. The Niagara & District Junior C Hockey League was formed in 1974. Although corresponding with the founding of the
Golden Horseshoe Junior Hockey League, the Niagara District league was actually founded by removing the Niagara-area teams from the Central Junior C Hockey League and placing them in the new Niagara District league. The Central league is now known as the
Western Ontario Junior C Hockey League. In 1984, the entire Western Division of the league broke away and formed the Southwestern Junior C Hockey League. The league only lasted one year before it was reabsorbed by the Niagara & District League. The Southwestern league comprised teams from Norwich, Woodstock, Tillsonburg, Simcoe, and New Hamburg. Local publications, like the Simcoe Reformer, did not recognize the Southwestern League as anything but the Western Division of the Niagara District league. In the Spring of 2013, Junior C hockey in Ontario had its first major realignment since the creation of the
Georgian Mid-Ontario Junior C Hockey League in 1994. The 27 teams between the Niagara & District League and the
Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League were reshuffled. The Niagara & District League jumped from 12 to 18 teams, losing the
Aylmer Spitfires, but gaining the
Ayr Centennials,
Burford Bulldogs,
Delhi Travellers,
Hagersville Hawks,
Norfolk Rebels (Port Dover),
Tavistock Braves, and
Wellesley Applejacks. Not long after, the OHA split off the Western Division of the Niagara League to form the new
Midwestern Junior C Hockey League, taking long time Niagara League members the
Woodstock Navy-Vets,
New Hamburg Firebirds,
Norwich Merchants, and
Paris Mounties with them. ==Teams==