Should Canada’s Niagara region become the 8th Wonder of the World?

A social media campaign is underway to add Niagara Falls and Ontario’s nearby wine country, Niagara-on-the-Lake, to the Wonders of the World.

“The public domain has been debating world wonders for a long time and we have decided to stake our claim once and for all,” said Jody Larose, the executive director at Tourism Partnership of Niagara.

According to a recent Ipsos Reid poll, 74 per cent of Canadians across the country believe the region is already one of the world wonders. And 78 per cent think it should be.

While Larose admits there’s no official authority that determines which spots make the cut, the “#Claimthe8th” campaign urges Canadians “to show their support” by sharing why Niagara Canada should become the eighth world wonder.

READ MORE: These are Canada’s 18 UNESCO World Heritage sites

She admits it’s an effort to “amplify” the tourism hot-spot on the world scale, by showcasing all that the region has to offer.

Among the highlights Larose lists: “a wine region with over 85 wineries… the Welland Canal, the history and heritage left by the War of 1812 and how Canada was shaped by it, amazing beaches on the north short of Lake Erie and a buzzing foodie scene that celebrates the farm to table cuisine we are known for. All this plus the waterfall wonder that is the Horseshoe Falls in the City of Niagara Falls.”

These are the destinations on the original world wonders list:

Seven Wonders of the Ancient World

The number seven was originally chosen by the Greeks because it represented the five planets they knew about, as well as the moon and the sun.

1. Great Pyramid of Giza (this is the only one on the list that still exists)
2. Hanging Gardens of Babylon
3. Statue of Zeus at Olympia
4. Temple of Artemis at Ephesus
5. Mausoleum at Halicarnassus
6. Colossus of Rhodes
7. Lighthouse of Alexandria

Seven Wonders of the New World

These are based on an initiative that launched in 2000. Hundreds of spots around the world were voted on. Niagara Falls didn’t make the short list.

1. Chichen Itza
2. Christ the Redeemer
3. Great Wall of China
4. Machu Picchu
5. Petra
6. Taj Mahal
7. Colosseum

There are now a number of other similar lists that honour the modern world.

SOUND OFF: What other Canadian spots do you think should be added to the Wonders of the World list?