When people think of the Niagara Region, the images and places that most likely come to mind are the Falls, of course, and popular towns such as Niagara-on-the-Lake. A little further down the recall list, perhaps, might be Fort Erie – but those days may be over.

Encompassing other towns such as Grimsby, Lincoln, 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.

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 and transportation and logistics sectors, to complement the historical strength in agriculture and tourism.

Though all of it also, of course, now facing some uncertainty with the ongoing tariff discussions with the U.S. Long term, however, solid fundamentals remain.

Housing demand

In March, Niagara Region hosted an Innovative Ideas for Housing forum in downtown St. Catharines, aimed at fostering innovative solutions to address the region’s ongoing housing challenges. The forum provided a platform for more than 100 local representatives from both public and private sectors – including elected officials, Indigenous leaders, local planners and developers, building officials and financial consultants – to collaborate and explore new strategies for overcoming barriers to housing development.

“The housing challenges facing our communities are complex, and there are no easy solutions,” says Regional Chair Jim Bradley. “This forum provided participants with valuable insights into the nature of this crisis, its causes, and how it might be addressed. It is evident from the day’s discussions that fresh thinking, fulsome cooperation and a focus on made-in-Niagara solutions will be key in addressing our current and future housing needs.”

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 2024, aggregate median home prices in Niagara-St. Catharines were $638,600. This is up 1.0 per cent from $627,000 in the fourth quarter of 2023, and 1.9 per cent from $632,300 in the third quarter of 2024.

Not bad for market conditions that were far from perfect.

Indeed, according to the Niagara Association of Realtors (NAR), the region finished strongly in 2024, indicating that this is a market that is holding its own. Residential home sales activity totalled 539 units in October 2024, compared to 377 in October 2023.

“With the amount of sales increasing 43 per cent from last October and increasing 10.5 per cent from (October 2024), it’s a good indicator that things are trending in the right direction and buyers are definitely coming off the sidelines,” says NAR President Nathan Morrissette.

And more good news could be expected for this year.

“I think 2025 is heading in the right direction,” Kelly Anderson, sales and marketing manager of Silvergate Homes, recently told Active Life. With interest rates on a steady decline, this should give buyers more confidence.

New home development

“There is a lot of demand out there for housing – new buyers, downsizers, right-sizers – they all want to purchase and are just waiting for the right time. The right time for a lot of these people might be spring – so builders should gear up and get ready for a busy market. There are a lot of builders out there with fabulous projects, so buyers should see some excellent options. That, mixed with lower rates, should spice things up for 2025.

“A great opportunity for homebuyers is the amount of product that is on the market,” she adds. “There are some great builders with such a variety of low-, mid- and highrise housing available. If you’re in the market, you will have lots of opportunity to purchase any style of home you’re looking for.

Anderson would know, given that Silvergate has a number of new home offerings in the area: Merritton Mills, a five-storey condo in St. Catharines; Luna, a boutique bungalow townhome community in Thorold; Prudhomme’s Landing, a master-planned waterfront community in Lincoln; and Harbourtown Village, a beach town community in Fort Erie.

Fort Erie

Indeed, some call Fort Erie, a town of 32,901, a hidden gem. Fort Erie is one of the fastest growing communities in the region, with high population gain in the last five years, and a corresponding level of residential and commercial development.

Like the Niagara Region itself, Fort Erie is blessed with a great natural location – essentially a peninsula within a peninsula, surrounded on the south by Lake Erie, and to the east and north by the Niagara River. Fifty-five per cent of the population of the U.S. – including Buffalo, basically a kilometre away right across the river – and 62 per cent of the Canadian population is within an 800-km radius.

Key among the attributes is proximity to the Peace Bridge, North America’s second busiest international land border crossing, and international crossings in Niagara Falls and Queenston/Lewiston are just minutes away.

Fort Erie is comprised of a number of hamlets, including Crystal Beach, Bridgeburg, Ridgeway, Stevensville, Douglastown and Black Creek, and boasts a rich history and blend of rural and urban living. Crystal Beach is a particularly popular lakefront community, so named for its clear waters, and the site of a former well-known amusement park that was a favourite for both Canadians and Americans from 1888 to 1989.

The lake and river serve as a natural playground for yachts, sailboats, powerboats and other watercraft.

The ultimate result of all of this appeal is unbeatable potential for business and lifestyle choices in Fort Erie – the latter explaining why the town swells in population by about 10,000 in summer, as seasonal residents flock to beachfront properties.

There’s also plenty of landbound appeal here, with more than hectares of parkland, 33 parks, 45 kms of recreation and nature trails, numerous waterfront parks and access points, playgrounds and splash pads, sports fields and conservation areas.

For history buffs, there are few better attractions in Ontario than Old Fort Erie, built on the river’s edge in 1764, and pivotal in the War of 1812. A visit to this historical site will take you back in time, with tours, musket demonstrations and the annual Siege of Old Fort Erie re-enactment, during which British, American and First Nations soldiers depict Niagara’s important role in the war.

Location, location, location

A regional municipality in Southern Ontario comprising 12 municipalities such as Grimsby, Lincoln, Niagara-on-the-Lake, St. Catharines, Thorold, Welland and Fort Erie; 130 kms from Toronto; 86 kms from Hamilton, 31 kms from Niagara Falls to Fort Erie

Key landmarks, Niagara

• 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

Key landmarks, Fort Erie

• Battle of Ridgeway Heritage Park
• Fort Erie Historical Museum
• Fort Erie Race Track
• Fort Erie Railway Museum
• Friendship Trail
• Niagara River Recreation Pathway
• Old Fort Erie
• Point Albino Lighthouse

Select housing developments

Alliston Woods
By Mountainview Homes
mountainview.com

Garner Estates
By Blythwood Homes
blythwoodhomes.ca

Harbourtown Village
By Silvergate Homes
silvergatehomes.com

Hunters Pointe
By Lucchetta Homes
lucchettahomes.com

Joy Towns Niagara
By Branthaven
branthaven.com

Luna
By Silvergate Homes
silvergatehomes.com

Lusso Urban Towns
By Lucchetta Homes
lucchettahomes.com

Merritton Mills
By Silvergate Homes
silvergatehomes.com

On the Ridge
By Rosehaven Homes
rosehavenhomes.com

One Fonthill
By Mountainview Homes
mountainview.com

Prudhomme’s Landing
By Silvergate Homes
silvergatehomes.com

Serenity Urban Towns
By Blythwood Homes
blythwoodhomes.ca

Settlers Landing
By Blythwood Homes
blythwoodhomes.ca

Splendour
By Mountainview Homes
mountainview.com

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

Westwood Shores
By Mountainview Homes
mountainview.com

Westwoods on the Creek
By Mountainview Homes
mountainview.com

Winona County
By Branthaven
branthaven.com