The announcement of expanded GO Rail service to St. Catharines 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 St. Catharines 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 Great Western St.
The final approved St. Catharines GO Transit Station Secondary Plan has been inserted into the City of St. Catharines Official Plan (The Garden City Plan) in Section 15.3.
The Secondary Plan 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.
The Secondary Plan process identified and recommended phasing for capital improvements necessary to enable safe and efficient access to the GO station.
The Region and City will undertake studies, such as the St. Paul St. West - CN Rail Bridge Replacement to assist with determining specific design details and elements that will be included as part of each improvement.
Capital improvements identified within the Secondary Plan include:
September 2015 - Completed
Memorandum of Understanding signed between the City of St. Catharines and Niagara Region to undertake the St. Catharines GO Transit Station Secondary Plan
March 2016 - Completed
Initiated the Secondary Plan process
April to May 2016 - Completed
Reviewed and confirmed identified transit station location
June 29, 2016 - Completed
Public information centre #1: visioning and objectives
June 19, 2017 - Completed
Public information centre #2: review of proposed draft Secondary Plan materials
november 2, 2017 - Completed
Public open house: review final draft Secondary Plan materials
april 23, 2018 - Completed
Statutory public meeting: final draft Secondary Plan presented to the public and City Council
may 7, 2018 - Completed
Secondary Plan adopted by City Council
july 5, 2018 - Completed
Secondary Plan approved by Regional Council
july 26, 2018 - Completed
Secondary Plan appeal period concludes. Secondary Plan process complete.
Cheryl Selig, MCIP, RPP
Planning Lead - GO Implementation Office
905-980-6000 ext. 3488
Email Cheryl Selig
The St. Catharines GO Transit Station Secondary Plan was shaped through an extensive public engagement process.
In total, the City of St. Catharines and Niagara Region hosted a total of four information and workshop sessions, as well as conducted an online survey to collect feedback from the community.
The project team also established a resident group called the "West St. Catharines Proactive Advisory Group" to help engage the community. It will continue to play a significant role in providing community feedback about on-going and future Secondary Plan-related capital improvements.
Public Information Centre #2 - June 19, 2017
Public Open House - Nov. 2, 2017