Regional police are multijurisdictional police forces which cover at least two administrative divisions .
74-635: The Niagara Regional Police Service ( NRPS ) is a regional police service maintained by the Regional Municipality of Niagara in the Canadian province of Ontario . As of 2021, the force employed 774 sworn police officers and 326 non-sworn support staff members. The NRPS was established on January 1, 1971, and was the second police service to serve a regional municipality after the Metropolitan Toronto Police Force . Its headquarters
148-732: A French spelling of the Mohawk Katarokwi . The lake was a border between the Huron people and the Iroquois Confederacy in the pre-Columbian era . In the 17th century, the Iroquois drove out the Huron from southern Ontario and settled the northern shores of Lake Ontario . When the Iroquois withdrew and the Anishnabeg / Ojibwa / Mississaugas moved in from the north to southern Ontario, they retained
222-529: A cyclist without cause, and opening his investigation into a supervisor who had already been cleared of wrongdoing. His reputation was so poor that one Niagara officer told the Toronto Sun that "nobody feels sorry for [Parker]," prompting questions about why Parker had been employed by the force before the shooting. In March 2019, the SIU charged Det. Sgt. Donovan with attempted murder, aggravated assault, and assault with
296-566: A defendant on the SIU charges. Donovan was subsequently charged with perjury in 2022. That same year, Cst. Parker was charged with mischief under $ 5000 and assault by the Halton Regional Police Service in an unrelated road rage incident that occurred while Parker had been off-duty. Since the Service's incorporation in 1971, five Regional Police officers have died in the line of duty. The NRPS provides all general policing duties in
370-469: A larger department, such as specialized units and a professional staff. Lake Ontario Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north, west, and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario , and on the south and east by the U.S. state of New York . The Canada–United States border spans the centre of the lake. The Canadian cities of Hamilton , Kingston , Mississauga , and Toronto are located on
444-748: A neighbouring municipal police force or by sharing police services with several other First Nations or Indigenous communities. There are several police services in Nova Scotia that have "regional" in their name and serve regional municipalities, but they are not regional police forces in the traditional sense. While regional municipalities in Ontario and Quebec form an "upper tier" ( county level) of government, coordinating services like police and roads for several constituent municipalities (making those forces equivalent to US county sheriff departments ), Nova Scotia regional municipalities are "single tier," handling all of
518-459: A significant number of lagoons and sheltered harbors, mostly near (but not limited to) Prince Edward County, Ontario , and the easternmost shores. Perhaps the best-known example is Toronto Bay , chosen as the site of the Upper Canada capital for its strategic harbor. Other prominent examples include Hamilton Harbour , Irondequoit Bay , Presqu'ile Bay , and Sodus Bay . The bars themselves are
592-484: A weapon. Those charges were dropped by the Crown months later, citing a lack of reasonable prospect of conviction. The OPP, meanwhile, charged Cst. Parker with assaulting a peace officer, assault with intent to resist arrest, and assault with a weapon. The charges against Parker were also dropped after a brief trial after it was revealed that Donovan had inappropriately accessed case evidence — evidence he had from when he had been
666-617: Is 53 statute miles (85 km; 46 nmi). The lake's average depth is 47 fathoms 1 foot (283 ft; 86 m), with a maximum depth of 133 fathoms 4 feet (802 ft; 244 m). The lake's primary source is the Niagara River, draining Lake Erie, with the Saint Lawrence River serving as the outlet. The drainage basin covers 24,720 square miles (64,030 km ). As with all the Great Lakes, water levels change both within
740-463: Is accompanied by the invasion of cattails , which displace many of the native plant species and reduce plant diversity. Eutrophication may accelerate this process by providing nitrogen and phosphorus for the more rapid growth of competitively dominant plants. Similar effects are occurring on the north shore, in wetlands such as Presqu'ile, which have interdunal wetlands called pannes , with high plant diversity and many unusual plant species. Most of
814-535: Is also referred to as the Casino District. The Niagara Regional Police Pipe Band is a grade three pipe band based in Niagara Falls. The band's pipe major is Alick Feller. There was a grade 2 pipe band in existence until the end of the 2009 season, led by Dave Goodall (pipe major) and Graham Kirkwood (drum sergeant), however, that group dissolved in the fall of 2009. Members of the mounted unit are part of
