Local Government Week

Celebrate Local Government Week in Lincoln!

Every year, municipalities across Ontario celebrate Local Government Week during the third week of October to increase public awareness of the important roles local governments play in our communities. This year, Local Government Week is October 16 – 20.

We invite community members to partake in this important event. Here's what's happening!

Mayor for a Day

Are you a high school student in the Town of Lincoln? Do you have innovative ideas that can make a real difference in our community?

Enter our contest to become "Mayor for a Day" for the Town of Lincoln!

This is your chance to shine and make a positive impact on your town! At the same time, you'll gain invaluable insights into the workings of our local government.

To enter the contest, all you need to do is answer one of the following two questions:
- Why do you want to be the Mayor for a Day?
Share your passion for public service and community leadership. Tell us about the changes you'd like to see in Lincoln and how you believe being the Mayor for a day can help you make a difference.
- What are two ideas (programs or policies) you have to improve our town?
Put on your thinking cap and come up with two innovative ideas that could enhance the quality of life in Lincoln. Clearly explain your proposals, their feasibility, and how they would positively benefit our town. Don't forget to outline your plan for implementing these ideas.
Choose your preferred format for entry: either a well-crafted essay (maximum 750 words) or a creative 3-minute YouTube video. Showcase your communication skills and let your personality shine through. Be sure to address all the evaluation criteria – creativity, feasibility of ideas, and benefit to the Town of Lincoln – to increase your chances of winning.
Your submission must include:
- your full name
- grade you are studying in
- a parent or guardian's email address
Submit your entry through our online form.
Questions? E-mail Clerks@Lincoln.ca.
The winner of the "Mayor for a Day" contest will have a unique experience of shadowing the Mayor for a day and witnessing firsthand the decision-making process and gaining insights into how our local government operates. You will learn how municipal government functions and get a behind-the-scenes experience by attending meetings, touring Town hall, meeting Town staff, taking photos in the Council Chambers and, of course, spending the day with Mayor Sandra Easton to learn what it is like to be Mayor of the Town of Lincoln.
(The winner would need to obtain school and parent/guardian consent to be absent from their school day.)
2nd and 3rd prizes will each be awarded a Town swag bag and gift card from a local business.

Colouring Contest

Children 12 and under are invited to enter our Colouring Contest to celebrate 2023 Local Government Week in Lincoln.

Three participants will be selected and entries will be displayed at Town Hall.*

*No personal information will be made visible on the displayed artwork other than the child’s first name and age on the front.

Download the colouring sheet here or pick up a hard copy at:
- Town Hall
- Lincoln Pelham Public Library (Fleming Centre and Rittenhouse branches)
Submit by:
- Delivering to any of above facilities
- E-mailing Clerks@lincoln.ca with attachment

Learn more about Local Government

Follow us on social media during #LocalGovWeek to learn more about the services the Town of Lincoln provides. Learn about our municipal history through our fascinating historical posts throughout the week.

Explore videos featuring each department within the Town of Lincoln, showcasing the significance of local governance and the pivotal roles each department plays in delivering high-quality services to our residents.

Watch the YouTube videos!

From the archives!

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The Town of Lincoln came into existence on January 1, 1970; a municipal corporation created by the Legislature of the Province of Ontario through the amalgamation of the Town of Beamsville with the Township of Clinton, and the annexation of approximately half of the Township of Louth.
Through a citizen vote, "Lincoln" was chosen to be the town’s name. This name perpetuates that of the former County of Lincoln, which was abolished by the Province of Ontario when it established the new town through the enactment of the Regional Municipality of Niagara Act.
The Town of Lincoln’s inaugural meeting and swearing in ceremony occurred on January 5, 1970, at the Beamsville District Secondary School.
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From our Corporate Archives: A By-Law for the Board of Health, Beamsville, May 5, 1884
The first provincial Public Health Act was passed on March 29, 1873, with a more comprehensive Act following in 1884. The 1884 Act resulted from a yellow fever epidemic in the United States in the 1870s. A special sanitary committee of the legislature was formed in response to this epidemic in 1878, where 171 municipal clerks revealed, “that absolutely nothing, almost, is being done throughout the province toward the prevention of disease or improvement of public health.” At this time, of approximately 1,000 Ontario municipalities, 20 had medical officers of health appointed.
The new, strengthened Public Health Act of 1884 required local boards to be established throughout the province. Within two years of its passage, 400 boards of health were in operation, including one in Beamsville that was enacted by Council on May 5, 1884. These early Acts, and the work of the local boards, paved the way for the Public Heath we know today.

Sources:
https://www.alphaweb.org/page/milestones
Springer, The Development of Public Health in Ontario, Canadian Public Health Journal, Vol. 26., No. 3 (March 1935), 110-123.
Christopher Rutty and Sue Sullivan, “This is Public Health: A Canadian History, The Canadian Public Health Association, 2010. chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.cpha.ca/sites/default/files/assets/history/book/history-boo…
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In the late 1800s and early 1900s, beautification became an important social movement. Vacant lots were filled with flowers, school gardens were created, and horticultural societies did various plantings. In 1883, the Ontario Tree Planting Act was passed, which encouraged Ontario municipalities to offer a bonus not exceeding 25 cents per planting and appoint a tree inspector.
On April 18, 1884, Clinton Township Council passed By-Law 23 stating that residents could receive up to 25 cents per tree planting on highway or boundary lines. This payment was issued three years after each planting was made, to ensure the seedling was growing into a healthy tree. This by-law also stated that any person who damaged or removed a planting on public property, unless provided with special permission by Council resolution, could be fined up to $25 to better ensure that all plantings were cared for.
John A. Grobb was appointed as the first Clinton Township tree inspector.
Source: https://mapleleavesforever.ca/the-history-of-roadside-tree-planting-in-ontario-part-2/
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The Haines Cemetery, situated within the historic grounds of the Lincoln Museum and Cultural Centre, holds the remains of early Pennsylvanian-German Mennonite settlers of the Jordan district, with burials as early as the 1840s. The cemetery was originally built beside the Jordan Mennonite Church, which was in use from approximately 1840 to 1874.
In 2022 restoration specialists began to recover and reconstruct the monuments to ensure public safety, as well as to preserve and protect the heritage assets. The project has recently been completed.
The below images show a before and after glimpse of the work completed. This particular monument is for Barbara Wismer (1794-1871) who moved to Louth Township (now Lincoln) from Waterloo Township in 1834. Soon after, she married Isaac Wismer and they resided in the Vintage House (located across from Cave Springs winery). Her stone has now been proudly restored for present and future generations.
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Before
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After
In the later part of the nineteenth century, education became more accessible, but school attendance was often infrequent. At this time, approximately 70% of the Canadian population was living in rural areas, and farming needs often took precedence over school attendance. Ontario made the first compulsory school laws in 1871, when parents were fined for not having their children between the ages of 7 and 12 attend school for at least four months per year. Legislation in 1891 raised this age limit to 8 and 14.
The Town of Beamsville responded to this 1891 legislation by appointing Truancy Officer Nelson Johnson, who reported to Council each month with a report of truant absentees, neglected children, and breaches of the Act. Compulsory school attendance resulted in improved literacy and a more educated populace.
Sources:
Philip Oreopoulos, Canadian Compulsory School Laws and their Impact on Education Attainment and Future Earnings, Statistics Canada, 2005
Neil Sutherland, Children in English-Canadian Society: Framing the Twentieth-Century Consensus (Waterloo: Wilfrid Laurier University Press, 2000)
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