel?' he said. 'They want to stay where they feel like they're on vacation with other travellers.' In 2024, more than 54,000 asylum seekers arrived in Canada. Those that arrive at Toronto's international airport are among those bussed to Niagara Falls, less than two hours away. What was meant to be a temporary solution is looking increasingly permanent, said Mr Diodati. At the Wyndham, the country's refugee agency has taken over the basement. Families come for a buffet in the morning, while visitors breakfast on pancakes and maple syrup upstairs. American tourists rub shoulders with African mothers wheeling pushchairs into the lifts. 'Every day that I am here I thank God. I can't believe it,' said one recent arrival from Tanzania. Tensions are evident elsewhere in the city. Away from the roaring falls, crammed with phone-wielding tourists in the warm April sun, residents describe resentment at how much money is spent on the new arrivals. 'I wish the government was paying for three meals for my family,' said a hotel worker, who asked for anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue. Business owners have their own worries. Mr Diodati tells the story of a Brazilian steakhouse that went through a $7 million makeover, only for the owner to realise that the city's hotels were filled with people who were not going to be spending money on slap-up dinners. Elizabeth Bilotta, owner of the Hair Gallery salon, said she had lost hundreds of dollars from missed appointments. 'When I have called them they just say they are a refugee as if that makes it OK,' she said. 'These are four-hour appointments, $200 to $300. I still have to pay my staff.' There are upsides for a city where 40,000 people are directly dependent on tourism. Asylum seekers are allowed to work while they wait for their case to be decided, providing a steady stream of entry level labour for the city's service industries. But that dependence on tourism brings other worries for Mr Dionati, who jokes that he could throw a ball from his office and hit the US border in the middle of the Niagara River: just what will Mr Trump do or say next? He was once a fan of the American president, seeing him as the sort of can-do businessman who would bring a fresh approach to politics. Now. like the rest of the country, he is dealing with the fallout from Mr Trump's repeated attacks on Canada, falsely accusing it of allowing deadly fentanyl to cross the border and describing a trade deficit as a $200 billion subsidy. Tourism traffic travelling from Canada across the bridge into the US has already fallen by a quarter. Any drop in travellers coming the other way, reducing the number of big-spending Americans visiting his city, could have a devastating effect. 'You're always waiting for what's next,' Mr Dionati said. 'He's so mercurial, so unpredictable. You never know what's going to come out of his mouth.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