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#1732855091202888-455: Is located in Niagara Falls, Ontario . The Regional Municipality of Niagara was created on January 1, 1970 through the amalgamation of Welland and Lincoln Counties and the re-organization of the 26 villages, towns, townships, and cities into 12 municipalities. As a part of the reorganization, the municipal police commissions were amalgamated into one regional board, and three deputy chiefs from
962-520: Is the Z-shaped Bay of Quinte which separates Prince Edward County from the Ontario mainland, save for a 2-mile (3.2 km) isthmus near Trenton; this feature also supports many wetlands and aquatic plants, as well as associated fisheries. Major rivers draining into Lake Ontario include the Niagara River, Don River , Humber River , Rouge River , Trent River , Cataraqui River , Genesee River , Oswego River , Black River , Little Salmon River , and
1036-679: The American Revolution with the influx of Loyalist settlers. During the War of 1812, the Royal Navy and US Navy had fought in several engagements for control of Lake Ontario . The Great Lakes, including Lake Ontario, were largely demilitarized after the Rush–Bagot Treaty was ratified in 1818. The lake became a hub of commercial activity following the War of 1812 with canal building on both sides of
1110-468: The Canadian Museum of History ), created by military engineer Jean-Baptiste de Couagne , identified Lake Ontario as "Lac Frontenac" named after Louis de Buade, Comte de Frontenac et de Palluau. He was a French soldier, courtier, and Governor General of New France from 1672 to 1682 and from 1689 to his death in 1698. In the 17th century, reports of an alleged creature named Gaasyendietha , similar to
1184-755: The Kennebecasis Regional Police Force ; and those that are operated by a single municipality but contracted to serve other municipalities, like the Victoria Police Department and Thunder Bay Police Service . Many Indigenous communities are too small to sustain independent police forces — the Canadian reserve system operated on the assumption that Indigenous families required less land than settler families and routinely gave away reserve lands to settlers without Indigenous consultation or consent — and several instead maintain regional police agencies, either by contracting police services out to
1258-689: The Native American peoples of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy . The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries and the Government of New York jointly administer the sanctuary. Lake Ontario is the site of several major commercial ports including the Port of Toronto and the Port of Hamilton . Hamilton Harbour is the location of major steel production facilities. The government of Ontario , which holds
1332-852: The Niagara Parks Police Service and the Brock University Campus Safety Services division. The Parks Police Service is unique among special constabularies in Ontario in that its members carry firearms and are trained alongside police officers at the Ontario Police College . (Slip-on) (Shoulder board) The Niagara Regional Police Service is divided into six districts, numbered 1-3, 5-6, and 8: Headquarters and administrative offices are located at 5700 Valley Way, Niagara Falls, Ontario. Support services are located on Welland Canals Parkway in St. Catharines. 2 District
1406-703: The Niagara Peninsula is a major fruit-growing and wine-making area. The wine-growing region extends over the international border into Niagara and Orleans counties in New York. Apple varieties that tolerate a more extreme climate are grown on the lake's north shore, around Cobourg . The Great Lakes watershed is a region of high biodiversity, and Lake Ontario is important for its diversity of birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians, and plants. Many of these special species are associated with shorelines, particularly sand dunes, lagoons, and wetlands. The importance of wetlands to
1480-509: The Salmon River . The lake basin was carved out of soft, weak Silurian -age rocks by the Wisconsin ice sheet during the last ice age . The action of the ice occurred along the pre-glacial Ontarian River valley which had approximately the same orientation as today's basin. Material that was pushed southward by the ice sheet left landforms such as drumlins , kames , and moraines , both on
1554-846: The Waterloo Regional Police Service on a 24/7 contract basis. Officers are also trained in ice rescue and swift water rescue. An incomplete list of retired and current vehicles: Retired Following changes to the Ontario Highway Traffic Act in August 2007, the Niagara Regional Police Service began replacing red and white "Street Hawk" emergency lights on police vehicles with new blue and red LED lights. Older-style light bars were gradually phased out through attrition. Niagara Regional Police Service marked patrol vehicles have historically been white. In
