Welcome
Niagara Youth Debate Forum
The Niagara Youth Debate Forum empowers young people across the Niagara Region to develop critical thinking, public speaking, and leadership skills through respectful debate and discussion. We provide opportunities for students to engage with important issues, exchange ideas, and build confidence in a welcoming and inclusive environment.
Information
The 2027 Debate Tournament
The Niagara Youth Debate Forum is a two-month debate competition taking place in 2027. Participants will compete in weekly debates using the Lincoln-Douglas debate format, which focuses on one-on-one debate and the discussion of values, ethics, and public policy issues. The forum is designed to help students develop critical thinking, public speaking, and argumentation skills while competing against other youth from across the Niagara Region.
Conferences
To ensure fair competition and reduce travel time, participants are divided into four regional conferences.
Niagara North (Blue)
West St. Catharines, Grimsby, Lincoln, SmithvilleNiagara Central (Green)
East St. Catharines, Thorold, PelhamNiagara East (Orange)
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Niagara FallsNiagara South (Red)
Welland, Port Colborne, Wainfleet, Fort Erie
Commitment Level
The Niagara Youth Debate Forum is designed to fit easily into a student's schedule. Participants will attend one debate per week, lasting approximately one hour, at a location within their conference for five weeks. Following the regular season, there will be a one-week break before the Niagara Region Debate Championship. The championship tournament is a single-day event expected to last approximately 3–5 hours.
Judges
Debates will be evaluated by volunteer judges from across the Niagara Region. Our judging team is expected to include teachers, professors, and other qualified community members with experience in education, communication, and critical thinking. Judges will provide fair and impartial evaluations based on the quality of arguments, evidence, organization, and presentation.
Registration
COMING SOON 2027
Registration is not yet open, but here are the requirements to register.
Age
Participants must be in grades 9-12 to register.
Location
Participants must be a resident, or attend a school in the Niagara Region.
Pricing
Cost of Registering
We aim to keep participation fees as low as possible to ensure the Niagara Youth Debate Forum is accessible to all students, regardless of financial background. Our goal is to remove barriers to entry so that any interested student can take part in meaningful debate and skill-building opportunities.
2027 Debate tournament
$99
Participation fees help cover the essential costs of running the Niagara Youth Debate Forum. This includes securing debate venues, providing materials and resources for competitors, supporting volunteer judges, and helping to organize and run the end-of-season championship event. Fees are kept as low as possible while ensuring a high-quality and well-organized experience for all participants.
Disclaimer
All dates, schedules, and participation fees for the Niagara Youth Debate Forum are subject to change and are still to be determined. Final details will be confirmed and published closer to the launch of the program.