NewsNow E-Edition January 22 2026

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West Lincoln approves 1.26% budget increase

By Mike Williscraft NewsNow

Twp. of West Lincoln property owners will see a 1.26 per cent tax increase in 2026 after council approved its budget at its Jan. 12 meeting.

With some small amendments, the impact in the non-urban area will be $21.71 ($1.81 per month) on the Township portion of the tax bill; an average residential home in the urban area, $23.55 ($1.96 per month).

West Lincoln Mayor Cheryl Ganann said council paid special attention to keeping its financial belt tight this year.

“We have always been tough on budget and getting down to the nitty gritty,” said Ganann.

“But we’ve talked, almost this whole yearas many are well aware -we have a lot more people who are just skimming by. We went into it (budget process) thinking about the affordability for the taxpayer, and that’s not

knowing what the (Niagara) Region is going to do.”

Regional council is considering a tax increase of nearly seven per cent but has requested Niagara Regional Police find $2.7 million in cuts to its budget to bring down the overall increase to 6.48 per cent. This comes after a 2025 increase of 9.6 per cent.

“They (Region) will never get it down where we are, but everyone has been mindful that it is one taxpayer and we have to do what we can,” said Ganann.

Despite keeping a 2026 increase to a minimum, Ganann noted the municipality is still moving ahead with key infrastructure projects, among them:

• Twenty Road Resurfacing, from Range Road 2 to South Grimsby Road 8

• Dufferin Street Reconstruction, including water and wastewater infrastructure

• South Grimsby Road

8 Road Resurfacing

See BUDGET, Page 3

Look out below!

Emsley Kurtz, 4, of Beamsville is all smiles as she navigates her way down the hill at St. John Catholic Elementary School on Saturday. Screams of delight echoed through the yard on her way down a snowy hill. Loree - Photo

BUDGET

From Page 1 from Reg. Rd. 20 to Twenty Road. Part of the reason for the township’s ability to maintain programs has been accumulating planned surplus revenues.

“When I first came on council it was abotu $100,000, now it’s about $150,000. We have not always had a lot of assessment growth, so this went in to help keep increases down,” said Ganann, but she noted, combined with some assessment revenue coming on stream from recent developments, the municipality was in a strong position this year.

“As well, we had been planning ahead

by putting money in reserves to go with provincial grants so this year the money was already allocated. There was not reason to tap into reserves any further.”

Other budget features include:

Service enhancement

• Software to speed up building permitting, streamline resident-staff communication and improve customer service experience

• Expanded customer service model to create a one-window approach across Municipal Offices and the West Lincoln Community Centre

• Strategic investment to improve and grow community events, expand rec-

reation programming and increase community engagement

• Website updates to improve accessibility, navigation and create a clearer path to information

Economic development

• Projects to improve collaboration with industry partners across West Lincoln to attract new business and retain and grow existing businesses

• New Economic Development Strategy

“The financial planning made a huge difference. It wasn’t like ‘oh, we’ve been given a bunch of money from the province, now we have to find our part’. We were working towards being ready all along,” said Ganann.

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About 1:30 p.m., 8 District officers were dispatched for a call near Livingston Avenue and St. Andrews Avenue in Grimsby.

The call was for a man who was seen committing an indecent act in public while watch-

Uniformed officers obtained video footage of the man, along with a description from the Police searched the area, but the man had fled prior to police arrival.

The investigation was taken over by the 8 District Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB). Detectives were able to identify the man who was arrested Fri-

Facing two charges - indecent act and breach of prohibi-

tion order - is Arie Van Es, 37, of Grimsby.

In 2016, Van Es was convicted on five charges, including sexual interference and possessing child pornography - receiving a six year sentence. He pleaded guilty to committing multiple sexual acts against a four-year old-child.

Anyone with information related to this incident can call Niagara Regional Police Service’s 8 District CIB (Grimsby/ Lincoln/West Lincoln) at 905688-4111, option 3, ext. 1029341. Members of the public who wish to provide information anonymously are encouraged to contact Crime Stoppers of Niagara online or by calling 1-800-222TIPS (8477). Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards to persons who contact the program with information that leads to an arrest.