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#17328550912021628-497: The 32-mile (52-km) crossing from Niagara-on-the-Lake to Marilyn Bell Park in just under 27 hours. A large conurbation called the Golden Horseshoe occupies the lake's westernmost shores, anchored by the cities of Toronto and Hamilton. Ports on the Canadian side include St. Catharines, Oshawa, Cobourg and Kingston, near the St. Lawrence River outlet. Close to 9 million people, or over a quarter of Canada's population, live within
1702-562: The Atlantic. The shoreline created during this stage can be easily recognized by the (now dry) beaches and wave-cut hills 10 to 25 miles (16 to 40 km) from the present shoreline. When the ice finally receded from the St. Lawrence valley, the outlet was below sea level , and for a short time, the lake became a bay of the Atlantic Ocean, in association with the Champlain Sea . Gradually
1776-459: The Iroquois name. Artifacts believed to be of Norse origin have been found in the area of Sodus Bay , indicating the possibility of trading by the indigenous peoples with Norse explorers on the east coast of North America. It is believed the first European to reach the lake was Étienne Brûlé in 1615. As was their practice, the French explorers introduced other names for the lake. In 1632 and 1656,
1850-491: The Niagara Regional Police Service commenced a re-branding of marked patrol vehicles, adopting a black and white colour scheme, with silver and red graphics, which is being phased in as vehicles are replaced through attrition. Regional police#Canada In Canada, there are three main types of regional police force. There are those that are operated by regional municipalities in the provinces of Ontario and Quebec ; those shared by two independent municipalities, such as
1924-608: The Niagara Regional Police Service, other police services, and agencies related to maritime safety or the judicial process. The mandate of the Underwater Search & Recovery Unit Diver Unit (USRU) is to extend the police function underwater with a cost-effective, highly trained, and equipped underwater forensic response that meets the needs of the service, the citizens of Niagara, and our contracted partners. The underwater capability must be as forensically and professionally reliable as police duties that are executed on land, and meet
1998-507: The OPP conduct a parallel investigation to "determine if there was any criminal culpability outside of the SIU’s scope." Parker had a history of misconduct, facing four different disciplinary board hearings, three of which were for violent behaviour. At the time of the shooting, Parker had been docked a cumulative 326 hours of pay for incidents that included excessive force used against prisoners, arresting
2072-586: The Ottawa River in downtown Ottawa , Ontario. Several lighthouses exists throughout the lake to help with navigation. Notable historic examples include: A land-based trail that roughly follows the lake's shoreline also exists, the Great Lakes Circle Tour and Seaway Trail . The designated scenic road systems connects all of the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River. As the Seaway Trail is posted on
2146-444: The U.S. side only, Lake Ontario is the only of the five Great Lakes to have no posted bi-national circle tour. The Lake Ontario National Marine Sanctuary covers 1,722 square miles (1,300 sq nmi; 4,460 km ) in U.S. waters in southeastern Lake Ontario. Designated on September 6, 2024, the national marine sanctuary protects historic shipwrecks and an area of great cultural, historical, and spiritual importance to
2220-688: The United States, population centres here are among the oldest in the Great Lakes basin, with Kingston, Ontario , formerly the capital of Canada , dating to the establishment of Fort Frontenac in 1673. After the French and Indian War , all forts around the lake were under British control. The United States took possession of the forts along the American side of the lake at the signing of the Jay Treaty in 1794. Permanent, non-military European settlement began during
2294-859: The applicants have the aptitude to take part in this unique form of commercial diving. Successful candidates then complete six weeks of qualification training based on CSA Standards to develop the requisite knowledge, skills, and experience to eventually challenge a formal external audit process prescribed by the Diver Certification Board of Canada (DCBC). The USRU assists in the forensic recovery of human remains, SCUBA fatalities, vehicle, vessel, and air crash investigations, and weapons recovery. All members are certified in harbour clearing, hull searching, and explosives recognition. Two members are trained in underwater explosives disposal and improvised explosive device render safe. Since 1998, Niagara’s eight-person USRU has provided search and recovery services for
