Fact vs. Fiction

Fiction: Persons using assistive motorized devices cannot use them on/in city parks and trails.

Fact: Assistive devices are the only exception to motorized vehicles in public parks and on trails. So for people requiring electric wheelchairs and other mobility devices, they do not need to worry. Staff are researching whether changes need to be recommended, and if so, will bring them to Council for a final decision.

Fiction: The rebrand will cost 1.2 Million dollars
Fact: The rebranding exercise, which included research, consultation, design, revisions, videography, photography, editing, template creation, and more, cost $65,000. These funds were approved in the 2022 capital budget. In 2023, City Council approved $50,000 in the capital budget for implementation. Existing assets, such as park signs, street signs, and printed materials, will be replaced once they reach the end of their useful life.

Fiction: The City is ignoring arts and culture in the rebranding outcomes.
Fact: Thoguh arts and culture may not be listed as some of the headings in the branding document, the brand presentation documents are pulling from the public consultation and community feedback sections. Not every sentiment is captured in a headline, but arts and culture is not being ignored or forgotten.

Fiction: This is the third time consultants have created brand concepts.
Fact: This is the first time the City of Welland has undergone a professional, comprehensive branding exercise that included public consultation, research, municipal auditing, and professional design.

Fiction: The rebranding exercise has a $300,000 price tag.
Fact: The rebranding exercise, which included research, consultation, design, revisions, videography, photography, editing, template creation, and more, cost $65,000. These funds were approved in the 2022 capital budget. In 2023, City Council approved $50,000 in the capital budget for implementation. Existing assets, such as park signs, street signs, and printed materials, will be replaced once they reach the end of their useful life.

Fiction: There was no community input for the rebrand
Fact: In 2022, the City of Welland hosted a digital survey on its engagement platform, www.engagewelland.ca. The survey was open for several weeks and allowed for input from everyone. Additionally, one-on-one interviews and focus group sessions were conducted. All of the feedback received during this process was implemented into the proposed brand.

Fiction: There hasn’t been any information about this rebrand until now
Fact: The rebrand was first brought forward to Council in 2021 as part of the 2022 budget review committee process. Council approved the decision unit and provided direction for staff to conduct the rebranding exercise. The City of Welland created an Engage Welland page for information, updates, and hosting a digital survey and left the page open for questions during the year. Now that the exercise is complete, information about the findings is being shared leading up to the final report on March 21.

Fiction: We just rebranded a few years ago
Fact: The City of Welland did not rebrand a few years ago. In 2016, a community design contest was held to design a logo. A logo is not a brand. A brand is a framework that drives and streamlines how a corporation presents itself. The logo contest did not meet best practices, undergo the research and professional design required, and was widely panned by those in the graphic design industry. You would not rely on a community design contest for architectural designs, so why do it for a corporation’s identity?

Fiction: A logo is a brand.
Fact: A brand is not a logo, product, or service. A brand is an emotional connection continuously created through experiences delivered and stories told. If you think of a brand as a book, the logo may be on the cover, but the brand is all the pages of the story that follow.

This page wasn't created on a whim. As you know, there was a municipal election in 2022, and while candidates were on the campaign trail, they heard many things that simply were not accurate. So, we're here now to clear the air on some of those issues. To get started, here are a few we've heard.

Fiction: The building at 350 Prince Charles Drive collapsed because of a sinkhole, flood, quicksand, fire, earthquake, wind storm, etc.

Fact: It is unknown what caused the structural failure at this construction site. The Ministry of Labour is investigating what happened, and until that investigation is complete, speculation about what happened is speculation. If you're curious about the building inspection process, have a listen to Buildings and Inspections: What you Need to Know.

Fiction: Councillors know exactly what is being built before a “Notice of Development Sign” is put up in a neighborhood, but you will not let the people in the neighborhood know.

Fact: City Councillors are notified about Planning Applications at the same time as residents. There may be some instances where Councillors are aware of a proposed development before the public but without an Application submitted it not necessarily public information. Depending on the type of Planning Application, notices are posted in Niagara This Week, the City’s website, and individual notices are sent to property owners within a certain distance of the lands proposed to be developed. Building Permit applications do not require public notification.

Fiction: The historical Welland neighbourhood Stop 19 is being faced with the threat of having their small forest area, which borders the shared Steve Bauer Trail, by developing urban sprawl by greedy corporations.

Fact: The original minor variance application A54-2022 was refused by the Committee of Adjustment and no appeal was filed. The applicant is redesigning the proposed development to conform with the current CC1 – Community Commercial Node Zone requirements and would no longer require a minor variance to the Zoning By-law. In this case no further public notice would be required and proposal would proceed to Site Plan Approval and an Applications for Building Permits. The CC1 Zone permits a range of commercial, institutional and residential uses up to 8 storeys in height.