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As CREA’s latest forecast points to a national rebound in home sales and modest price growth in 2026, Niagara’s market is expected to follow suit with slightly rising prices & increased sales activity after a quieter 2025. Local data suggests average sale prices in the region dipped last year, but forecasts show a mild price increase & a small uptick in transactions this year, helping Niagara shift toward a more balanced market that offers opportunities for both buyers & sellers!

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Notice of Public Information Centre #1

Grimsby Trunk Watermain Schedule ‘B’ Municipal Class Environmental Assessment

Town of Grimsby

The Study

Niagara Region is undertaking a Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (MCEA) for a new trunk watermain for conveying potable water from the Grimsby Water Treatment Plant (WTP) near Lake Ontario to the Park Ridge Reservoir located along Park Street at the top of the Niagara Escarpment.

The new trunk watermain is required to support future growth and will allow for more efficient operation of the overall water distribution system while ensuring the new capacity and future flow demand requirements are met.

The Process

This study is being conducted as a Schedule ‘‘B’’ Class EA, satisfying Phases 1 and 2 of the Municipal Engineers Association Municipal Class EA process. The study examined various crossing locations along the Niagara Escarpment and alignment routes throughout the Town of Grimsby. Following a detailed evaluation of alignment options, a preferred alignment was identified running along the North Service Road, crossing by trenchless construction under the QEW and CN Rail, continuing along Murray Street, Mountain Street, Elm Tree Road, and Park Road to the Park Ridge Reservoir, as shown on the figure inset. This alignment is recommended as preferred as it minimizes impacts to the environment and the community, while being cost efficient compared to other alignment options.

Public Information Centre #1 Details

Niagara Region encourages the public to participate in this planning process. The virtual Public Information

Centre will provide an overview of the study, including the problem and opportunities to be addressed, existing conditions within the study area, alternative solutions and evaluation criteria, as well as a recommended solution.

Public Information Centre #1 will be held in an online format from Wednesday, January 21, at 9:00 am until Wednesday, February 18, 2026. To view the presentation and additional information materials, visit niagararegion.ca/projects/grimsby-new-trunkwatermain

Comments and feedback can also be provided to members of the project team by email during the four week comment period.

Upon completion of the study, a Project File report documenting the study process will be prepared and made available for public review and comment.

Contact

Danny Kasunic, P.Eng., CEM Niagara Region Project Manager Water-Wastewater Services Niagara Region 3501 Schmon Pkwy., PO. Box 1042 Thorold, ON L2V 4T7 905-980-6000 ext.3766

Danny.Kasunic@niagararegion.ca

Rafiq Qutub, M.Eng., P.Eng., PSAP Consultant Project Manager GEI Consultants Inc. 1266 South Service Rd., Unit C31 Stoney Creek, ON L8E 5R9 647-248-7813

RQutub@geiconsultants.com

Personal information collected or submitted in writing at public meetings will be collected, used and disclosed by members of Regional Council and Regional staff in accordance with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA). The written submissions including names, contact information and reports of the public meeting will be made available. Questions should be referred to the Privacy Office at 905-980-6000, ext. 3779 or FOI@niagararegion.ca.

If you require any accommodations in order to attend and participate in meetings or events, please let us know in advance so that arrangements can be made in a timely manner. Please contact the Accessibility Advisory Coordinator at 905-980-6000, ext. 3252 or accessibility@niagararegion.ca

This notice was first issued on January 15, 2026.

ROBERT JAMES, Sales Representative

Office: 905-945.1234

Email: robertjames@royallepage.ca

Lincoln earns age-friendly award

The Town of Lincoln earned distinction during an Ontario Age-Friendly Community Recognition Ceremony conducted as part of 2026 Rural Ontario Municipalities Association Conference this week.

Age-friendly communities support older adults in living safely, maintaining good health, and staying socially connected and engaged.