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2368-620: The area between Oswego and Pulaski may receive twenty or more feet (600 cm) of snowfall. Also impacted by lake-effect snow is the Tug Hill Plateau , an area of elevated land about 20 miles (32 km) east of Lake Ontario. The "Hill", as it is often referred to, typically receives more snow than any other region in the eastern United States . As a result, Tug Hill is a popular location for winter enthusiasts, such as snow-mobilers and cross-country skiers. Lake-effect snow often extends inland as far as Syracuse , with that city often recording
2442-439: The area for use in construction, particularly in the growing city of Toronto. As of 2012 , nearly 50 people have successfully swum across the lake. The first person who accomplished the feat was a Canadian long distance swimmer Marilyn Bell , who did it in 1954 at age 16. Toronto's Marilyn Bell Park is named in her honour. The park opened in 1984 and is east of the spot where Bell completed her swim. In 1974, Diana Nyad became
2516-404: The board sets overall service policy and direction, it has no operational control over the service or its officers, and day-to-day policing decisions are the exclusive jurisdiction of the police chief. The Board has 2 full-time employees, an executive director, and an executive assistant, and consists of seven members: the regional chair (or their designate); two regional councillors; one member of
2590-413: The border and heavy travel by lake steamers. Steamer activity peaked in the mid-19th century before competition from railway lines. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a type of scow known as a stone hooker was in operation on the northwest shore, particularly around Port Credit and Bronte . Stonehooking was the practice of raking flat fragments of Dundas shale from the shallow lake floor of
2664-531: The eastern and northeastern shores, between the Prince Edward County headland and the lake's outlet at Kingston, underlain by the basement rock found throughout the region. However, there exist several islands in the northwestern portion of the lake. Notable islands include: The Great Lakes Waterway connects the lake sidestream to the Atlantic Ocean via the Saint Lawrence Seaway and upstream to
2738-413: The first person who swam across the lake against the current (from north to south). On August 28, 2007, 14-year-old Natalie Lambert from Kingston, Ontario, made the swim, leaving Sackets Harbor, New York, and reaching Kingston's Confederation basin less than 24 hours after she entered the lake. On August 19, 2012, 14-year-old Annaleise Carr became the youngest person to swim across the lake. She completed
2812-582: The force's colour guard. There are three horses in the unit with three other horses retired. Two of the three horses are owned by the NRP. On November 25, 2010, the Niagara Regional Mounted Unit was disbanded for budgetary reasons. The annual budget of $ 30,000.00 used to care for the horses was redistributed elsewhere. Because crime and the need for assistance aren't limited to land, the Niagara Regional Police Service's Marine Unit provides policing to
2886-682: The forests around the lake are deciduous forests dominated by trees including maple, oak, beech, ash and basswood. These are classified as part of the Mixedwood Plains Ecozone by Environment Canada, or as the Eastern Great Lakes and Hudson Lowlands by the United States Environmental Protection Agency , or as the Great Lakes Ecoregion by The Nature Conservancy. Deforestation in the vicinity of
2960-459: The formation of a " police district " under the control of a Police Commission, some municipalities in Pennsylvania have found that improved and more professional police services could be obtained through inter-governmental cooperation. Having one police department covering two or more neighboring communities, rather than separate police departments, allows each municipality to enjoy the benefits of
3034-570: The frost danger is past, and in the autumn delay the onset of fall frost, particularly on the south shore. Cool onshore winds also slow the early bloom of plants and flowers until later in the spring season, protecting them from possible frost damage. Such microclimatic effects have enabled tender fruit production in a continental climate, with the southwest shore supporting a major fruit-growing area. Apples , cherries , pears , plums , and peaches are grown in many commercial orchards around Rochester. Between Stoney Creek and Niagara-on-the-Lake on
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3108-401: The ice. The lake has completely frozen over on five recorded occasions: in 1830, 1874, 1893, 1912, and 1934. When the cold winds of winter pass over the warmer water of the lake, they pick up moisture and drop it as lake-effect snow . Since the prevailing winter winds are from the northwest, the southern and southeastern shoreline of the lake is referred to as the snowbelt . In some winters,
