Public Open House: Community Visioning Session for the Ontario Street Secondary Plan

The City of St. Catharines is embarking on a land use study to develop a vision, and ultimately a land use plan, to guide the future redevelopment of the former General Motors lands located on the east and west side of Ontario Street, immediately south of Carlton Street.

The Study, titled the Ontario Street Corridor Secondary Plan Study, is centred around the former General Motors lands at 282-285 Ontario St., but will also examine the entire Ontario Street corridor from the QEW Highway south to Welland Avenue. The lands at 282-285 Ontario St. are located approximately in the middle of this corridor.

The Study, which is being led by the City’s Planning and Building Services Department and consultant NPG Planning Solutions, will evaluate not only land use, but will also examine other components of land development, including but not limited to transportation, service infrastructure and capacity, complete streets, the environment, public realm, climate change, urban design, built form, and heritage.

An initial public open house took place on Feb. 7, 2023, however the Study was paused in April 2024. On Nov. 6, 2025 Mayor Mat Siscoe issued a mayoral directive to reinstate the Ontario Street Corridor Secondary Plan study with the goal of bringing the proposed plan to Council for consideration by November 2026.

The City’s Planning and Building Services Department is hosting a Public Open House in which to present the Study’s Background Report (available on the City’s EngageSTC page) and to commence the Community Visioning.

Public Open House
Date: Tuesday, April 14, 2026
Location: Holiday Inn and Suites, Concord and Chardonnay Room, 327 Ontario St., St. Catharines
Time: 5:30 p.m. Doors Open, display materials for viewing 6 p.m. Presentation followed by breakout discussions.

For further information, questions or comments, please contact the project team:
Online: engageSTC.ca\OntarioStreetStudy
By email: OntarioStreetStudy@stcatharines.ca
By phone: 905.680.7027