Niagara Falls mayor talks Canada-U.S. border reopening, upcoming local events
Niagara Falls mayor Jim Diodati joined us this morning. He talked about the Canada-U.S. border reopening, the Niagara Falls Santa Claus Parade, the Winter Festival of Lights and Niagara Falls Arts and Culture Wall of Fame.
Diodati says he has not seen many Americans coming into Canada since the border reopened, because of the expensive COVID-19 PCR tests required to come into Canada.
“Once we deal with [the PCR tests] I think we’re going to start to see the up-tick,” said Diodati. “I’m expecting an update [about PCR tests] this week because on November 21, the federal government does an update on federal regulations for border requirements.”
When it comes to events in the city, Diodati says the Santa Claus Parade over the weekend was the “biggest and best we’ve ever had.”
He says upwards of 20,000 people attended the parade and notes that the Christmas Market is now open every Friday, Saturday and Sunday until Dec. 19.
“We’re one of the only communities to have a full-out Christmas parade again,” said Diodati. “The crowds were so grateful…sometimes when you lose something, you appreciate it that much more…the people were excited and the kids were over the moon.”
The Santa Claus Parade was also followed by the launch of the Winter Festival of Lights. The festival features “101 nights of twinkling lights”, with around 3-million lights along the Niagara Parkway, Dufferin Islands and across Niagara Falls.
There are three new inductees into Niagara Falls Arts and Culture Wall of Fame. The three inductees are Maria Vetere, Rivoli Iesulauro and Tim Hicks.
This year’s United Way of Niagara campaign aims to help 120,000 people in the Niagara Region. Chief of Police Bryan MacCulloch is chairing the campaign and Diodati offered himself to get “arrested.”
To help the Mayor get out of jail, visit United Way Niagara.