3182-419: The importance of maintaining and restoring forest cover, particularly along streams and wetlands. By the 1960s and 1970s, the increased pollution caused frequent algal blooms to occur in the summer. These blooms killed large numbers of fish, and left decomposing piles of filamentous algae and dead fish along the shores. Lake Ontario is the most downstream lake of the Great Lakes, so the pollution from all
3256-426: The lake area typically develops, depending on the severity of the winter. Ice sheets typically form along the shoreline and in slack water bays, where the lake is not as deep. During the winters of 1877 and 1878, the ice sheet coverage was up to 95–100% of the lake. During the War of 1812 , the ice cover was stable enough the American naval commander stationed at Sackets Harbor feared a British attack from Kingston, over
3330-597: The lake has been appreciated, and many of the larger wetlands have protected status. These wetlands are changing, partly because the natural water level fluctuations have been reduced. Many wetland plants are dependent upon low water levels to reproduce. When water levels are stabilized, the area and diversity of the marsh is reduced. This is particularly true of meadow marsh (also known as wet meadow wetlands); for example, in Eel Bay near Alexandria Bay, regulation of lake levels has resulted in large losses of wet meadow. Often this
3404-399: The lake has had many negative impacts, including loss of forest birds, extinction of native salmon, and increased amounts of sediment flowing into the lake. In some areas, more than 90 percent of the forest cover has been removed and replaced by agriculture. Certain tree species, such as hemlock, have also been particularly depleted by past logging activity. Guidelines for restoration stress
3478-467: The lake was referred to as Lac de St. Louis or Lake St. Louis by Samuel de Champlain and cartographer Nicolas Sanson respectively. In 1660, Jesuit historian Francis Creuxius coined the name Lacus Ontarius . In a map drawn in the Relation des Jésuites (1662–1663), the lake bears the legend "Lac Ontario ou des Iroquois" with the name "Ondiara" in smaller type. A French map produced in 1712 (currently in
3552-523: The lake's northern shorelines, while the Canadian city of St. Catharines and the American city of Rochester are located on the south shore. In the Huron language, the name Ontarí'io means "great lake". Its primary inlet is the Niagara River from Lake Erie . The last in the Great Lakes chain, Lake Ontario serves as the outlet to the Atlantic Ocean via the Saint Lawrence River , comprising
3626-723: The lakebed rights of the Canadian portion of the lake under the Beds of Navigable Waters Act, does not permit wind power to be generated offshore. In Trillium Power Wind Corporation v. Ontario (Natural Resources) , the Superior Court of Justice held Trillium Power—since 2004 an "Applicant of Record" who had invested $ 35,000 in fees and, when in 2011 the Crown made a policy decision against offshore windfarms, claimed an injury of $ 2.25 billion—disclosed no reasonable cause of action. The Great Lakes once supported an industrial-scale fishery, with record hauls in 1899; overfishing later blighted
3700-657: The lakes and waterways of the Niagara Region. They conduct general patrol duties in parts of Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, the Niagara River, and other water sanctuaries within or bordering the Niagara Region. Officers in the Marine Unit enforce the Criminal Code, Narcotic, and Liquor Licence Act offenses in addition to marine and navigation laws. The Marine Unit also assists in search and rescue/search and recovery operations when required. In doing so, they work with other units within
3774-481: The land rebounded from the release of the weight of about 6,500 feet (2,000 m) of ice that had been stacked on it. It is still rebounding about 12 inches (30 cm) per century in the St. Lawrence area. Since the ice receded from the area last, the most rapid rebound still occurs there. This means the lake bed is gradually tilting southward, inundating the south shore and turning river valleys into bays . Both north and south shores experience shoreline erosion, but
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#17328550912023848-467: The late 1980s to the early 1990s, they were distinguished with royal blue hoods and a single blue stripe on the sides of the vehicle. In the mid-1990s, the service adopted the crest used today, switching to blue and green stripes on the sides of patrol vehicles, and abandoning the traditional blue hoods. This striping change was relatively short-lived, with the service soon adopting red and blue striping more commonly seen on police vehicles in Ontario. In 2013,
