Niagara – it’s about a lot more than just The Falls

When people think Niagara, they often think only of the Falls themselves, those natural wonders to which a visit never grows old.

But beyond the awe-inspiring beauty and power of the Falls and the Niagara River, Niagara Region offers a lot more that’s worthy of just a weekend getaway.

Encompassing towns such as Grimsby, Lincoln, Niagara-on-the- Lake, St. Catharines, Thorold and Welland, the Niagara Region is blessed with a great natural location.

It occupies most of the Niagara Peninsula, bounded by the U.S. to the south and on the north by Lake Ontario, and of course the Niagara Escarpment – all of which offers strong potential for business and lifestyle choices.

These natural landscapes and climate make the Niagara Region perfect for agri-businesses such as winemaking – a key economic sector. The Niagara Wine Route, for example, connects dozens of wineries and is a growing tourism draw, complementing cultural events such as the Shaw Festival.

Indeed, a visit to the area can involve a stop at the Falls, winery tours, the quaint town of Niagara- on-the-Lake, the Botanical Gardens with its Floral Clock and Butterfly Conservatory, several championship golf courses and a growing casino industry in downtown Niagara Falls.
All, of course, when COVID-19 safety protocols allow.

But this is all for play. To live and work in the region is another matter.

Economic growth

Again, a blessing of location, Niagara is within 800 km of two provinces, nine states and 130 million people on both sides of the border. This means opportunities for business. The trade that flows across Niagara’s borders totals more than $100 billion annually, and supports hundreds of thousands of jobs across Canada and the U.S. The infrastructure network to support this trade activity comprises five international bridges, multiple railways and the Welland Canal, linking Lake Erie into the St. Lawrence Seaway system.

All of this is conducive to growth potential for the region’s manufacturing, transportation and logistics sectors, to complement the historical strength in agriculture and tourism.

Niagara’s economy has shown steady growth in a number of areas, particularly in job creation and new investment, but still lags slightly behind Ontario averages. The Niagara economic development department confirms the area still has challenges in higher unemployment, lower participation rates and lower household income per capita.

But that’s changing, as the region continues to draw more investment. In 2018 alone, for example, Niagara had $1.7 billion in construction, and from 2015 to 2018, such investment in the area grew by 56 per cent, compared to 19 per cent for Ontario overall.

New home development

As the economy grows and affords people more opportunity to live and work in Niagara – or close by – new- home development is following.

Much of the housing growth is in the lowrise category, as buyers from the GTA find the lot sizes and price points far more appealing and affordable.

But that, too, is changing, as some consumers prefer the condo lifestyle, even in a nature-rich area such as Niagara. Developers are responding in kind, with several new condo projects, many of them midrise or boutique condominiums.

Lucchetta Homes, for example, recently issued a new release of executive bungalows and townhomes from the mid $600,000s at Riverside at Hunters Pointe in Welland. And Blythwood Homes has two new developments in the area – The Oaks at Six Mile Creek in Ridgeway, with detached bungalows and bungalow towns from $659,000; and The Vintages at Four Mile Creek in Niagara-on-the-Lake, offering bungalow townhomes from $735,000.

Part of the appeal for homebuyers in Niagara, of course, is affordability relative to Toronto and other parts of the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. According to the latest Royal LePage House Price Survey, for the fourth quarter of 2020, aggregate median home prices in Niagara-St. Catharines were $538,391. This is up 4.4 per cent from $515,812 in the third quarter of 2020, and 19.4 per cent from $450,898 in the fourth quarter of 2019.

This year-over-year price growth is in the top three not just in Ontario, but in all of Canada.

And from the ReMax 2021 Housing Market Outlook Report, the realty firm noted that average residential sale prices in Niagara increased by 19 per cent, from $449,410 in 2019 to $533,198 in 2020. ReMax also projects another 12-per-cent growth in average home prices for 2021, to $597,181.

Location, location, location

A regional municipality in Southern Ontario comprising 12 municipalities, including Grimsby, Lincoln, Niagara-on-the-Lake, St. Catharines, Thorold and Welland; 130 kms from Toronto; 86 kms from Hamilton.

Key landmarks

• Botanical Gardens
• Casino Niagara
• Clifton Hill
• Fallsview Casino
• Legends on the Niagara Golf Course
• Lundy’s Lane
• Niagara Falls
• Niagara Wine Route
• Skylon Tower
• Welland Canal
• Whirlpool Golf Course

Select housing developments

Claret By Capital North Communities
cncommunities.com

Davis Heights By Lucchetta Homes
lucchettahomes.com

L’Eau Niagara By Elite Developments
elitemdgroup.com

Lusso Urban Towns By Lucchetta Homes
lucchettahomes.com

Lyon’s Creek Chippawa By Capital North Communities
cncommunities.com

On the Ridge By Rosehaven Homes
rosehavenhomes.com

One Twenty Condos By Mountainview Homes
mountainview.com

Millenium Towns on Portage By Mountainview Homes
mountainview.com

Riverside at Hunters Pointe By Lucchetta Homes
lucchettahomes.com

Shelter Cove By Shelter Cove
sheltercove.ca

The Fonthill By Elite Developments
elitemdgroup.com

The Oaks at Six Mile Creek By Blythwood Homes
blythwoodhomes.com

The Vintages at Four Mile Creek By Blythwood Homes
blythwoodhomes.ca

West Creek By Mountainview Homes
mountainview.com