News

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

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....

St. Catharines and Lincoln win EDCO Award of Excellence

The City of St. Catharines and the Town of Lincoln have been jointly awarded the Economic Development Council of Ontario (EDCO) Award of Excellence in the Visitor Attraction and Tourism Product Development – Urban category, at the EDCO President’s Dinner during the 2026 Annual EDCO Conference.

The EDCO Awards of Excellence, held Feb. 4 in Toronto, celebrate the most impactful and innovative economic development initiatives across Ontario. The St. Catharines / Lincoln win recognizes the...

Nominations open for 2026 Volunteer Recognition Awards

Nominations for the 38th annual Volunteer Recognition Awards are now open.

The City of St. Catharines’ Volunteer Recognition Awards celebrate residents whose unselfish and dedicated service have made a significant impact in our community. Individuals and organizations can nominate deserving volunteers who’ve made a difference through their community contributions from now until Monday, March 9.

2026 marks the International Year of Volunteers, and the City will join Volunteer Canada’s national...

From a Village to a Town

On June 12, 1845, a by-law was passed at the Lincoln County Council making the village of St. Catharines a corporate town, governed by a Board of Police who acted as town council.  On May 1st of that year, elections had been held and A. S. St. John was elected the first president of the four-member Board of Police.

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...