Niagara Falls GO Transit Station Secondary Plan
All Niagara Region projects

About the Project

The announcement of expanded GO Rail Service to Niagara Falls by 2023 by the Province of Ontario is a significant infrastructure investment that will have considerable benefit to the community.

Niagara Region has partnered with the City of Niagara Falls to develop a Secondary Plan which provides a 20-year vision and planning framework to guide transit-supportive development around the GO station, located at the existing VIA Rail station on Bridge St.

The Secondary Plan will be inserted into the City's Official Plan and contains policies and guidelines for development and redevelopment which is complimentary to the existing community. The plan also identifies capital infrastructure improvements necessary to provide residents and commuters with safe and efficient access to the GO station.

Final Approved Secondary Plan

City of Niagara Falls Official Plan Amendment No. 125 - Niagara Falls Transit Station Secondary Plan

Secondary Plan Objectives

• Comprehensively improve the public realm
• Concentrate mixed use intensification along Bridge St., Erie Ave., Park St. and portions of Queen St. and other sites in proximity to the station
• Strengthen residential neighbourhoods and provide for a network to address land use compatibility along Buttrey St. and Ferguson St.
• Support tourist uses along River Rd.
• Celebrate, conserve and enhance the historic and cultural assets of the downtown

Identified Capital Improvements

The Secondary Plan identifies and recommends phasing for capital improvements necessary to enable safe and efficient access to the GO station.

Niagara Region and the City will undertake studies, such as the Thorold Stone Rd. Extension and Bridge St. Reconstruction, to assist with determining specific design details and elements that will be included as part of each improvement. Provided below are some of the capital improvements identified within the Secondary Plan:

Capital improvements identified within the Secondary Plan include:

• Streetscape and Roadway Improvements
  • Thorold Stone Rd. (extended to Victoria Ave. and Bridge St.)
  • Intersection signalization (Victoria Ave. at Buttrey St.)
  • Erie Ave. (major streetscape)
  • River Rd. (major streetscape)
  • Bridge St. (minor streetscape)
  • Victoria Ave. (minor streetscape)
  • Buttrey St. (minor streetscape)
• Bike Routes / Lanes Improvements
  • Bridge St. (between Victoria Ave. and River Rd.)
  • Victoria Ave. (between Bridge St. and Armoury St.)
  • Erie Ave. (between Bridge St. and Huron St.)
  • Hickson St. (between Buttrey St. and Leader Ln.)
  • Morrison St. (between Victoria Ave. and River Rd.)
• Multi-use Trail Improvements
  • Connecting Erie Ave. to Hickson St. through to River Rd.
  • Connecting the Olympic Torch Race Legacy Trail with the Michigan Central Railway Bridge and River Rd.
• Gateway Features
  • Victoria Ave. at Bridge St.
  • Erie Ave. at Bridge St.
  • River Rd. at Whirlpool Bridge
• Public Space Improvements
  • New public space at the southwest corner of Erie Ave. and Bridge St.
  • New public space adjacent to the Transit Station Area
  • Public space improvement south of Bridge St. (between Chrysler Ave. and Erie Ave.)
  • Public space improvement and along River Rd. (between River Rd. and Park St.)

Project Timeline