“This recognition validates the voices of older adults and highlights the importance of designing programs, services, and spaces that support active, healthy aging,” said Coun. JD Pachereva, who also sits on the Age-Friendly and Active Community committees.

Lincoln Coun. JD Pachereva, also council’s representative on the Town’s Age-Friendly and Active Community Advisory Committee, accepted the award.

Winter Warmth Campaign

Envision Grimsby 2051: Official Plan Review Project

Notice of Public Meeting and Open House

The Town of Grimsby is the final stages of reviewing the Draft Official Plan. This notice is to provide information on the upcoming statutory public meeting and open house.

What is an Official Plan?

The Grimsby Official Plan is a long-range land use planning document that includes a vision, goals, and land use policy directions for the Town. It provides direction and contains land use policies to guide growth and change in Grimsby through to the year 2051.

Grimsby Official Plan Review Process

Grimsby’s current Official Plan was approved by Council in 2009 and was intended to provide direction for the Town until 2031. Various amendments have been made to the Plan since that time. Significant changes in Provincial policy have occurred since 2009, requiring the Town to update the Grimsby Official Plan.

The Official Plan Review Project began in 2023. Various in-person events and online engagement opportunities have been held since this time to gather public input on the plan and inform the vision and policy direction. This input was incorporated into the Draft Official Plan that was made available on www.letstalkgrimsby.ca/officialplan in October of 2025.

Please Note: Written comments are encouraged and must be submitted to Town of Grimsby, Planning Department 160 Livingston Avenue, Grimsby, Ontario L3M 0J5 or by emailing grimsbyop@grimsby.ca referencing the Official Plan Review. Unless indicated otherwise, all submissions, including personal information, will become part of the public record and will be included as an appendix to the staff recommendation report.

Open House

The statutory Open House is being held under provision of Section 17 and 26 of the Planning Act. Please note that there will be no staff presentation at the Open House. Information about the Transportation Master Plan will also be available at this event. For more information about the Transportation Master Plan project visit: https://www.letstalkgrimsby.ca/tmp.

The Open House will be held as follows:

Date: February 12, 2026

Time: 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Location: Town Hall Atrium (160 Livingston Avenue)

Public Meeting

The statutory Public Meeting is being held under provision of Section 17 and 26 of the Planning Act. The Public Meeting will be held as follows:

Date: February 23, 2026

Time: 6:00 p.m.

Location: Town Hall (160 Livingston Avenue) and via Zoom

The meeting can be attended in-person or via Zoom. If you wish to appear as a delegation in person or at the meeting via Zoom, please register with grimsbyop@grimsby.ca. Note only those individuals that register will be given the Zoom link. If you do not wish to speak, our meetings will be livestreamed at https://www.grimsby.ca/livestream/.

For more information about this matter, including information about appeal rights, please visit Town Hall during normal business hours (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), or you may contact:

Town of Grimsby, Planning Department

160 Livingston Avenue, Grimsby, Ontario L3M 0J5

Telephone: (905) 945-9634

Email: grimsbyop@grimsby.ca

An information report regarding the Draft Official Plan will be available at Town Hall and on the Town’s website at www.grimsby.ca. A staff recommendation report will be presented at a subsequent meeting of Council. If you wish to be notified of the decision of the Town of Grimsby regarding the Draft Official Plan, you must make a written request to the Director of Planning at the address above.

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Common car noises and what they might be indicating

Certain noises can be innocuous and easily fixed, while others may be indicative of something more complex.

Pinpointing where a noise is coming from can help vehicle owners identify the problem. Here’s a list of some common sounds and what the causes might be, courtesy of Firestone, Geico and Nationwide.

High-pitched squealing

Screeching or squealing coming from the tires when stepping on the brakes likely means that brake pads are wearing down and the indicator is rubbing against the rotor.

Although this is not an emergency situation, it does mean that brakes will need to be replaced sooner than later.

Rattling in the wheel

If you hear rattling inside of a wheel at low speeds which stops as you drive faster, it could mean there is a loose lug nut inside of the hub cap. That wheel wasn’t tightened properly the last time it was removed and replaced. Bring the car to a mechanic as soon as possible.