3922-459: The legislated competency requirements prescribed by CSA Z275.4-02 Competency Standard for Diving Operations. All USRU members must be sworn police officers and certified divers before they can apply to the team. Candidates are put through a challenging Phase I: Diver Selection week where they complete a variety of tests including basic diving knowledge; watermanship and stamina; claustrophobia and skills assessments. This selection program ensures all
3996-513: The modern land surface and the lake bottom, reorganizing the region's entire drainage system. As the ice sheet retreated toward the north, it still dammed the St. Lawrence Valley outlet, so the lake surface was at a higher level. This stage is known as Lake Iroquois . During that time the lake drained through present-day Syracuse, New York , into the Mohawk River , thence to the Hudson River and
4070-507: The most winter snowfall accumulation of any large city in the United States. Other cities in the world receive more snow annually, such as Quebec City , which averages 135 inches (340 cm), and Sapporo , Japan, which receives 250 inches (640 cm) each year and is often regarded as the snowiest city in the world. Foggy conditions (particularly in fall) can be created by thermal contrasts and can be an impediment for recreational boaters. Lake breezes in spring tend to slow fruit bloom until
4144-730: The municipal services for a large area. Not every regional police force in Nova Scotia serves a regional municipality, however — the New Glasgow Regional Police Service serves two towns in Pictou County , New Glasgow and Trenton . Some police forces in Ontario — such as the Toronto Police Service , Ottawa Police Service , and Greater Sudbury Police Service — had originally been regional police services, but ceased to function as true regional police agencies after
4218-487: The other lakes flows into it. Lake Ontario was ranked as the most environmentally stressed amongst the five Great Lakes in a 2015 ecological study. Some of the stresses on the lake include excess application of fertilizers in agriculture running into the lake, spillover from obsolete municipal sewage systems , toxic chemicals from industries along the rivers that drain into the lake, and metropolitan drainage from big cities like Toronto, Rochester, and Hamilton. Randle Reef ,
4292-670: The other rivers in the chain via the Welland Canal and to Lake Erie. The Trent-Severn Waterway for pleasure boats connects Lake Ontario at the Bay of Quinte to Georgian Bay (Lake Huron) via Lake Simcoe . The Oswego Canal connects the lake at Oswego to the New York State Canal System , with outlets to the Hudson River, Lake Erie, and Lake Champlain . The Rideau Canal , also for pleasure boats, connects Lake Ontario at Kingston to
4366-431: The process. Parker then drew his gun, and Donovan shot Cst. Parker until he fell to the ground. Donovan then radioed for an ambulance, saying "PC Parker attacked me, shots fired" and "he did pull a gun on me but I shot him." Parker survived the shooting with serious injuries. Immediately after the shooting, the SIU invoked its mandate to investigate the shooting, and the chief of the Niagara Regional Police Service requested
4440-447: The public appointed by the regional council; and three members of the public appointed by the province. As of 2023, its members are: In addition to maintaining the Niagara Regional Police Service, the Board is responsible for approving and overseeing special constabularies that operate in the regional municipality. Currently, there are two special constabularies under the Board's jurisdiction,
4514-519: The region's municipal police forces were appointed to oversee the process of creating a regional police force. One year later, on January 1, 1971, the Niagara Regional Police Force took over policing for the regional municipality, with 398 sworn officers and 42 non-sworn support staff. In 2016, the Service opened a new headquarters in Niagara Falls, the first in the force's history that wasn't located in St. Catharines. The new headquarters
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#17328550912024588-612: The region, including patrol of municipal and regional roads and waterways within the region, including the Welland Canal , the Niagara River , and lakes Ontario and Erie . Patrol of provincial highways in the region, such as the Queen Elizabeth Way , is handled by the Ontario Provincial Police , while patrol services on Niagara Parks Commission property are handled by the Niagara Parks Police Service . The NRPS is, however, mandated to investigate all major crimes in
4662-531: The region, including those that occur on provincial highways or NPC property. Like all municipalities in Ontario, the Regional Municipality of Niagara maintains a police services board, responsible for overseeing policing services in the Region. The board approves the police budget, hires the chief and deputy chiefs of police directly, and is the legal employer of every Niagara Regional Police employee. Although
