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Niagara Health | Extraodinary Caring. Every Person. Every Time.

Community Engagement and External Relations

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As part of our journey to transform hospital care in Niagara, Niagara Health is committed to engaging with the communities we serve.

Contact Community Relations: engage@niagarahealth.on.ca

Information for Municipal Candidates

As a publicly funded healthcare organization, Niagara Health does not endorse, oppose, or favour any political party, candidate, or elected official and is committed to ensuring fair, consistent, and non-partisan engagement at all times.

For elected officials and candidates, all requests for meetings, tours, briefings, announcements, or site visits must be coordinated through Niagara Health's Community Relations team. During election periods, information and access are provided in an equitable and consistent manner to all candidates to uphold principles of fairness, transparency, and political neutrality. Niagara Health's Political Engagement and Election Time Policy (updated June 24, 2026) reinforces our commitment to remaining politically neutral while maintaining constructive relationships with all levels of government. This approach helps protect public trust, maintain compliance with public sector accountability expectations, and ensure Niagara Health remains focused on delivering high-quality care to the communities we serve.
Hospital Care at Niagara Health: Key Facts for Municipal Candidates - June 26, 2026

Discussions with Elected Officials 

Discussions with Community Partners 


Town of Fort Erie hosted a meeting with Ontario Health West, NOHT-ESON and Niagara Health representatives to discuss opportunities for future healthcare services in Fort Erie - April 2, 2025

Our Partners

Ontario Health Teams
Ontario Health Teams are being introduced by the Ontario Government to provide a new way of organizing and delivering care that is more connected to patients in their local communities.  Under Ontario Health Teams, health care providers will work as one coordinated team for a more integrated and seamless delivery of care.

The Niagara Ontario Health Team - Équipe Santé Ontario Niagara is comprised of 45 partners from a broad range of healthcare, community support sector and social services – which includes 80 Primary Care Physicians, as well as patients/clients, families and caregivers.

 Niagara Emergency Medical Services (NEMS)
Niagara Health has a strong partnership with NEMS and has developed a program for destination determination – meaning that based on presenting complaints of the patient, Niagara EMS can assess which Niagara Health site the patient should be taken.

Niagara Emergency Medical Services (NEMS) has begun a new program to field 911 calls to assess patients to determine if they need an ambulance or some other level of care.  This new program will help non-emergency patients over the phone, and in most cases avoid the need for an ambulance entirely, ultimately lessening the demand on hospital emergency departments.
South Niagara Hospital: Indigenous Committee
The South Niagara Site project team has partnered with members of the Indigenous community to create an Indigenous Committee to support the planning and design of the South Niagara Site and provide guidance and recommendations into the Indigenous Healing Space and Indigenous Healing Garden.

The Committee is comprised of:
Niagara Native Centre
Six Nations of the Grand River
Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation
Niagara Chapter Native Women
Indigenous Health Network
Indigenous Diabetes Health Circle (formerly SOADI)
Fort Erie Native Friendship Centre
De dwa da dehs nyes Aboriginal Health Centre



Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA)
Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Niagara and Niagara Health consulted with hundreds of clients, their families and community partners to help guide their planning for the new shared location at 264 Welland Ave. in St. Catharines. CMHA and Niagara Health team members were also key to the planning, and both organizations applaud their teams for their input and preparation to help make the move a success.

Programs provided in St. Catharines by CMHA Niagara and Niagara Health’s Adams Street Addiction Services opened to the community on Tuesday, April 16 at 264 Welland Ave.

Partnering under one roof will improve care and better connect clients to mental health and addictions programs. It will also help them more easily navigate the system.  The purposely renovated space is brighter and larger and will provide a safer environment and fully accessible programs and services.  Niagara Health services moving to the new location are Men’s and Women’s Withdrawal Management (Detox), ABC (A Better Choice), the Out and About Methadone Clinic and Hepatitis C Satellite Clinic.

All Canadian Mental Health Association St Catharines programs and services, including the Safe Beds Program and Urgent Support Services, are also provided at the new location.

Niagara-on-the-Lake
When reconfiguring the healthcare model in Niagara-on-the-Lake (NOTL), Niagara Health worked with a local steering committee to find partnerships with existing health care providers and long-term care facilities in the area to help meet the needs of the residents in NOTL. Healthcare services improved as a collaborative model of care was introduced. 

Niagara Health also built a partnership with Pleasant Manor, a private, not-for-profit facility in Virgil, owned and operated by Radiant Care, in which Niagara Health provides funds annually out of our operating budget for 12 convalescent care beds.  This solution of collaboration ensures that NOTL residents have access to transitional beds close-to-home.

Niagara Health continues to work with community providers in NOTL to ensure access to healthcare for residents.

Community Toolkit

Maximize your engagement with the three-site model.

Download Toolkit

Engagement Schedule

Date/Presentation

Feb. 10, 2026 Welland Council 
Recording available here. 
April 8, 2025

Welland Council 
Recording available here. 
Briefing note available here.
Presentation available here. 
Dec. 3, 2024

Port Colborne Council 
Recording available here. 
Presentation available here. 
June 3, 2024

Niagara-on-the-Lake Community Centre
14 Anderson Ln, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON L0S 1J0
6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
Recording of presentation available here.
Questions & Answers
May 30, 2024

Thorold Senior Citizens Centre
Based on feedback, the Thorold engagement session was drop-in format. 
8 Carleton St S, Thorold, ON L2V 5C2
6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
May 27, 2024

Fleming Memorial Arena - Rooms B, C and D: Drop-in format
5020 Serena Dr, Beamsville, ON L0R 1B8
6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
April 23, 2024

Gale Centre Arena - Memorial Room
5152 Thorold Stone Rd, Niagara Falls, ON L2E 0A2
6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
Recording of presentation available here. 
Questions & Answers
April 16, 2024

Welland International Flatwater Centre - Celebration Hall
16 Townline Tunnel Rd, Welland, ON L3C 2T4
6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
Recording of presentation available here. 
Questions & Answers
April 9, 2024

St. Catharines Merritton Community Centre
7 Park Ave, St. Catharines, ON L2P 1P9
6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
Recording of presentation available here. 
Questions & Answers 
April 4, 2024

CANCELLED DUE TO POWER OUTAGE

Meridian Community Centre – Dr. Gary & Mall Accursi Room A: Drop-in format
100 Meridian Way, Fonthill, ON L0S 1E6
March 21, 2024

Port Colborne Vale Health and Wellness Centre -  Golden Puck Room
550 Elizabeth St, Port Colborne, ON L3K 5W3
6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
Recording of presentation available here. 
Questions & Answers 
March 19, 2024

Fort Erie Leisureplex Banquet Hall
3 Municipal Centre Dr, Fort Erie, ON L2A 2S6
6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
Recording of presentation available here. 
Questions & Answers
March 12, 2024 Community Virtual Webinar
Recording available here. 
Questions & Answers 
March 7, 2024

Regional Council, Committee of the Whole Presentation
Recording available here. 

 

Extraordinary Caring. Every Person. Every Time.

Niagara Health System