Clicking

If you try to start the car and only hear a clicking sound instead of the car turning over, a dead battery is likely the cause. Such a noise also may indicate corroded battery terminals that are preventing the current from flowing. Terminals need to be cleaned. The battery should be checked and jumped, if necessary. If a battery is not holding a charge, a new one is needed.

Do I Have the Right to Select the Shop That Will Repair My Vehicle?

Yes. By law, as the owner of the vehicle damaged in an accident, you have the right to choose the shop to repair your vehicle.

Look for Qualified Collision and Refinish Centres. Look for signs that indicate repair technician training and certification. Membership in professional trade and Better Business Bureau indicate that the shop is keeping up with the latest repair procedures.

Clunking sounds

Clunking sounds may indicate a few different issues. A clunking sound might indicate worn out shock absorbers, which absorb vibrations from the wheels. Damaged struts also can cause clunking. Worn out leaf spring shackles that help in off-roading conditions also can cause clunking when they bend or break.

Humming, whining or whirring

These strange noises might have different origins. Check if the differential needs to be lubricated. A wheel bearing also could be worn out and produce a noise. In more severe cases, the transmission could be failing. The best course of action is to get a professional opinion from a mechanic.

Most collision shops guarantee their collision repairs. Come in and ask us about ours.

Do I Need More Than One Estimate?

No. Select your repair facility that you feel comfortable with, and then notify your insurance company to make arrangements to inspect the damage.

Notify Your Insurance Company. Before authorizing any repairs notify your insurance company and inform them where your vehicle has been inspected.

Auto interior maintenance and cleaning tips

Drivers who want their cars and trucks to look their best should not forget their vehicle interiors.

Drivers unsure where to start can spruce up their vehicle interiors in the following ways.

• Remove any trash. Wrappers, receipts, empty water bottles, and other items can quickly pile up inside a car, especially for drivers who have young children. Routinely go through the vehicle to gather and remove debris.

• Vacuum the interior. Start off with a can of compressed air and blow out dust and any other dirt that has accumulated in tight crevices. Then use a highpowered vacuum to conduct a thorough cleaning. Pay attention to the seams of car seats,

door handles, armrests, floor mats (and under them), underneath child safety seats, and the trunk or cargo area. If you don’t have a vacuum with a lot of suction, utilize one at a do-ityourself car wash location.

• Clean the upholstery. Seats can get dirty and dingy over time. For cloth vehicle seats, use a proper spray or foam upholstery cleaner. All-purpose cleaner can work on vinyl seats, but leather seats require a special leather soap and conditioner. Avoid products with silicone, which can stain your clothes and may make interior surfaces too slippery.

• Address glass surfaces. Turn your attention to the windshield, windows and mirrors. You can use a store-bought

glass cleaner on these surfaces and a lint-free cloth. Avoid products containing ammonia, which may damage tinting on windows.

• Consider lingering odors. If the interior of the car has an odor, the cabin air filter may need to be changed, or there may be water entering the vehicle somewhere and creating a musty smell. Seek out any problems and address. A car air freshener can further improve the interior smell.

A thorough deep cleaning can be done at least once a month to keep a vehicle’s interior fresh and clean. However, keeping up with interior cleaning and maintenance by doing small jobs regularly will reduce the need for routine deep cleaning.

OBITUARIES

DITTRICK, Maleka Dorothy (nee Tilburt)

July 18, 1934 - January 16, 2026

Passed away peacefully on Friday, January 16, 2026, at the age of 91. Born in Beresford, New Brunswick, to Ralph and Elodie (née Gauthier) Tilburt. Maleka embodied the strong work ethic and enduring Acadian values that defined her throughout her life.

She was first married to Dr. Abul K. Mousuf, with whom she had her son, Anwar. After Dr. Mousuf’s passing, she married Garth Dittrick on September 1, 1962, beginning a loving partnership of over 63 years.