4736-536: The regional municipalities that they served were amalgamated into single-tier cities. The adoption of regional policing in Canada has been controversial. A 2016 review of nine mid-sized and large Canadian police services found no significant differences existed in cost or service quality between regional and non-regional police forces, and a literature review in 2015 found that larger police services are less effective and more expensive compared to mid-sized forces. Through
4810-404: The sites of long beaches, such as Sandbanks Provincial Park and Sandy Island Beach State Park . These sand bars are often associated with large wetlands , which support large numbers of plant and animal species, as well as providing important rest areas for migratory birds. Presqu'ile, on the north shore of Lake Ontario, is particularly significant in this regard. One unique feature of the lake
4884-422: The so-called Loch Ness Monster , being sighted in the lake. The creature is described as large with a long neck, green in colour, and generally causes a break in the surface waves. A series of trading posts were established by both the British and French, such as Fort Frontenac in 1673, Fort Oswego in 1722, and Fort Rouillé in 1750. As the easternmost and nearest lake to the Atlantic seaboard of Canada and
4958-446: The tilting amplifies this effect on the south shore, causing loss to property owners. The lake has a natural seiche rhythm of eleven minutes. The seiche effect normally is only about 3 ⁄ 4 inch (1.9 cm) but can be greatly amplified by earth movement, winds, and atmospheric pressure changes. Because of its great depth, the lake as a whole does not completely freeze in winter, but an ice sheet covering between 10% and 90% of
5032-457: The watershed of Lake Ontario. The American shore is largely rural, with the exception of Rochester and the much smaller ports at Oswego and Sackets Harbor. The city of Syracuse is 40 miles (64 km) inland, connected to the lake by the New York State Canal System. Over 2 million people live in Lake Ontario's American watershed. Several islands exist in the lake, the largest of which being Wolfe Island . Nearly all of Lake Ontario's islands are on
5106-409: The western end of the Saint Lawrence Seaway . The Long Sault control dam , primarily along with the Moses-Saunders Power Dam regulates the water level of the lake. Lake Ontario is the easternmost of the Great Lakes and the smallest in surface area (7,340 sq mi, 19,000 km ), although it exceeds Lake Erie in volume (393 cu mi, 1,640 km ). It is the 13th largest lake in
5180-408: The westernmost part of Lake Ontario, has been identified as one of the most contaminated areas on Lake Ontario alongside other areas of concern on Great Lakes . However, a $ 150-million cleanup project had begun in 2016 and is expected to be completed by 2025. The name Ontario is derived from the Huron word Ontarí'io , which means "great lake". In Colonial times, the lake was also called Cataraqui ,
5254-420: The world . When its islands are included, the lake's shoreline is 712 miles (1,146 km) long. As the last lake in the Great Lakes' hydrologic chain, Lake Ontario has the lowest mean surface elevation of the lakes at 243 feet (74 m) above sea level; 326 feet (99 m) lower than its neighbor upstream. Its maximum length is 193 statute miles (311 kilometres ; 168 nautical miles ), and its maximum width
5328-473: The year (owing to seasonal changes in water input) and among years (owing to longer-term trends in precipitation). These water level fluctuations are an integral part of lake ecology and produce and maintain extensive wetlands. The lake also has an important freshwater fishery, although it has been negatively affected by factors including overfishing , water pollution and invasive species . Baymouth bars built by prevailing winds and currents have created
5402-427: Was designed to replace both the previous headquarters and the Niagara Falls district station. The St. Catharines district station, which had previously also served as the headquarters for the Service, was replaced in 2021. On November 29, 2018, Constable Nathan Parker was shot nine times by Detective Sergeant Shane Donovan while the officers investigated a traffic collision in the rural town of Pelham, Ontario . Donovan
5476-556: Was leading the collision reconstruction team, while Parker was a district officer assigned to keep the road closed while investigators worked the collision. While Donovan left to refuel his vehicle and pick up food for the investigators, Parker allegedly also left his post without informing any other officers, thus re-opening part of the road. When Donovan confronted him, Parker allegedly became irate, pushing, punching, and then drawing his baton on Det. Sgt. Donovan, to which Donovan responded by attempting to arrest Parker, drawing his firearm in
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