Hamilton-Niagara's Top Employers (2025) Magazine - Flipbook - Page 22
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HAMILTON-NIAGARA’S TOP EMPLOYERS (2025)
Working near an icon is a perk at City of Niagara Falls
I
n 2020, when James Dowling
was looking for the next step
in his career, a colleague
sent him a posting for a
senior manager of capital
accounting at the City of Niagara
Falls. While it ticked all the
job-requirement boxes, there was
another reason his interest was
piqued. “Working at a smaller city
that’s world famous is pretty cool,”
he says. “It’s such an iconic brand
– no one has ever asked me where
Niagara Falls is!”
Located in the heart of the
Niagara Region, the City of
Niagara Falls has close to
100,000 residents and hosts
nearly 15 million visitors annually.
Although Dowling isn’t from the
region, he has been welcomed
with open arms. “The city and
staff are really hospitable and
community focused – it runs in
everyone’s blood,” he says.
Professionally, Dowling has benefited from programs such as Lean
Six Sigma Yellow Belt Training.
“It looks at process efficiencies,
and I love that,” he says. He also
appreciates other ways senior
leaders like chief administrative
officer Jason Burgess help develop
their people.
“We’re a growing city, and Jason
took an aggressive approach
in investing in staff to equip us
to handle that growth,” says
Dowling. “He has created a
structure that’s conducive to
mentorship, growth opportunities
and success. We’re performing at a
higher level because of it.”
Burgess credits a collaborative
city council and a positive mayor
for making his role easier. When
he joined in 2021, the City was
understaffed and several systems
were outdated – some had
been implemented in the 1980s.
Cumbersome old technology
needed to be replaced with new
and improved equipment, and he
got the green light.
“Change is tough, but the staff
has been great,” says Burgess.
“They’ve embraced the new technology, as well as flexible work
arrangements for various work
groups where it makes sense.”
Improvements come in part
from listening to people’s needs,
which resulted in a new People
Plan that launched in 2024. It
focuses on fostering a healthy
and safe workplace; service and
performance excellence; attraction
and retention; an engaged
workforce; and learning and
development. “Our people are
our most valuable assets and the
foundation of the various critical
programs and services we provide
to our residents and visitors,” says
Burgess.
The city and staff are really
hospitable and community
focused – it runs in
everyone’s blood.
— James Dowling
Deputy Treasurer
City of Niagara Falls hosts an employee appreciation ‘Build a Bike’ event.
Informal mentors also listen
and guide their team members.
Dowling has an open, honest dialogue with his general manager.
“She’s a really helpful sounding
board, and I think the mentorship
is mutually beneficial,” he says.
Recently, Dowling appreciated
the support he received during
a bereavement leave for a family
member. “My supervisor was accommodating and told me to take