Maleka was a devoted mother of Anwar Mousuf (Christine), Bronwyn Hildebrandt (Wayne) and Brock Dittrick (Karen); cherished grandmother and great-grandmother.

A long-time resident of Grimsby, Ontario, she was a dedicated supporter of the Lincoln County Fair, where she volunteered for over 40 years, contributing her time, energy and enthusiasm to the community event she loved. She was also well known by perhaps thousands of school children who attended Central Elementary School in the 1970’s and 80’s, where she served as Special Constable and Crossing Guard.

Maleka will be deeply missed by her husband Garth; her children; her sisters, Diana and Joyce, grandchildren, extended family and many friends.

A Celebration of Maleka’s life will be held on the anniversary of her birth, July 18, at the West Niagara Agricultural Centre & Fairgrounds, 7402 Mud Street West, Grassie.

Memorial donations to charity of your choice would be appreciated.

OBITUARIES

mihalides, louis

It is with heavy hearts we announce the passing of our beloved father, Louis Mihalides, on Wednesday, January 14, 2026. Dad was in his 87th year. He passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loved ones at Albright Manor in Beamsville.

Dad will be reunited with his loving wife of 60 years, Carolyn Mihalides (2021), and his beloved son Mark (2009).

Dad leaves behind his children Lynette (Joe) Walmsley, Paul Mihalides, and Sharleen (Ken) Kohut. The best “Papa” to his grandchildren Ryan, Jordan, Christian, Brandon, Sarah, and Jacob.

He will be dearly missed by his brothers-in-law Frank Toth (Margaret, 2009), Ernie Nash (Karin), and Dennis Nash (Lynda), along with many other relatives and friends.

We are grateful to the angels who walk the 5th Floor North of Albright Manor. Your care, compassion, and support towards our Dad will always be remembered.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Merritt Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Louis may be made to Albright Manor and would be sincerely appreciated by the family.

stuiver, Jan Johannes

Passed away at Deer Park Villa, on Monday, January 12, 2026, in his 90th year. Former husband of Diane Stuiver. Much loved father of Monique Fagan (John), Kristine Stuiver (Jamie) and the late Wayne Stuiver (2016). Cherished grandfather of Brian (Laura), Patrick (Alex), Michael (Vanessa), Geoff, Nick (Rachel), Cole and Paige and great grandchildren Emma, Anna, James, Jack, Caleb and Harvey. Dear brother of Marion, Rick, Bill and the late Fred. John was an employee of Stelco for over 30 years. After retirement, he enjoyed sailing and his many trips to Florida. Special thanks to all the staff at Deer Park Villa for all their great care and compassion. Cremation has taken place. rrangements entrusted to STONEHOUSEWHITCOMB FUNERAL HOME, GRIMSBY, 905945-2755.

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HAT TRICK HOCKEY

Week 12 (Standing as of Jan. 18th, 2026)

• $15 Gift Card, courtesy of Tim Hortons, Grimsby: John Dandridge

• $15 gift certificate courtesy of Jordan Flowers,Grimsby: Larry Wolfe

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• Large, 3-Item Pizza, Pick-Up Only, courtesy of Gino’s Pizza Grimsby: Paula Scotney

• $15 Gift Card courtesy of Memphis BBQ., Winona: Tom Hewitson

• 2 Tickets to a Grimsby Peach Kings game, Grimsby: Mason Codack Winners can stop by the NewsNow office to pick up their winnings

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Top Standings

1. Zdriluk, Jacob 1004

2. Couch, Jesse 978

3. Klages, Keith 970

4. Stuive, Cindy 968

5. Simmons, Cam 968

6. DeVries, Mark 966

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8. Heywood, Kevin 961

9. Kurpis, Steve 961

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11. Klages, Robert 958

12. Van Roon, Jim 956

13. Mous, Brent 954

14. Kraan, Alisha 953

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16. Dearman, Travis 950

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Be sure to look online at: wn3.ca to see the full standings, but here are some of the leaders and lucky random draw winners: Sponsored by:

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Is healthcare worse, or just the same?

