News

The Housing Accelerator Fund powers building surge in St. Catharines

St. Catharines is marking a record year for building permits, with increased housing starts and continued progress supported through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF).

The City of St. Catharines issued building permits for 1,025 new dwelling units during year two of its HAF Action Plan, exceeding its HAF year-two target by 310 units and surpassing its previous nine-year trend by more than 500 units. The City supported 1,001 of those new dwelling units...

Irish Labourers on the Welland Canal

When many private canal projects in the United States failed during the depression of 1837, the large-scale migration of mostly Irish labourers from those canal projects, into Canada, meant that 5,000-10,000 labourers had arrived on Canada’s canals by 1842. The Welland Canal attracted the largest numbers – around 5,000. Considering the population of St. Catharines in 1845 was merely 3,500, the presence of these desperate labourers was notable.

The St. Catharines Museum and Welland Canals Centre

Keep your home, property flood safe ahead of inclement weather

Freezing rain warning in effect for St. Catharines, significant rainfall expected

With several significant snowfalls and sustained cold temperatures, it’s been a snowy start to the year for St. Catharines. And, with a forecast of heavy rain, and snow melt continuing with temperatures above the freezing mark, residents could see high runoff of melting snow and the potential for localized flooding and water pooling around their homes and on the roadways.

Crews preparing for inclement weather

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The Second Welland Canal

The wooden locks and infrastructure of the Welland Canal was in such poor condition by the mid-1830s that it needed to be replaced. The size of ships continued to grow, and the volume of traffic on the waterway was steadily increasing.

The St. Catharines Museum and Welland Canals Centre is helping us celebrate our 150th anniversary of being officially incorporated as a City with a weekly look back into our rich history from a diverse range of perspectives.

Reconstruction of the canal began in 1841....