Gates calls on Ford government to stop interfering in Niagara Parks bargaining

QUEEN’S PARK – NDP MPP Wayne Gates (Niagara Falls) stood in the Legislature today to call on the Ford government and Treasury Board to stop blocking fair bargaining for Niagara Parks workers, warning that provincial interference should not be the reason bargaining fails:

“Niagara Parks workers are not asking for special treatment; they are asking for a fair deal that keeps up with the cost of living. These are the workers who maintain one of the world’s greatest attractions and keep Niagara’s tourism economy running every single day. They are our neighbours, and they deserve respect at the bargaining table.

“What we are hearing is that Treasury Board interference is blocking movement on wages and putting this tourism season at risk. Why is the government trying to control bargaining - it makes no sense because Niagara Parks is self-funded. We’re getting ready for an incredible tourism season right now, getting ready for FIFA. If the province wants Niagara to be ready for the summer, then the Premier and Treasury Board need to step aside and let bargaining happen in good-faith.”

BACKGROUND:

Niagara Parks operates as a self-funded agency for the Government of Ontario. Its own 2025-2028 Business Plan states that Niagara Parks “operates in a self-supporting manner without the aid of operational government funding.” If Niagara Parks is self-funded, Treasury Board should not be standing in the way of a fair local agreement for both Niagara Parks workers and Niagara tourism.