The one about governments - on any level - is it is always easy to take shots at those who are in power.

There is nothing wrong with that. It is the nature of the democracy beast.

There is a lot of heat flying around - far more than at any point in my recollection - much of it magnified south of the border.

One issue that pops up pretty much every day is healthcare.

that story is, when I came to, I opened my eyes after a nurse yelled, “How much gauze do you need?”

As I looked over at her, she heard me rustling around, turned her head toward me and a horrified look came across her face.

Her horror was not realizing they put a patient in the storage closet.

My horror was I was the one in the storage closet.

Easy riders

John Kurtz of Beamsville had a full sled with his tobogganmates - niece May McDowall, 3, and daughters Emsley, 4, and Georgia, 2. The crew was just one of the groups who took to the hill at St. John Catholic Elementary School on Saturday. The way the weather looks, there will be some great sledding days ahead. Loree - Photo

Well done West Lincoln

When budget season rolled around last fall a very typical message was expected to emanate from Niagara West town halls - something about fiscal responsibility and doing what needs to be done - that sort of thing. That did not materialize.

The reason the expected chatter was likely was due to the upcoming fall election. Almost like clockwork, municipalities - and other levels of government - save the their best economic voodoo to make pre-election budget increases to a bare minimum - like West Lincoln did at 1.26 per cent. Grimsby came in at 4.7 per cent; Lincoln at 4.98 per cent. It is rare, like not in the last 20 years, that it can be said Grimsby and Lincoln could adopt a thing or two about how West Lincoln is running its ship, but (as Mayor Cheryl Ganann noted) times being as they are, each level of government needs to do what it can. Well done, West Lincoln! M.W.

The purpose of these ramblings is not to make excuses for anyone or to praise anyone, but merely to point out healthcare matters - doctor and nurse shortages, bed capacities, ER waits - have been as consistent as the sun coming up in the morning for decades.

I had a few comments/letters about Fred Post’s letter from last week where he noted he was parked in the middle of action for a time before getting to an ICU bed.

Generally, people wonder how a person who required ICU level of care could be left in a hallway.

Well, here is a story longtime readers of this space (same space but deceased newspapers included) may recall from 1998.

Groundhog Day - Feb. 2my Grandpa Walzack’s birthday, my appendix burst.

Being the newspaper junky that I’ve been for 40 years, I still went into our original Grimsby News office - where Donna’s Fashions is nowfinished deadline, then drove myself to my doctor’s office at Main and Maple.

I’ll save you the pain description, but it was akin to a hot poker jabbed into my lower intestines. My doc was not in, but the doc who saw me said I needed to get to WLMH on the double. Once there, I was waiting for an ambulance to take me to Hamilton because the only doc who did appendectomies was off on Wednesdays; whole other story but that was a silver lining.

I was bumped in priority, still I waited. Staff at WLMH could not give me anything for the pain because docs in Hamilton didn’t want anything masked when I got there.

Finally, I get to McMaster after about five hours. There I was parked in a waiting room on a gurney with several others on gurneys and others waiting for loved ones to come out of surgery. This was about 6 p.m. Nurses came by and said I was waiting for a surgeon to be available. At 10 a.m. or so, they said “any minute”. That turned into 11:30 p.m. before I went in.

My personal fave part of

Truth be told it was a regular patient room but had been long converted to a storage closet complete with equipment on rollers, shelving units, the works.

That was 30 years ago when Mike Harris was premier for six years. Since, we’ve had 10 years of Dalton McGuinty, five years of Kathleen Wynne, and seven years of Doug Ford.

That is a pretty even split between the leading political parties over that stretch so there should be no pointing fingers since both have had time to do something about it. I will say, Ford’s time has been completely compromised by COVID impacts both for stress on the system and skyrocketing costs, but his government has put a great deal of focus on healthcare. It’s tough to write him off yet.

All this harkens back to a column from last fall - you (taxpayers) cannot have everything you wish for. If governments cut out all the peripheral things special interest groups whine about and put it into core services, we’d all be better off.