Where on Earth is Niagara-on-the-Lake?




The Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake is located in the northeast corner of the Regional Municipality of Niagara bounded by the Niagara River, Lake Ontario, the City of St. Catharines, and the City of Niagara Falls and occupies 31,131 acres (or 12,599 hectares). Niagara-on-the-Lake was formed as a result of the introduction of regional government to the area on January 1, 1970. It comprises the whole of the former Town of Niagara and the former Township of Niagara including the district heritage communities of Virgil, St. David's, Queenston, Homer and McNab. It is now one of the twelve municipalities in the Regional Municipality of Niagara.

Strategically located on the 43rd parallel, the Town of Niagara-on- the-Lake lies on the same latitude as Florence and Cannes and is the tourism heart of the Ontario wine region which stretches along the south shore of Lake Ontario from Stoney Creek to Niagara Falls. The composition of the soil in this region was formed 12,500 years ago when the glaciers retreated leaving behind deposits of clay, loam, sand and gravel. The soil mix is enriched with minerals and trace elements from different strata of bedrock which provide nutrition to the vineyards and add complexity to the wines produced locally. This richness of soil and a combination of mild temperatures also provide ideal conditions for the Town's thriving horticultural and fruit-growing industries. Local vineyards account for 84% of Canada's wine production and many of these cottage wineries have produced vintages that have won gold medals from prestigious international competitions.

One particularly unique product that is indigenous to Niagara-on-the- Lake and is its most recent claim to fame is Ice Wine, or Eiswine, and was produced locally by several winemakers of European heritage. The production begins with the winter harvest that goes around the clock for two or more days until the vines are stripped. This has become such a prestigious event, that some local wineries are now offering tickets (sales of which are donated to charitable events) to these fashionable 'picking parties'. The successful production of Ice Wine in our municipality is a result of our unique microclimate and we have produced some of the finest vintages in the world.

Over 3.5 million people visit Niagara-on-the-Lake each year to view its award-winning landscaped parks and gardens, recreated eighteenth and nineteenth century buildings, and historical sites. There is carefully guided and structured informality in the planning of the beauty that visitors experience in this heritage community that is lauded as the jewel of Ontario's Golden Horseshoe. We accommodate 6 public and private art galleries, 3 world renowned theatres under the directorship of Jackie Maxwell and the Shaw Festival Theatre Company, 4 museums, 15 public parks and playgrounds, a library that houses the largest research collection on English Canada's origins, a community college, 4 golf courses and 2 driving ranges, a sports arena, community centre, youth centre and 16 churches. Dedicated heritage management and environmentally-friendly activities combined with community involvement and landscape enhancement projects helped the Town win the honour of being acclaimed the Prettiest Town in Ontario (1995) and Prettiest Town in Canada (1996) in the respective population categories.