161 Church Street and 69-87 Geneva Street - Notice of Public Meeting

Proposal

The Planning and Building Services Department received Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment applications for lands located at 161 Church Street and 69, 71, 73, 75, 79, 81, 83 and 87 Geneva Street. The applications were deemed complete on January 24, 2025, pursuant to sections 22 (6.1) and 34 (10.4) of the Planning Act.

The applicant is seeking approval for a development consisting of a 19 storey building at the northwest corner of Church and Geneva Street, stepping down to a 4-storey building at the northern end of the subject lands. The development includes 197 residential units, 1,858 square meters of non-residential space, and 221 parking spaces (180 underground and 41 surface).                     

The lands are currently designated Mixed Medium High Density Residential/Commercial in the City’s Official Plan and the applicant is requesting an Official Plan Amendment to change the designation to Mixed High Density Residential/Commercial to increase the permitted height and density and add a site specific policy to permit commercial uses on the upper floors.

The lands are currently zoned Medium Density Mixed Use (M1) with Special Provisions 92, 93, and 107 in the City’s Zoning By-law. The applicant is requesting a Zoning By-law Amendment to rezone the property to High Density Mixed Use (M3) to increase height and density permissions to facilitate the proposed development. The amendment proposes to apply Special Provision 92 (M3-92) across the entire site to exempt vehicle and bicycle parking requirements. A new Special Provision (M3-189) is also proposed to permit increased lot area, frontage and non-residential gross leasable floor area, reduced setbacks, establish maximum building heights and minimum amenity space requirements.

For More Information

The application materials are available for review and comment and may be found at www.stcatharines.ca/development and at the Planning and Building Services Department, City Hall, 50 Church Street.

How To Participate

Visit www.stcatharines.ca/Council for information on how to access and participate in the Public Meeting, and how to request and make a delegation before Council.

Date: November 3, 2025
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Location: Council Chambers, City Hall, 50 Church Street, St. Catharines

Written submissions must be received by noon the Thursday before the public meeting by mailing or delivering them to:

Email submissions may also be made by noon the day of the public meeting and directed to clerks@stcatharines.ca. Both oral and written comments and recommendations will be taken into account by City Council when making a decision on the subject matter.

Legal Notice

As Bill 185 has received Royal Assent, only the registered owner of the land to which the by-law would apply, specified persons, and public bodies as defined in the Planning Act may appeal a decision of the municipality or by-law to the Ontario Land Tribunal.

If a specified person or public body would otherwise have an ability to appeal the decision of Council of the City of St. Catharines to the Ontario Land Tribunal but the person or public body does not make oral submissions at a public meeting or make written submissions to Council of the City of St Catharines before the by-law is passed, the specified person or public body is not entitled to appeal the decision.

If a specified person or public body does not make oral submissions at a public meeting, or make written submissions to Council of the City of St. Catharines before the by-law is passed, the person or public body may not be added as a party to the hearing of an appeal before the Ontario Land Tribunal unless, in the opinion of the Tribunal, there are reasonable grounds to do so.

If you wish to be notified of the decision of the Corporation of the City of St. Catharines on the Official Plan and Zoning By-law amendments, you must make a written request to:

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