Community Profiles / Niagara Region
St. Catharines
City Offices
50 Church St
St. Catharines 905-688-5600
https://www.stcatharines.ca
St. Catharines is the largest city in Canada’s Niagara Region and the sixth largest urban area in Ontario, with 37 square miles of land and more than 130,000 residents. The city is located 32 miles south of Toronto across Lake Ontario and 12 miles inland from the boundary with the United States along the Niagara River. It is the northern entrance of the Welland Canal. Residents of St. Catharines are known as St. Catharine’s. St. Catharines carries the official nickname “The Garden City” due to its 1,000 acres of parks, gardens, and trails. St. Catharines’ is home to 28 unique and distinct neighborhoods, each with its own feel and distinct makeup. Manufacturing is the city’s dominant industry. General Motors of Canada, Ltd., the Canadian subsidiary of General Motors and THK Rhythm Automotive, operate in the city.
The downtown core of St. Catharines is defined by the city as the area between Highway 406 on the west and south, Geneva Street on the east until it reaches St. Paul Street then Niagara Street north until it meets Welland Avenue. The downtown is the historical area of the city, as well as a significant cultural and entertainment destination. It is home to a variety dining and entertainment venues, along St. Paul and James Streets. The downtown is also home to a variety of arts venues, galleries, boutiques and shopping opportunities for residents.
The St. Catharines Museum is at Lock 3 on the Welland Canal, off the Welland Canals Parkway. An elevated viewing platform at the museum allows visitors to get a close-up look at ships from around the world as they climb this major section of the St. Lawrence Seaway. Along with its exhibits dedicated to the city’s history and the canals. Morningstar Mill, perched atop the Niagara Escarpment, is one of Ontario’s oldest mills on an original site, and is fully powered by water. The picturesque park provides a glimpse into the innovative and pioneering spirit of the 19th Century. The YMCA Discovery Centre provides children and their families with an educational yet entertaining and stimulating place to visit using hands-on, interactive exhibits and outdoor activities. The city is also home to a variety of theatre companies. These companies include Garden City Productions, Carousel Players, Mirror Theatre, Essential Collectives Theatre, and the Empty Box Theatre Company. The First Ontario Performing Arts Centre features four performance spaces in one venue including cinemas and dance halls. The Centre plays hosts to many events including theatrical events, concerts and other types of performances.
Educational options for families with children are handled by the District School Board of Niagara, responsible for managing a school system of 119 schools, including 6 Secondary Schools in the city of St. Catharines, Laura Secord Secondary School, Sir Winston Churchill, Governor Simcoe, St. Catharines Collegiate, Eden, Harriet Tubman Public Elementary School and the DSBN Academy. The Niagara Catholic District School Board (NCDSB) manages 61 elementary and secondary schools within the Niagara Region and operates 3 Catholic Secondary Schools within the city, Holy Cross, Denis Morris Catholic High School, and Saint Francis.
St. Catharines is home to Brock University a comprehensive university. A partnership between the university and the Ontario Grape and Wine Industry established the city as a center for cool-climate grape and wine research. Brock offers an Honors Bachelor of Science in Oenology and Viticulture. Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary, a post graduate institution of the Lutheran Church–Canada, operates on the campus of Brock University as well. McMaster University’s Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine operates a satellite campus in the city. A campus of the Niagara College of Applied Arts and Technology is near the city’s east end. Niagara College is the only fully licensed teaching winery in Canada. The “Niagara College Teaching Winery” has created award-winning wines. Niagara College has also taken home various medals from international wine competitions.
City of Niagara Falls
City Offices
4310 Queen Street
Niagara Falls, 905-356-7521
https://niagarafalls.ca/
The City of Niagara Falls is a small active city located in the heart of the Niagara Region. It is on the western bank of the Niagara River in the Golden Horseshoe region. Across the Niagara River is Niagara Falls, New York. The Niagara River flows over Niagara Falls at this location, creating a natural spectacle which attracts millions of tourists each year. It is home to more than 90,000 people. It offers its residents a high quality of life, and all the amenities of a large urban center in a comfortable, livable community. Niagara Falls is home to 11 communities and 67 neighborhoods defined by Planning Neighborhoods and Communities for the City of Niagara Falls. The city provides a vast array of year-round activities for the entire family. Biking and walking trails line the world-famous Niagara gorge while numerous golf courses, ball diamonds, playing fields, swimming pools and rinks unite local citizens and contribute to a powerful sense of community.
The economy of the city is heavily based on tourism. This is driven of course by the falls include Queen Victoria Park, adjacent to the Canadian falls, the Maid of the Mist, Marineland, with Friendship Cove which provides interaction with Killer and Beluga whales, an aquatic theatre and a game farm; Skylon Tower and Pavilion, containing a revolving restaurant and an observation deck overlooking the falls; the Butterfly Conservatory at the Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens; Canada One Factory Outlets which features brand name shopping; and Casino Niagara. The city is also home to several golf courses.
The tourist area, which stretches along the Niagara Parkway and promenade, is particularly concentrated at the brink of the falls. Apart from the river’s natural attractions, it includes observation towers, high-rise hotels, souvenir shops, museums, indoor water parks, casinos and theatres. Tourism started in the early 19th century and has been a vital part of the local economy since that time. The city does offer its residents a mix of cultural activities. Some cultural areas of Niagara Falls include Queen Street, Main and Ferry Streets, Stamford Centre and Chippawa Square.
Education in the city is served by the District School Board of Niagara and the Niagara Catholic District School Board which operate elementary and secondary schools in the region. There are also numerous private institutions offer alternatives to the traditional education systems.
While the city is known for its tourism and the falls, the city of Niagara offers its residents a high quality of life. They have access to all of the amenities of the city along with all of the opportunities that the entire golden Horseshoe region offers.
